Team USA Prevails Over Belgium In Gritty Group Play Win
Unlike in its matchup against Japan on July 29, Belgium caused the United States women’s national basketball team a myriad of problems throughout group play on August 1.
This left Team USA having to work for the win down the stretch, as defeating Belgium’s national team was no cakewalk for the now-undefeated women’s squad. Belgium continued to hang around, making it difficult for the United States to create meaningful separation on the scoreboard during the contest.
Eventually, with just over four minutes to play in the fourth quarter, Team USA found itself ahead by 14 points, 75-61. That gave them the strength to put things away with an 87-74 victory, but Belgium didn’t make it easy on the Americans.
With two games of group play down and one game to go, here are some takeaways from Team USA’s second victory in the 2024 Olympic Games:
Stewart and Wilson Continue Their Dominance
Not only are Breanna Stewart and A’ja Wilson both two-time MVP winners and two-time WNBA champions, but they both have prior Olympic experience, which was certainly evident against Belgium. Stewart won a gold medal with Team USA in Rio de Janeiro in 2016, and she and Wilson won a gold medal in Tokyo in 2021.
In this second group play, the duo once again anchored Team USA. Stewart set the tone early by reaching double figures in the first quarter. She finished with a team-high 26 points, seven rebounds, and five assists. Wilson was not far behind, as she tallied 23 points of her own in addition to 13 rebounds to give her a second-straight double-double.
With two games under their belt, Stewart and Wilson have already combined for 95 of Team USA’s 177 points scored thus far in Olympic play. Both games have proven to be sources of light for the United States. This was evident against Belgium, especially with game two's constant ebbs and flows.
This duo’s Olympic success is no surprise, given what they regularly bring to their respective WNBA teams during the season. Even with scrappy opponents like Belgium, this pair’s performance can lift Team USA over anyone on the Olympic field.
Turnovers Hold Back Americans Against Belgium
There’s a reason the live broadcast of Team USA’s game against Belgium showed a graphic of the Americans’ growing turnover total. Throughout the game, the United States suffered 17 turnovers to Belgium’s 12, proving how difficult Belgium made it on Team USA.
The Americans ultimately scored more points off turnovers than Belgium, but Team USA’s sloppy play kept its opponent in the game. Things were tied up after the first quarter. The Americans led by just eight points at halftime, and heading into the fourth quarter, it was only a seven-point game.
Stewart and Wilson’s dominant performances ultimately made up for the United States’ mistakes, but it was a chance for Team USA to glimpse some of the scrappiness it may face down the stretch during remaining Olympic play.
Bench Options Proving Important For Team USA
The Americans have a plethora of options to go to when their backs are against the wall. In this game, bench players like Alyssa Thomas, Brittney Griner, and Jewell Loyd did so when it wasn't the starting group setting the tone.
Thomas has had a strong season for the Connecticut Sun, where she has averaged a near triple double with 11.2 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 7.7 steals per game so far this year. Against Belgium, Thomas’ all-around style of play was present and helped Team USA. She finished with eight points, six rebounds, and four assists in a key 16 minutes for the Americans.
Griner, averaging 18.3 points per game for the Phoenix Mercury this season, picked up where she left off in game one against Japan. She immediately used her size to help Team USA in the paint. Griner finished with seven points and three rebounds on the court.
Loyd was another go-to option when things weren’t working for Team USA. The Seattle Storm point guard, also having a successful WNBA season averaging 19.7 points per game, finished the game with eight of her own. Having both played for the Storm, Loyd and Stewart definitely used their chemistry when together on the court.
Without these pieces off the bench, Team USA would’ve floundered with Belgium’s gritty effort and early 3-pointers.
Taurasi Yet To Find Olympic Shooting Stroke
There’s a reason why a gold medal in Paris would make Diana Taurasi the most decorated female basketball player of all time. She’s second on the United States women’s all-time Olympic scoring list and has been the guiding light for Team USA women’s basketball since her first gold medal in Athens in 2004.
Through two games, however, Taurasi has yet to contribute the way she normally does.
Make no mistake: Team USA’s top-to-bottom depth has made up for Taurasi’s lack of scoring. It’s a different feel for this national team that has relied on her for two decades. Taurasi is 42, and it is evident the torch is beginning to be passed to players like Stewart and Wilson, but she barely showed up in the box score in games one and two.
In game one against Japan, Taurasi had just two points, three rebounds, one assist, and one steal. Against Belgium, she had a turnover and two personal fouls in just over 14 minutes of play.
If Team USA were to qualify for the gold medal game, that would give the United States four more games to play. That said, Taurasi still has a few chances left to find her shooting stroke and make her final Olympic games memorable.
Team USA’s next game is against Germany at 11:15 a.m. EST on August 4.
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