The U.S. women’s basketball team advanced to their eighth consecutive Olympic gold medal game with a 85-64 victory over Australia on Friday behind the leadership of the New York Liberty’s Breanna Stewart, who scored 16 points.
The U.S. jumped out to an early lead on Australia, but only led 20-16 after the first quarter. The Americans put the game away in the second quarter, starting the period with a 12-0 run. The U.S. led 45-27 at the half.
“I think we just continue to play unselfish basketball, making sure that we’re moving the ball, that we’re finding best shot,” Stewart told NBC Olympics’ Mike Tirico. “Really starting with our defense and scoring as much as we can in transition, knowing that we have depth that nobody else does in this tournament, and making sure that we got where we wanted to be. Now we have one more game to get the gold medal.”
The Americans, who extended their Olympic winning streak to 60 consecutive games, will face either France or Belgium on Sunday.
The U.S. are trying to become the first team to win eight consecutive gold medals, breaking the tie with the American men’s program that won seven in a row from 1936-68.
A win Sunday would give Diana Taurasi a record six gold medals. A game after not starting for the first time since the 2004 Olympics, the Americans’ most decorated Olympic basketball player didn’t enter the game until 2:08 remained in the third quarter with the U.S. up 63-40.
Jackie Young added 14 points, Kahleah Copper 11 and A’ja WIlson 10 for the Americans.
Isobel Borlase led Australia with 11, and Tess Madgen and Ezi Magbegor each had 10.
In addition to her 16 points, Stewart also had six rebounds and five assists.
“It’s absolutely incredible and I don’t think I could put into words the fact that what we’ve done with USA basketball, with this national team, 60 straight wins,” Stewart said after the win. “But this is the standard, when I first put that USA jersey on, I know that it was gold really or bust. And making sure that you know every time on the court, off the court, the way we prepare ourselves, that we’re trying to be the best we can be and reach new heights.”
