The United States women’s basketball team earned a dominant 85-64 win over Australia in the semifinals. The victory was the latest step on the quest for an eighth straight Olympic gold medal, and Team USA took the challenge in stride.
The U.S. played well on offense, with Breanna Stewart and Jackie Young leading the team with 16 and 14 points, respectively, and with the team going 7-of-16 on 3-pointers. But it was the American defense that was particularly strong, with 10 steals and five blocked shots, scoring 19 points off those turnovers. The U.S. also operated well at a faster pace, scoring 26 fast break points.
So far, Team USA has largely cruised through their games, besting Japan, Belgium and Germany in group play. Australia beat Serbia handily in their quarterfinal matchup on Wednesday, while the U.S. defeated Nigeria 88-74 en route to the semifinal.
Team USA has now extended its win streak to 59 games, with the streak stretching back to 1992. The United States will now face the winner of France vs. Belgium in the gold medal matchup on Sunday, while Australia will take on the loser of that match to compete for the bronze.
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Team USA defeats Australia with a dominant 21-point win
The U.S. takes the 85-64 win and moves on to play for the gold medal on Sunday. It was a dominant performance from the United States, who steamroll over Australia on the quest for its eighth straight gold.