Team USA beat Italy 55-52 in Berlin on Sunday, September 6, advancing to the quarterfinals of the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup after the closest call the program has had at the tournament in almost five decades. USA TODAY reported it was the smallest margin of victory for Team USA since 1979 and the lowest shooting percentage — 29% from the floor — in the team's World Cup history.
The Americans started fast, then ran into Italy's zone and stopped scoring. No U.S. player reached double figures until the fourth quarter. The first three-pointer of the game, by either side, did not fall until the third.
How it finished
Italy had a chance to tie it at 55 with 20 seconds left. The last-second three-pointer hit the backboard and dropped into Breanna Stewart's hands as time expired, Bullets Forever reported.
Jackie Young led Team USA with 10 points, four rebounds, three assists and two steals. Angel Reese added eight points, three rebounds, two blocks and a steal. Cecilia Zandalasini carried Italy with 14 points and seven rebounds. Kiki Iriafen was the only American to receive a DNP; Sonia Citron played five minutes without scoring.
"Obviously, Italy really kind of mucked up the game for us a little bit, and it made it hard on us to score," Stewart said. "Tough team … this is a tough tournament, but we all really acknowledge that."
Coach Kara Lawson was blunt about the offense. "It wasn't our best outing, especially on the offensive end … you have to be able to win different ways in this tournament because every team plays different," she said. "It's clear we've got some improvements to make. So, we'll just go back to work."
Where the group stands
The result moved the U.S. to 2-0 in Group D and extended its World Cup winning streak to 32 games. Two days earlier the Americans opened the tournament by beating China 94-61. Uristocrat covered the start of Team USA's World Cup run on September 4.
Stewart, who closed out the win, has been the constant in this group's recent trophies, including the New York Liberty's 93-85 Commissioner's Cup victory over the Aces in July.
Team USA plays Czechia on Monday, September 7 at 2:45 p.m. ET on TNT and HBO Max.
Source: USA TODAY
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