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USA vs. Italy Women's World Cup in FIBA World Cup: Highlights, score
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- USA vs. Italy Women's World Cup in FIBA World Cup: Highlights, score
Team USA survived a FIBA Women's World Cup nail-biter against Italy, winning 55-52, the advance to the quarterfinals on Sunday, Sept. 6.
The Americans got out to a hot start in the first quarter, but the Italians, in their second group-play game in Berlin, Germany, brought all the energy and defensive pressure. The U.S. had few answers for Italy's zone. Not a single player saw double figures until the fourth quarter. The first 3-pointer of the game didn't come until the third quarter.
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Jackie Young led Team USA with 10 points, four rebounds, three assists, and two steals. Angel Reese was right behind with eight points, three rebounds, two blocks and a steal.
For Italy, Cecilia Zandalisni did the heavy lifting. She had 14 points and seven rebounds.
USA TODAY Sports has all the coverage of Sunday's matchup between USA and Italy. Here's what happened.
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2026 FIBA World Cup rosters: Complete lineup for every nation competing
Chelsea Gray makes clutch shot vs Italy at World Cup
Did someone order up a clutch bucket? Chelsea Gray to the rescue at the 1:07 mark to extend USA's lead to five, 55-50. Gray nailed a huge jumper.
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Jackie Young is first USA player in double figures at World Cup
It's been that kind of day for the U.S. Jackie Young just became the first player in double figures at the 2:51 mark of the fourth. That is not a typo. What's helping? Italy has missed six straight shots.
USA hanging on vs. Italy in nail-biter at World Cup
You want drama and sweltering defense? Italy is delivering against the U.S. Team USA is tied with Italy, 46-46 at the 5:32 mark of the fourth. Can the United States pull it out? Italy is on a7-2 run.
Third quarter: USA 42, Italy 39
Whew. Hold on to your hats, folks. Sunday's Italy vs United States matchup feels like a title bout. The teams are going basket for basket after the U.S. couldn't contain Italy's third-quarter push. Team USA leads just 42-39, thanks to a huge 3-pointer from Paige Bueckers at the 1:48 mark; that was the first of the day from those in the red, white and blue.
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Italy still owned the period, 15-12. Cecilia Zanadalisini leads the field with 14 points. No United States player is in double figures, and the team is shooting just 27% from the floor.
Caitlin Clark, four other players yet to score FG's vs Italy at World Cup
Surprisingly, Caitlin Clark is 0-for-6 from the field and has no assists with under two minutes left in the third. Clark has one point.
Kiki Iriafen has yet to get in the game. So, she hasn't scored, and neither has her WNBA teammate, Sonia Citron, who has played just five minutes. Then there's Breanna Stewart, who is 0-for-8. Kahleah Copper is 0-for-4.
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Italy takes lead at World Cup vs USA
Italy leads 33-32 at the 5:32 mark of the third quarter. The team had previously led for only 42 seconds. The United States has missed seven straight field goals. Italy is absolutely giving the United States fits with its defensive pressure and cutting off the paint. Team USA also can't make a shot outside the perimeter right now (0-for-9).
Napheesa Collier in foul trouble vs Italy
At the 7:31 mark of the third quarter, Napheesa Collier picked up her third foul. Rhyne Howard checked in for Collier.
FIBA limits players to five fouls, so it's something to watch.
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USA coach Kara Lawson on World Cup matchup vs Italy.
I think we're playing physically; we're just making too many errors. We're making too many mistakes," Lawson said at halftime. Italy's playing with great force. We knew they would. It's forced us into a lot of unforced errors."
Halftime: USA 30, Italy 24
The United States has its hands full trying to keep Italy at bay. It leads by six at halftime. The lead grew to double digits multiple times, but Italy came right back, going on a 14-6 run over the final 6 minutes, 45 seconds of the period.
Angel Reese leads the U.S. with six points, two blocks and a steal, and three other players have four points each. The United States is shooting 32% and Italy 31% from the floor.
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For Italy, it scored 16 points in the second quarter to cut the deficit down to single digits. Much of that work came from Cecilia Zandalasini, who leads all scorers with nine points. Zandalasini does have three fouls (the limit is five in FIBA play), so Italy will have to figure out a way to keep its star out of foul trouble.
Team USA is in trouble vs Italy, gone cold at World Cup
The United States has scored nine points in the second quarter, and it is struggling mightily as Italy packs the paint. What's more, not a single 3 has been made by anyone as the team marches to halftime. Team USA had 12 triples against China on Sept. 4
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America is shooting just 33% from the field. Oof.
Italy's Cecilia Zandalasini is feeling it vs USA at World Cup
Italy has cut down the United States' once 10-point lead. Italy is on a 14-3 run at the 4:15 mark, which includes contributions from Cecilia Zandalasini, who is up to nine points. USA now leads 26-20 after taking a 19-8 advantage at the end of the first.
USA is picking Italy's pockets and blocking shots at World Cup
Team USA is having a field day against Italy. As a team, they have six steals and four blocks at the 6:45 mark of the second quarter.
End of Q1: USA 18, Italy 8
Nine different players scored for Team USA in the first quarter as the "young and turnt" crew came to ball. Paige Bueckers leads all scorers with four points. Italy was locked in defensively against the U.S., but it was no match for Team USA, who also dialed in.
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Italy shot 21% in the first quarter and had eight turnovers. Jasmine Keys led the group with four points.
Angel Reese is bringing the defense vs. Italy at World Cup
Reese already has a steal and two blocks in under three minutes of action.
Aliyah Boston's sweet spin move vs Italy at World Cup is worth watching
USA and Italy making life tough for one another
If defense is what gets you going, this Italy vs. USA matchup has it. Each team already has two steals at the halfway mark of the first quarter. USA leads 11-6 with four minutes remaining in the period.
USA Managing Director Sue Bird talks playing Italy
"I think we want to continue to work on ourselves, try to build a chemistry as we go through the tournament, but obviously respect our opponent," Bird said about playing Italy Sunday. "It'll be a challenge, and hopefully, we can do a little bit of both.
USA vs Italy is underway at World Cup
The United States and Italy have tipped off in Berlin. Team USA won the tip. Chelsea Gray is first on the board with a jumper.
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Team USA starting five
USA arrivals
Who is favored to win the FIBA World Cup?
Team USA is favored to win the 2026 FIBA Women's World Cup, according to the latest odds from BetMGM . France, Belgium, Australia and Spain are also expected to be top contenders at the event, but the Americans are the only team with minus-odds.
FIBA World Cup groups
Group A
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Japan
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Spain
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Germany
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Mali
Group B
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Hungary
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South Korea
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Nigeria
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France
Group C
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Belgium
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Australia
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Puerto Rico
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Turkey
Group D
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United States
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Czech Republic
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Italy
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China
FIBA Women's World Cup: Ranking the best players
It's on Team USA's new-look roster to carry the weight of competing against the 15 other teams filled with most talented women's basketball players in the world. That effort begins on Sept. 4, in Berlin, Germany.
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USA TODAY Sports ranks the top 10 players to watch based on their international resumes here.
A'ja Wilson, Kelsey Plum out of World Cup
The U.S. women's national team roster originally featured four-time WNBA MVP A'ja Wilson and five-time All-Star Kelsey Plum, but both were ruled out four days before the World Cup began due to "health reasons." Wilson was the MVP of the 2022 World Cup, which was Team USA's fourth consecutive time capturing the World Cup.
"We'll miss being around them ... We wish them both a speedy recovery," Kara Lawson said on Sept. 1. "But we don't have time to be worried about who's not here."
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Lawson says team will focus on chemistry and building with the players on the floor. A pair of young Washington Mystics in Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen are replacing replace Wilson and Plum.
Team USA roster
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Head coach: Kara Lawson
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Assistant coaches: Natalie Nakase, Nate Tibbetts, Stephanie White
Headlining Team USA — which will be coached by Duke women's basketball head coach Kara Lawson — are veterans like two-time WNBA MVP Breanna Stewart, four-time WNBA champion Chelsea Gray and former Defensive Player of the Year Napheesa Collier, as well as young stars in women's basketball like Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers and Angel Reese.
| Pos. |
No. |
Name |
Age |
Height |
Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G |
4 |
Paige Bueckers |
24 |
6'0" |
Dallas Wings |
| G |
5 |
Sonia Citron |
22 |
6'1" |
Washington Mystics |
| SF |
6 |
Rhyne Howard |
25 |
6'2" |
Atlanta Dream |
| G/F |
7 |
Kahleah Copper |
32 |
6'1" |
Phoenix Mercury |
| G |
8 |
Chelsea Gray |
33 |
5'11" |
Las Vegas Aces |
| PF |
9 |
Kiki Iriafen |
23 |
6'3" |
Washington Mystics |
| PF |
10 |
Breanna Stewart |
32 |
6'3" |
New York Liberty |
| SF |
11 |
Napheesa Collier |
29 |
6'1" |
Minnesota Lynx |
| G |
12 |
Caitlin Clark |
24 |
6'0" |
Indiana Fever |
| G |
13 |
Jackie Young |
28 |
6'0" |
Las Vegas Aces |
| C |
14 |
Aliyah Boston |
24 |
6'5" |
Indiana Fever |
| PF |
15 |
Angel Reese |
24 |
6'3" |
Atlanta Dream |
Team Italy roster
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Head coach:Andrea Capobianco
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Assistant coaches:Vincenzo Di Meglio, Alessandro Fontana, Angela Gianolla
| Pos. |
No. |
Name |
Age |
Height |
Club |
| PF |
0 |
Jasmine Keys |
28 |
6'2" |
PF Schio |
| SG |
5 |
Matilde Villa |
21 |
5'7" |
Reyer Venezia |
| G |
6 |
Francesca Pasa |
26 |
5'9" |
Reyer Venezia |
| SG |
8 |
Costanza Verona |
27 |
5'7" |
Dallas Wings |
| SF |
9 |
Cecilia Zandalasini |
30 |
6'2" |
Golden State Valkyries |
| SG |
11 |
Francesca Pan |
29 |
6'0" |
Reyer Venezia |
| C |
13 |
Lorela Cubaj |
27 |
6'4" |
Reyer Venezia |
| PF |
14 |
Sara Madera |
26 |
6'2" |
Magnolia Basket Campobasso |
| PG |
18 |
Mariella Santucci |
29 |
5'7" |
Reyer Venezia |
| SG |
19 |
Martina Fassina |
27 |
6'0" |
Reyer Venezia |
| C |
22 |
Olbis Andrè |
27 |
6'4" |
PF Schio |
| G |
55 |
Vittoria Blasigh |
22 |
5'9" |
UCF Knights |
Women's World Cup: What time is USA vs. Italy?
Team USA plays in the FIBA Women's World Cup against Italy at 2:45 p.m. ET on Sunday, Sept. 6, at Berlin Arena in Berlin.
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Date: Sunday, Sept. 6
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Time: 2:45 p.m. ET (11:45 a.m. PT)
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Location: Berlin Arena (Berlin)
What TV channel is USA vs. Italy on today?
TNT has the exclusive U.S. English-language rights. All 36 games stream on HBOMax. Seventeen of those games air on TNT and truTV, including every U.S. game.
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Channel: TNT, truTV
Team USA FIBA women's World Cup schedule
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Friday, Sept. 4: USA 94, China 61 | Full recap, highlights here
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Sunday, Sept. 6: USA vs. Italy | TNT, HBO Max (2:45 p.m. ET)
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Monday, Sept. 7: USA vs. Czechia | TNT, HBO Max (2:45 p.m. ET)
The winner of each group will automatically advance to the quarterfinals on Thursday, Sept. 10 (TNT, truTV). The second- and third-place finishers of each group will play in the Playoff Qualification Round on Tuesday, Sept. 8 (truTV) to determine the final four quarterfinal spots. The semifinals will be held on Saturday, Sept. 12 (TBS, truTV), followed by the third-place game and final on Sunday, Sept. 13 (TNT, truTV).
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: USA vs. Italy Women's World Cup in FIBA World Cup: Highlights, score
