U.S. Women Secure Quarterfinal Berth with 57th Consecutive Olympic Win
Facing a formidable challenge from Belgium, the U.S. women’s basketball team showed why they’ve been unbeaten in Olympic play since 1992. The pro-Belgium crowd of over 25,000 fans erupted when the Belgian Cats trimmed a double-digit U.S. lead to four points in the third quarter. However, Breanna Stewart and A’ja Wilson stepped up to lead the Americans to an 87-74 victory, securing a spot in the Paris quarterfinals.
“You just want to go out there and play your best game,” Wilson said. “And I think we did that. I love when the crowd goes against us. It’s a beautiful thing about our game, playing in those atmospheres and proving people wrong. It’s satisfying to quiet the crowd, and I’m glad we executed that.”
The win extended the U.S. women’s Olympic winning streak to 57 games, a run that dates back to the 1992 Barcelona Games. This game, however, was one of the closer contests during their historic streak of seven consecutive gold medals. Only three games in this period have been single-digit victories.
“They’re just a really good team,” said U.S. guard Diana Taurasi. “Probably one of the best teams in the world. It’s great; it shows how much they love basketball in Europe.”
The Americans, now 2-0 in the tournament, faced a spirited pro-Belgium crowd that made up most of the 25,044 in attendance, with the arena located just 30 minutes from the Belgian border. Stewart praised the Belgian fans, noting, “The support they showed is what you want in the Olympics. I hope when we get to LA, we have that same level of pride in representing our country.”
The two teams had previously met in a pre-Olympic qualifying tournament in Belgium, where the U.S. narrowly won thanks to a buzzer-beating tip-in by Stewart. On Thursday, the U.S. built an early 13-point lead with Stewart leading the charge, but Belgium cut it to eight at halftime and closed the gap to 50-46 in the third quarter. Napheesa Collier then sparked an 8-1 run for the U.S., restoring a double-digit lead with a crucial three-pointer.
Heading into the fourth quarter, the Americans led 60-53 and quickly extended their lead to 13 points. Despite Antonia Delaere’s back-to-back three-pointers, Belgium couldn’t overcome the deficit.
“Every Olympics is hard. I can go back to the last five, and there are always tough moments for us as a team,” Taurasi reflected. “Tonight was one of those hard moments, and we came through.”
Emma Meesseman led Belgium with 24 points, and Delaere added 16. Belgium (0-2) now faces a must-win game against Japan to keep their hopes of advancing alive. Julie Vanloo contributed 11 points.
The U.S. will close out pool play on Sunday against Germany, which also holds a 2-0 record.
In other action on Thursday, Germany and France both secured their quarterfinal spots with wins over Japan and Nigeria, respectively. Australia kept its hopes alive with a victory over Canada.
The U.S. women’s basketball team continues to demonstrate why they are a dominant force, showing resilience and skill under pressure. With the quarterfinals secured, they look forward to maintaining their winning streak and defending their gold medal.
