The women of Team USA dominated group play in Olympic basketball once again, putting them in excellent position to win their sixth straight gold. America’s women’s team faces off with Japan in their first game of the knockout stages on Tuesday.
Olympic basketball schedule 2016: Team USA takes on Japan in the quarterfinals
The USWNT starts the knockout phase with a matchup against Japan.
Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images
“Dominant” might not be a strong enough word to describe USA’s performance against their competition in Group B. They won their games by an average of 41 points, nearly quadrupling the margin of their closest competitors. Undefeated through five games, the Americans are a heavy favorite to coast into another semifinal appearance.
The most impressive part of America’s dominance has been their effort by committee. Team USA has had four different leading scorers in their five games, and their top scorer (Diana Taurasi) is only the 12th-best scorer in the tournament so far. USA’s women have engineered a balanced, collaborative attack that their male counterparts should be jealous of.
Before the Americans get underway, there are a couple more games worth keeping an eye on. Australia — the No. 2 ranked team in the world and the only non-American team to emerge from group play undefeated — kick off the quarterfinals at 10 a.m. ET against Serbia.
It’s worth tuning in to check out the Aussies’ leading scorer and rebounder, Elizabeth Cambage, one of the few players in the tournament with the size and skill to go toe-to-toe with USA’s frontline. The 6’8” center is averaging 22.4 points and 10.2 rebounds entering the knockout stages, and she figures to continue that run of form against Serbia. Should chalk hold all the way to the final, Cambage’s matchup against Team USA’s Brittany Griner will be must-see TV.
In other quarterfinal action, France and Canada will play for the right to be the eventual semifinal victim of the United States, while Spain and Turkey close the day out with their 9:15 p.m. matchup.
2016 Rio Olympics women’s basketball coverage for Tuesday
All times Eastern
Events: Australia vs. Serbia (10 a.m.), France vs. Canada (1:30 p.m.), USA vs. Japan (5:45 p.m.), Spain vs. Turkey (9:15 p.m.)
TV: NBCSN (5:45 p.m.)
Online Streaming: NBC Sports Stream 1 (10 a.m.), Stream 2 (1:30 p.m.), Stream 3 (5:45 p.m.), Stream 4 (9:15 p.m.)
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