Team USA Women Escape Italy in 55-52 FIBA World Cup Thriller

The result was dramatically closer than the Americans' opening 94-61 victory over China. The official FIBA result confirmed the three-point U.S. victory, keeping the team on course in Group D.

The United States entered the tournament as the world's top-ranked women's basketball team and one of the leading contenders for the championship.

Italy Turns the Game Into a Defensive Battle

The Americans had produced a high-scoring performance against China, but Italy presented a completely different challenge.

The 55-52 final score reflected a game in which offensive production was difficult to sustain. Rather than controlling the contest through a large scoring margin, the United States needed to protect a narrow lead and complete the game under pressure.

The result nonetheless gave the Americans another victory in the group stage.

The tournament format makes group games important because teams are positioned for different routes into the knockout rounds depending on their standing. Group winners advance directly to the quarterfinal stage, while other teams must go through an additional qualifying round.

Star Power on the U.S. Roster

The American roster features some of the most recognizable players in women's basketball.

Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers, Angel Reese and Breanna Stewart are among the players representing the United States. FIBA's early tournament statistics showed Clark among the team's leading contributors, while Reese was producing strong rebounding numbers.

The roster has attracted substantial attention because the tournament represents one of the biggest international competitions for women's basketball before the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

The combination of established stars and younger players gives the U.S. team significant depth, but the Italy game demonstrated that international competition can produce much tighter contests than expectations might suggest.

A Different Test Than the Opener

The contrast between the first two U.S. games was one of the most notable elements of the opening portion of the tournament.

Against China, the Americans scored 94 points and won by 33. Against Italy, the U.S. scored 55 and won by only three.

That difference showed why tournament results cannot be evaluated solely through a team's previous margin of victory.

Opponents bring different defensive systems, lineups and playing styles, and international competition often creates games that differ sharply from domestic professional basketball.

For the United States, the important statistic was the final result: another win and continued progress through Group D.

The Road Ahead

The tournament continues through the group stage before moving into qualification games and the quarterfinals.

The U.S. team was scheduled to face Czechia next as it continued its Group D campaign.

The narrow win over Italy provided both progress and a test. The Americans avoided an upset and maintained their position in the competition, but the game also demonstrated that the path to another world championship would not necessarily resemble the dominant opening performance against China.

With the tournament continuing in Berlin, the U.S. team remains focused on advancing through the competition while opponents seek opportunities to challenge the defending international power.