The United States women’s basketball team advanced to the FIBA World Cup championship game on Saturday with a hard-fought 76-66 victory over Spain, extending the nation’s remarkable winning streak in the tournament to 35 consecutive games.
Breanna Stewart led the American effort with 16 points, while Kahleah Copper contributed 13 in what proved to be the most challenging contest the team has faced in this tournament. The victory sets up a championship rematch against France, the same opponent the United States narrowly defeated by a single point in the 2024 Paris Olympics gold medal game.
The Americans now stand one victory away from claiming their fifth consecutive World Cup title, which would equal the record held by the former Soviet Union for most consecutive championships in the tournament’s history. The last time the United States suffered defeat in World Cup competition came in 2006, when Russia eliminated them in the semifinal round.
Saturday’s match presented unexpected difficulties for the heavily favored Americans, who had comfortably dispatched their previous two opponents. Spain’s physical defensive approach disrupted the United States offensive rhythm throughout much of the contest, resulting in numerous foul calls and sending the Americans to the free-throw line with extraordinary frequency.
The game remained deadlocked at 58 points entering the fourth quarter before the United States finally seized control. A decisive 12-2 run to open the final period gave the Americans a commanding 70-60 advantage with 5:20 remaining, their largest lead of the evening. Spain managed to close the gap to eight points but could draw no closer.
The American squad converted 27 of 35 free-throw attempts, a remarkable statistic that underscored the physical nature of the contest. In the first half alone, the United States took 27 free throws while attempting only 26 field goals, an unusual disparity that illustrated Spain’s aggressive defensive strategy.
Spain opened the contest with impressive execution, scoring nine of the game’s first ten points and presenting the Americans with their largest deficit of the tournament. The United States had previously trailed Italy by three points in a narrow 55-52 victory, but this nine-point gap represented new territory for the team in this competition.
The American reserves provided critical support, helping to close the first quarter with a 12-2 run that erased Spain’s early advantage. However, the team struggled to extend that lead significantly in the second quarter, taking a modest 39-36 advantage into halftime.
This marked the first World Cup meeting between these nations since the United States defeated Spain for the gold medal in 2014, a tournament that represented Stewart’s debut with the national team.
Spain will now face host nation Germany in Sunday’s bronze medal game, while the United States prepares for what promises to be another challenging encounter with France in the championship match. The French squad has proven capable of matching the Americans stride for stride, as evidenced by their narrow Olympic final defeat.
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