Clark, Howard Power U.S. Past China 94-61 in WC Opener — SkimNews
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- Caitlin Clark recorded 14 points and 11 assists as the U.S. routed China 94-61 in their women's basketball World Cup opener Friday in Berlin, with Rhyne Howard also scoring 14 and Jackie Young adding 12
- The U.S. winning streak in World Cup play now stands at 31 consecutive games, dating back to a semifinal loss in 2006
- Zhang Ziyu, a 7-foot-3, 19-year-old center making her first World Cup appearance, led China with 13 points and anchored a defensive wall that brought China within 53-37 in the third quarter
- China paired Zhang with 6-foot-10 Han Xu (11 points, 10 rebounds) in the third quarter, but Clark, Paige Bueckers, and Angel Reese sparked a 17-5 run to close the period and put the game out of reach
- The U.S. roster is in a period of transition, with the young trio of Clark, Bueckers, and Reese all coming off the bench rather than starting
- Japan beat Mali 102-97 behind Saki Hayashi's nine 3-pointers, tying a 1994 team record with 20 made threes, while Australia topped Puerto Rico 70-54 behind Steph Talbot's 19 points
Why it matters: The 31-game World Cup winning streak reinforces American dominance in women's basketball, but the bench-heavy reliance on the Clark-Bueckers-Reese trio signals a generational handover is already underway, with the U.S. next facing Italy on Saturday in pool play.
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