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Team USA Awaits Hungary-Japan After Undefeated Group D

9/10/2026

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Summary

USA Advances

Team USA will face the Hungary-Japan winner in the quarterfinals on Thursday, Sept. 10.
USA finished Group D undefeated, beating China, Italy and Czechia.
Caitlin Clark led with 6.3 assists per game and recorded 11 assists versus China.
The team’s 105-64 win over Czechia extended its World Cup streak to 33 straight victories.

Summary

Clark Celebrates Cup

Clark said the World Cup provides a refreshing break from the “craziness” of the WNBA season.
Clark praised Angel Reese as “fiery” and admired her relentless motor.
Clark credited former men’s coach Mike Krzyzewski’s videos for reinforcing a team-first, gold-medal mindset.
A fan traveled from Australia solely to watch Clark, illustrating the tournament’s global draw.

History

Historical Context

At the 1996 Atlanta Games, Tara VanDerveer led the U.S. women’s basketball team to an 111–87 gold-medal win over Brazil, beginning an unbeaten run that has produced eight straight Olympic titles through 2024. This dominance, rooted in the post-Dream-Team era that opened Olympic play to professional athletes in 1992, sets expectations for future squads.

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USA Advances

Team USA will face the Hungary-Japan winner in the quarterfinals on Thursday, Sept. 10.
USA finished Group D undefeated, beating China, Italy and Czechia.
Caitlin Clark led with 6.3 assists per game and recorded 11 assists versus China.
The team’s 105-64 win over Czechia extended its World Cup streak to 33 straight victories.

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