Fresh off their win against China, Team USA will look to build off a strong first performance in their second game against Venezuela. The men won’t be the only American hoopers in action, as Day 3 marks the first day of Olympic basketball featuring both the US men’s and women’s teams.
Olympic basketball schedule 2016: Team USA takes on Venezuela in Day 3 matchup
Team USA’s men and women both feature in Day 3 of Olympic basketball action.
The men’s side toppled this same Venezuela team 80-45 in exhibition play on July 29, winning by 35 points despite a poor performance on the offensive end. So long as they continue to smother teams on defense with their ungodly length and athleticism, the shooting almost doesn’t matter. Every player on the roster scored in their Rio debut, emphasizing the share-the-rock mentality of the bunch.
USA’s women are heavy favorites to pick up another victory in Rio, though Spain will offer more resistance than Venezuela will to the men. USA and Spain met in the final of the 2014 FIBA World Championship for Women, a game that ended in a (relatively) narrow 13-point victory for USA. Spain is the third-ranked team in the world behind USA and Australia respectively, and they’ll come ready to fight Team USA tooth-and-nail for a win.
Elsewhere, Serbia and Australia enter their afternoon game with identical 1-0 records after 20-plus point victories on Day 1. NBA big men Andrew Bogut and Nikola Jokic will clash in the paint, and the team that controls the glass will likely triumph.
The late men’s game features a French team hoping to bounce back from a poor first performance. A 21-point beating at the hands of Australia has many rethinking their evaluation of France as a top team, though they have more than enough talent to overwhelm their Day 3 opponent, China. Tony Parker, Boris Diaw and company have to improve on both ends if they want a shot at a medal.
2016 Rio Olympics Basketball Schedule
All times Eastern
Men
Events: Serbia vs. Australia (1:15), USA vs. Venezuela (6:00), France vs. China (9:30)
TV: MSNBC (SRB vs. AUS), NBCSN (USA vs. VEN), France vs. China (Stream-only)
Streaming: NBC Sports Stream 1 (1:15), NBC Sports Stream 2 (6:00), NBC Sports Stream 3 (9:30)
Women
Events: USA vs. Spain (11:00), Canada vs. Serbia (1:15), Japan vs. Brazil (4:30), Senegal vs. China (6:45)
TV: NBCSN (USA vs. Spain)
Streaming: NBC Sports Stream 4 (11:00), NBC Sports Stream 5 (1:15), NBC Sports Stream 6 (4:30), NBC Sports Stream 7 (6:45)
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USA clobbered China in first game
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