U.S. tops Italy, pushes World Cup win streak to 32 — SkimNews
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- U.S. women's basketball edged Italy 55-52 to extend their FIBA World Cup win streak to 32 games dating to a 2006 semifinal loss to Russia, scoring their fewest points in a World Cup win since beating Australia 42-38 in 1967.
- Chelsea Gray drew a critical offensive foul and hit a clutch jumper with 1:07 left after the Americans shot just 29% from the field and 1-for-12 from three-point range against Italy's 2-3 zone that erased an early 23-8 U.S. lead.
- Cecilia Zandalasini scored 14 points for Italy in their first World Cup appearance since 1994 and apologized postgame for an emotional reaction at the buzzer directed at an official over a non-foul call.
- China forced overtime against the Czech Republic after Yang Shuyu's late three-pointer tied it at 64-64, with 7-foot-3 teenager Zhang Ziyu scoring only three points in her second World Cup game after a 13-point debut against the U.S.
- Australia reached the final phase with an 87-71 win over Turkey behind Ezi Magbegor's 21 points, playing with seven World Cup debutants after team captain Sami Whitcomb withdrew due to a lingering knee injury.
- Belgium beat Puerto Rico 76-64 behind Maxuella Lisowa Mbaka's 16 points to book a final-phase spot, with coach Mike Thibault complaining about a hotel fire alarm that disrupted the teams' sleep before Monday's early tip-offs.
Why it matters: Italy erased a 15-point deficit and held the Americans to a 1967-era low in points, demonstrating the gap between the U.S. and the rest of the world is narrowing — coach Kara Lawson's squad won without its 'fastball,' a worrying trend given tougher tests loom with the Czech Republic and likely knockout play.
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