The Olympic women’s basketball quarterfinals will be played tomorrow, with the United States taking on Nigeria at 3:30pm ET. It could be the most one-sided match of the quarterfinals, but Nigeria has been under threat in the past and continues to surprise in these Olympic games.
The two women’s basketball teams come from very different historical backgrounds: The U.S. women’s team has won 58 consecutive Olympic titles and an astounding seven consecutive gold medals, while Nigeria just made history by becoming the first African nation in Olympic basketball history to reach the quarterfinals.
But in a single-elimination game, that may not matter. Historical honors don’t determine the outcome of a 40-minute basketball game. If Nigeria plays exceptionally well and the U.S. struggles, Nigeria has a chance. It could be a major upset. And while U.S. basketball has dominated all its opponents so far, some games have been tough. was They were close for a while, but then they pulled away with an overwhelming lead.
Let’s take a look at what to expect from this matchup.
A’ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart continue to lead America
So far in the Olympics, the U.S. has been led by the dominant frontcourt duo of Breanna Stewart and A’ja Wilson, averaging 20.3 points per game each. They are both highly efficient, with Stewart shooting 62.5% from the field and Wilson averaging 56.8%, and work incredibly well together. Anyone who has watched women’s basketball over the last decade will not be surprised by the excellent play of Stewart and Wilson. Together, they have won four MVPs and four championships and continue to be the most dominant players in the league.
Photo by SAMEER AL-DOUMY/AFP via Getty Images
Chelsea Gray, Diana Taurasi and Napheesa Collier were all in the starting lineup throughout the group stage, with reserves Alyssa Thomas and Jackie Young also making key contributions, with Young exploding for 19 points (including five 3-pointers) against Germany on Sunday and Thomas providing a spark of energy on both ends of the court every time she played.
Longtime Team USA standout Brittney Griner has unmatched size coming off the bench and is the team’s fourth-leading scorer, averaging eight points and 5.3 rebounds in three games. Sabrina Ionescu, the team’s youngest shooter, is adding 7.7 points per game and Jackie Young is averaging 8.7 points per game after a stellar performance against Germany.
The beauty of this basketball team is its balance and ball movement, and outside of Stewart and Wilson who made big plays on offense, their points and touches have been pretty solid across the board.
Their formula offensively is working. Team USA is averaging 92 points per game on 49.5% field goal shooting, 16 more than Belgium’s average, and the 2023 EuroBasket champions have the second-highest scoring offense on the field. Ball distribution has been the standout feature of the U.S. offense, averaging 28.7 assists per game, led by Gray, who is averaging six assists per game.
Though the team didn’t have much time to practice before exhibition play, several players are also WNBA teammates, such as Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu, who both play for the Liberty. The Aces had four players on the Olympic roster who showed especially strong chemistry playing together on the court. Former WNBA teams also had a chance to work together, which Breanna Stewart said made a big difference.
“We definitely know where each other is,” Stewart told USA Today. “Anyone out here with my teammates, we have the chemistry because the WNBA season is going on and we’re doing all the practices and drills. It helps that (Sabrina) is always looking for me. When we’re in a two- or three-person run, there’s a familiarity to it…Especially in transition, she knows where I’m running and she finds me.”
Nigeria upsets two teams on their way to quarterfinals
Nigeria, meanwhile, probably didn’t expect to make it to the single-elimination bracket, but they beat Australia 75-62 in their first Olympic game and then beat Canada 79-70 to book a place in the quarterfinals.
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Photo: Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
Nigeria is led by Ezinne Kalu, who is averaging 19.3 points on 47.1% shooting. Kalu was a standout at Savannah State and is currently the fifth-leading scorer on the Olympian roster. Kalu is a three-level scorer, shooting 41.2% from 3-point range while also making high percentages from the downhill and free throws. It would likely take a monster performance to pull off the upset, but she has already shown she can step up when it matters. Alongside her, Muljanathu Musa is also making an impact, averaging 10.7 points and 6.7 rebounds.
Speaking after Nigeria’s progression to the quarter-finals, Kalou spoke of the significance of that moment.
“This means a lot not only for our team but for the whole of Africa,” Kalou said. From AP News. “It’s only going to get harder from here.”
This won’t be the first time the two countries’ women’s basketball teams have faced each other: The United States and Nigeria met in a group stage match in Tokyo, with the U.S. winning by nine points after holding a double-digit lead for much of the game.
An action-packed day in the quarterfinals
Nigeria vs. USA will close out the women’s basketball quarterfinal day, followed by Serbia vs. Australia at 5 a.m., Spain vs. Belgium at 8:30 a.m. and Germany vs. France at 12 p.m. ET.
If the U.S. team beats Nigeria, they will advance to the semifinals, scheduled for Friday, Aug. 9. The bronze and gold medal matches will both be played on Sunday.
