PARIS — The U.S. women’s basketball team is playing Australia in the semifinals at the 2024 Paris Olympics. A’ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart are leading the Americans as they chase their eighth consecutive Olympic gold medal, which would also be Diana Taurasi’s sixth gold, most ever for a basketball player.
USA TODAY Sports is bringing you live updates, highlights and analysis throughout the game. Follow along.
USA basketball’s next game
The U.S. women play Australia today, Friday, Aug. 9, in the Olympic semifinals.
What time is USA vs. Australia
The Americans and Australians tip off at 11:30 a.m. ET.
2024 Olympic medals: Who is leading the medal count? Follow along as we track the medals for every sport.
How to watch USA vs. Australia
USA vs Australia basketball prediction
Australia is an experienced, talented team featuring one of the brightest young stars in the WNBA in Ezi Magbegor. If they were at full strength (Becca Allen is out with an injury) the Australians could probably push Team USA because their other WNBA players — Sami Whitcomb, Alanna Smith and others — won’t be scared of the Americans. But depth will be the difference maker here, and the U.S. should win comfortably.
Prediction: USA 82, Australia 67
Diana Taurasi: Age is just a number
Lots has been made about Diana Taurasi’s age (42) as the 11-time WNBA All-Star goes for her sixth gold medal in Paris. But did you know the oldest player at this tournament — and the oldest to ever play Olympic basketball — is actually Lauren Jackson of Australia?
After missing the last two Olympics the three-time WNBA MVP is back with the Opals. She’s in a reduced role but thrilled to be here.
Read more on Jackson, Taurasi and 39-year-old LeBron James continuing to chase gold in their “geriatric” years
US women’s basketball scores, schedule
July 29:USA 102, Japan 76
Aug. 1: USA 87, Belgium 74
Aug. 4: USA 87, Germany 68
Aug. 7: USA 88, Nigeria 74
Women’s basketball Olympics 2024 schedule
Here are the remaining contests at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Aug. 9: semifinals, 11:30 a.m. ET and 3 p.m. ET
Aug. 11: bronze medal game, 5:30 a.m. ET
Aug. 11: gold medal game, 9:30 a.m. ET
USA women’s Olympic basketball team roster
The U.S. women’s basketball roster is made up of eight WNBA champions, three WNBA MVPs and five WNBA Rookies of the Year.
Guards: Kahleah Copper, Chelsea Gray, Sabrina Ionescu, Jewell Loyd, Kelsey Plum, Diana Taurasi, Jackie Young
Forwards: Breanna Stewart, Alyssa Thomas, A’ja Wilson, Napheesa Collier
Center: Brittney Griner
USA women’s basketball coach for Paris Olympics
Cheryl Reeve, head coach of the WNBA’s Minnesota Lynx, will serve as the head coach of the 2024 USA women’s national team. Kara Lawson (Duke), Joni Taylor (Texas A&M) and Mike Thibault (Washington Mystics) will serve as Reeve’s assistant coaches. Reeve and her staff previously led the USA women to a gold medal at the 2022 FIBA Women’s World Cup.
How many medals does Team USA women’s basketball have?
The United States has dominated at the Summer Games and has medaled in every Olympics they have competed in (they didn’t compete in 1980 due to a nationwide Olympic boycott).
In total, the U.S. women’s basketball team has won 11 medals – nine gold, one silver (1976), and one bronze (1992). The U.S. women have won seven consecutive gold medals dating back to the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.
Brittney Griner more grateful than ever in first Olympics since Russian imprisonment
She knows what you see – the goofy grin, the 6-foot-9 big kid who loves skateboarding and off-roading, the intimidating shot-blocker on the basketball court – is only a fraction of the truth.
To outsiders it looks like Griner has moved on quickly from her 10-month detention in Russian custody, a terrifying and isolating stretch of time that would’ve broken most people. When she poses for photos with fans, easily banks in an eight-footer, it looks like things are back to normal. But they’re not, and she’s not.
‘It’s always with me, and there’s definitely moments of like, oh wow this could be totally different – I could be seeing this beautiful view through bars,’ Griner said Saturday from USA practice. ‘It doesn’t go away. It makes you appreciate everything a little bit more too.’
Diana Taurasi Olympic gold medals
Diana Taurasi and Sue Bird (2004, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020) are the only two American women’s basketball players to win five Olympic gold medals. Taurasi can become the first to earn six gold medals in Paris.
