A’ja Wilson says “all eyes are on us” during Olympics and WNBA season
With the WNBA’s heightened popularity, the U.S. women are seeking their record eighth consecutive gold medal at the Paris Olympics this summer.
The United States women’s basketball team opened play at the 2024 Paris Olympics with a rematch of the gold medal game from the previous Summer Games.
Once again, it was Team USA that emerged victorious over Japan in the rematch on Monday in each team’s first group stage clash, three years after the U.S. came out on top to win the gold medal.
Brittney Griner pushed the Americans to the gold medal that day with 30 points in the 90-75 win. On Monday, it was A’ja Wilson and her 24 points that helped propel the U.S. to a 102-76 win.
Monday was just the start of the Americans’ attempt to repeat as gold medalists. Next, the Americans will contend with Belgium, then Germany, in their group for a spot in the quarterfinals.
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USA TODAY Sports has updates, highlights, results and more from throughout the game. See them here:
Team USA women vs. Japan highlightsWhen does Team USA women’s basketball play next?
The Americans face Belgium for their second group stage matchup on Thursday, Aug. 1. The game starts at 3 p.m. ET and will air on USA Network and stream on Peacock.
Team USA dominated from close-range all game to open group play with a win. A’ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart combined for 46 points, and three others — Sabrina Ionescu, Kelsey Plum and Brittney Griner — got to double digits. Every player on the U.S. roster scored.
The U.S. reaches 100 points for the game after Ionescu grabs a defensive rebound then finds Copper with a deep outlet pass. Copper finishes with the easy score, and Team USA leads, 100-68.
Stewart continues to be the benefactor of great passing. This time, it’s Ionescu who uses a no-look pass to find the power forward cutting to the basket for an easy layup.
While Japan has relied mostly on the deeper shots, Team USA has had the opposite emphasis: the paint. Ionescu ends the Americans’ drought from beyond the arc with a deep 3 from the right wing. It’s the first made 3-point attempt by the U.S. since Plum made her first attempt in the first quarter. Team USA leads, 86-64.
Through three quarters, the Japanese team has more 3-point attempts (32) than 2-point attempts (26). They’re also making those 3s at a better rate than they are from inside the arc — they’re shooting 38% from 3-point range and 35% from 2.
That’s a testament to the efforts Team USA has made as they continue to dominate the scoring inside. The Americans are defending tightly on one end and scoring from inside the paint on the other. The U.S. still leads, 79-57, with 10 minutes to go.
Gray followed up her earlier no-look pass with another one just a few offensive possessions later. Stewart once again finished with the score. Gray heads to the bench with 13 assists and four minutes left in the third quarter. Team USA has built a 20-point lead and is ahead 69-49.
Despite several double-teams and tough defense from Japan, Wilson has managed to grab rebounds on both sides of the floor. On a recent offensive possession, she grabbed an offensive board while sandwiched between two defenders before dishing an assist to Stewart for the score.
Gray found Stewart cutting to the basket and sent her the ball with a no-look pass. Stewart finished with an easy layup as the U.S. continues to impress down low. Team USA leads, 59-42.
Team USA leads Japan, 50-39. Wilson still leads scoring with 17 points on 7-of-11 shooting.
The two have combined for 28 points — 14 each. As the first half winds down, the U.S. leads Japan, 47-35.
Team USA is outscoring Japan 22-4 from inside the paint. They lead, 37-27.
Copper went down hard and appeared to be in some pain after a collision while attempting a defensive rebound. She walked off by herself, but the broadcast showed her holding her hip/side on the bench.
Japanese shooters are 6-of-16 from beyond the arc, which has helped keep them in the game. Team USA still leads, 32-24, but the Americans still only have one made 3.
A missed shot by Saki Hayashi bounces right to Griner’s outstretched hand, and she pulls in the rebound without needing the other. The ensuing offensive possession by the U.S. results in a made layup from Stewart to extend Team USA’s scoring run to 8-0. The Americans lead, 30-18.
The U.S. leads Japan, 22-15. Wilson leads all scorers with 10 points on 5-of-9 shooting. Stewart, Griner and Wilson have combined for 12 of the Americans’ 16 rebounds. Himawari Akaho has five points for Japan, and the Japanese team has eight total rebounds.
Team USA has 12 rebounds to Japan’s six through eight minutes. Stewart leads the Americans with five of her own. Griner and Wilson are taking advantage of their height to find easy shots under the basket and pull down offensive boards.
Kelsey Plum hits the first 3 for the United States after Griner picks up an offensive rebound. Team USA leads 17-9.
After Napheesa Collier picks up a second foul early, Wilson returns to action.
Brittney Griner, Jewell Loyd and Kelsey Plum all enter the game for the first time with five minutes remaining in the first quarter. Wilson, Taurasi and Chelsea Gray head to the bench.
Taurasi finds Wilson under the basket with an excellent pass to tally her first assist of the contest. Wilson is up to eight points as Team USA leads, 12-7.
Machida, who played for the Washington Mystics in 2022, entered for Miyazaki three minutes into the game.
Wilson tallies the first block of the game by stuffing a close shot attempt from Mawuli. She had previously recorded her first assist with a pass to Breanna Stewart on the previous offensive possession.
The American center got Team USA the first possession and immediately got the scoring started with an easy layup.
USA vs. Japan: Time, TV, streaming and how to watchDate: Monday, July 29Time: 3 p.m. ET | noon PTLocation: Lille, FranceTV: USA NetworkStreaming: Peacock, Fubo (free trial)
Catch the Summer Olympics in Paris with a Peacock subscription
The game will broadcast on USA Network at 3 p.m. ET.
The game will be broadcasted on USA and stream across Peacock and fubo TV.
Group A:
ChinaPuerto RicoSerbiaSpain
Group B:
AustraliaCanadaFranceNigeria
Group C:
BelgiumGermanyJapanUnited StatesNapheesa Collier, Minnesota LynxKahleah Cooper, Phoenix MercuryChelsea Gray, Las Vegas AcesBrittney Griner, Phoenix MercurySabrina Ionescu, New York LibertyJewell Loyd, Seattle StormKelsey Plum, Las Vegas AcesBreanna Stewart, New York LibertyDiana Taurasi, Phoenix MercuryAlyssa Thomas, Connecticut SunA’ja Wilson, Las Vegas AcesJackie Young, Las Vegas AcesHimawari AkahoSaki HayashiRui MachidaEvelyn MawuliStephanie MawuliSaori MiyazakiYuki MiyazawaNako MotohashiMaki TakadaNanako TodoMai YamamotoAsami Yoshida
Every event at the 2024 Paris Olympics will be aired live across NBC, USA Network, E!, CNBC, GOLF Channel, and there will be a Spanish broadcast on Universo and Telemundo. All events will be available to stream live on Peacock and NBCOlympics.com.
Date: July 24-Aug. 11
TV: Games broadcast across NBC, USA Network, E!, Telemundo, Universo, CNBC and Golf Channel
Streaming: Peacock, nbcolympics.com, fuboTV
July 29 – Women’s Group Phase, Group C: United States vs. Japan: 1 p.m. ET on USA Network, Peacock and NBCOlympics.com.August 1 – Women’s Group Phase, Group C: Belgium vs. United States: 3 p.m. ET on USA Network, Peacock and NBCOlympics.com.August 4 – Women’s Group Phase, Group C: Germany vs. United States: 11:15 a.m. ET on USA Network, Peacock and NBCOlympics.com.August 7 – Women’s Quarterfinals: Games start between 5 a.m. ET – 3:30 p.m. ET on Peacock and NBCOlympics.com.August 9 – Women’s Semifinal: 11:30 p.m. ET or 3 p.m. on NBC, Peacock and NBCOlympics.com.August 11 – Women’s Bronze Medal Game: 5:30 a.m. ET on USA Network, Peacock and NBCOlympics.com.August 11 – Women’s Gold Medal Game: 9:30 a.m. ET on NBC, Peacock and NBCOlympics.com.
For the men, here is how the early games shake out.
July 28 vs. Serbia, 110-84 WJuly 31 vs. South Sudan, 3 p.m. ETAugust 3 vs. Puerto Rico, 11:15 a.m. ET
The United States has dominated at the Summer Games and has medaled in every Olympics they have competed in (they didn’t compete in 1980 due to a nationwide Olympic boycott).
In total, the U.S. women’s basketball team has won eleven medals — nine gold, one silver (1976), and one bronze (1992). The U.S. women have won seven straight gold medals dating back to the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.
Indiana Fever star guard and Rookie of the Year frontrunner Caitlin Clark is not on the U.S. women’s basketball team.
This might be interesting to those who have heard her name countless times over the last year, but it makes a great deal of sense. Team USA favors experience for a squad that has been very successful over the years, and Clark has no time on the international stage.
The other is that Clark, who was competing for a national title, was not able to attend U.S. training camp. Her absence likely played a large role in the selection committee’s decision to not choose her for the team.
On Sunday, South Carolina women’s basketball head coach and selection committee member Dawn Staley added some additional insight into the decision.
“Caitlin is just a rookie in the WNBA and wasn’t playing bad, but wasn’t playing like she’s playing now,” she said. “If we had to do it all over again, with the way she’s playing, she would be in really high consideration of making the team because she’s playing head and shoulders above a lot of people. She’s shooting the ball extremely well. She’s an elite passer. She’s just got a great basketball IQ. And she’s a little more seasoned in the pro game than she was two months ago.”
Germany, 2 points (1-0)United States, 2 points (1-0)Belgium, 1 point (0-1)Japan, 1 point (0-1)Stephanie MawuliMai YamamotoSaki HayashiEvelyn MawuliSaori Miyazaki
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Publish date : 2024-07-29 17:00:00
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