USA women’s hoops will play for eighth consecutive gold medal

Editor’s note: Follow U.S. women’s basketball vs. France live updates and highlights from the Olympics gold medal game.
PARIS — The U.S. women’s basketball team will play for an unprecedented eighth gold medal.
After crushing Australia 85-64 in a game that felt like a blowout from the jump, Team USA will meet host France in the gold-medal game Sunday.
The Americans were led again by Breanna Stewart, who finished with 16 points, while Jackie Young scored 13 in her second start, and A’ja Wilson had 10 points, eight rebounds and four blocks. Kahleah Copper, who hasn’t got off the bench much, scored 11 points in a reserve role.
After pushing the Americans in the first quarter, Australia struggled mightily to score, putting up just 11 and 13 points in the second and third quarters, respectively.
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PARIS — It’s time to play the home team.
The U.S. will meet host France on Sunday in the women’s basketball gold-medal match, after the French battled back from as much as a 15-point deficit in the second semifinal Friday at Bercy Arena, defeating Belgium 81-75 in overtime.
It will be a tough test for the Americans, who haven’t lost at the Olympics since 1992.
France is led by two standout WNBA veterans in forward Gabby Williams and guard Marine Johannes. Williams loves to attack the rim and finish through contact with her strong frame and Johannes is Caitlin-Clark like in that as soon as she crosses half court, she’s willing to shoot. Iliana Rupert, whose brother plays in the NBA, is also a tough matchup.
The pro-France crowd is the ultimate sixth (wo)man, giving Les Bleus thunderous support. It will be hard for Team USA, which has looked sloppy and disjointed at times, to hear each other and communicate. Getting a fast start will be paramount for the U.S.
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PARIS — Unsurprisingly, it is not getting better for Australia. The U.S. is cruise control at this point. With three players in double figures (Stewart has 16, Young 14 and Wilson 10), it’s now more about if anyone else can get into double-digits for the Americans. It’s safe to say Team USA will be playing for an eighth consecutive gold on Sunday.
– Lindsey Schnell
PARIS — Jackie Young continues her scoring tear, totaling 10 points the first half as the Americans head into halftime with an 18-point lead. Breanna Stewart has a team-high 11 and A’ja Wilson has four points with four blocks. The U.S. has held Australia to 33% from the field while shooting 56% itself, including 44% from 3. The Americans have also grabbed seven steals already, and turned the ball over just five times in 20 minutes (sloppy play had been an issue through the U.S.’s first four games).
PARIS — The U.S. clearly got a talking-to from coach Cheryl Reeve before this game – or maybe one of its captains – and came out ready to play. The Americans jumped out to a 12-4 lead, forcing Australia to burn a timeout. Once the Aussies got their footing though they closed the gap to 18-16 before the U.S. got a couple quick buckets. 
As usual, the stars are coming out to watch Team USA. Kevin Durant  is sitting courtside, along with Dawn Staley, Sue Bird and Megan Rapinoe. Vanessa Bryant and her girls are also in the VIP row.
Same starting five the U.S. as the quarterfinals, as Jackie Young keeps her starting role over Diana Taurasi. Not surprising given the lift Young gave the Americans offensively and defensively. She typically guards the other team’s best perimeter player. 
Australia is an experienced, talented team featuring one of the brightest young stars in the WNBA in Ezi Magbegor. If they were at full strength (Becca Allen is out with an injury) the Australians could probably push Team USA because their other WNBA players — Sami Whitcomb, Alanna Smith and others — won’t be scared of the Americans. But depth will be the difference maker here, and the U.S. should win comfortably.
Prediction: USA 82, Australia 67
Lots has been made about Diana Taurasi’s age (42) as the 11-time WNBA All-Star goes for her sixth gold medal in Paris. But did you know the oldest player at this tournament — and the oldest to ever play Olympic basketball — is actually Lauren Jackson of Australia?
After missing the last two Olympics the three-time WNBA MVP is back with the Opals. She’s in a reduced role but thrilled to be here.
Read more on Jackson, Taurasi and 39-year-old LeBron James continuing to chase gold in their “geriatric” years
Here are the remaining contests at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The U.S. women’s basketball roster is made up of eight WNBA champions, three WNBA MVPs and five WNBA Rookies of the Year.
Cheryl Reeve, head coach of the WNBA’s Minnesota Lynx, will serve as the head coach of the 2024 USA women’s national team. Kara Lawson (Duke), Joni Taylor (Texas A&M) and Mike Thibault (Washington Mystics) will serve as Reeve’s assistant coaches. Reeve and her staff previously led the USA women to a gold medal at the 2022 FIBA Women’s World Cup.
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 11 medals – nine gold, one silver (1976), and one bronze (1992). The U.S. women have won seven consecutive gold medals dating back to the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.
Brittney Griner knows the face she presents to the world is often a mask. 
She knows what you see – the goofy grin, the 6-foot-9 big kid who loves skateboarding and off-roading, the intimidating shot-blocker on the basketball court – is only a fraction of the truth. 
To outsiders it looks like Griner has moved on quickly from her 10-month detention in Russian custody, a terrifying and isolating stretch of time that would’ve broken most people. When she poses for photos with fans, easily banks in an eight-footer, it looks like things are back to normal. But they’re not, and she’s not. 
“It’s always with me, and there’s definitely moments of like, oh wow this could be totally different – I could be seeing this beautiful view through bars,” Griner said Saturday from USA practice. “It doesn’t go away. It makes you appreciate everything a little bit more too.”
Diana Taurasi and Sue Bird (2004, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020) are the only two American women’s basketball players to win five Olympic gold medals. Taurasi can become the first to earn six gold medals in Paris.