The USA Basketball Women’s National Team will be heading into the Olympics with enough momentum to encompass all of Rio de Janeiro.
They put on an offensive show tailor-made for Broadway and just as they have in their previous games, it was another victory for the team, defeating Australia by a final of 104-89 at Madison Square Garden.
If this is an indication on how things will go if these two teams match up again for a gold medal, one must feel confident about Team USA’s chances.
Five players finished with double-digit scoring efforts, including Diana Taurasi with 20 points, Elena Delle Donne with 19, and Britney Griner with 15. Team USA also made 27 of its 33 shots from the free throw line while Australia did go 17 for 17 from the charity stripe.
Elizabeth Cambage led Australia with 22 points.
From the first quarter on, it was obvious this matchup of the world’s two top teams was going to be an offensively charged one. Team USA led 28-25 after the first, led by 11 from Delle Donne.
Australia’s Leilani Mitchell kept her team in it for much of the game as her 16 first half points allowed Australia to only be down by six to Team USA at 54-48 at the half.
Just as was the case in the earlier exhibition vs. France, the third quarter was a big difference in who won this game. Mitchell picked up her third foul in the third quarter and only scored two points for the remainder of the game. Team USA outscored Australia 35-23 for the third quarter en route to an 89-71 advantage with three frames in the books.
At the end, the 13,000-plus fans in attendance at MSG got to see Team USA conclude its exhibition slate in style as the team now heads to Brazil with their minds once again set on gold.
By: Akiem Bailum (@AkiemBailum on Twitter, Instagram)
