Team USA defeats China 94-61 to open FIBA World Cup in Germany
Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Sep 4, 2026, 3:52 PM
Last updated Sep 4, 2026
The U.S. women's national basketball team began the FIBA World Cup in Germany on Friday with a 94-61 victory over China. Head coach Kara Lawson utilized a mix of veteran starters and a younger rotation that finished the contest. Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers, and Rhyne Howard each scored 14 points to lead the team, while every rostered player logged at least 11 minutes of playing time. The U.S. maintained a lead throughout the second half, with the younger core closing out the final minutes. This win marks the start of the program’s pursuit of a fifth consecutive World Cup title during the current WNBA international break. Team USA faces Italy on Sunday and concludes group play against Czechia on Monday.
- •Team USA defeated China 94-61 in the tournament opener on Friday.
- •Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers, and Rhyne Howard shared the team-high with 14 points each.
- •Head coach Kara Lawson gave extended minutes to a youth core that included Clark, Bueckers, Reese, Howard, and Boston.
- •The U.S. is scheduled to play Italy on Sunday and Czechia on Monday.
- 3:52 PMYahoo Sports — Team USA's kids are all right as youth movement leads dominant effort to open FIBA World Cup
"The U.S. women's national basketball team is no stranger to passing the torch at a high rate of success. Though a small sample size, the 2026 World Cup is merely another example of it working.
Sources
External linksOriginal reporting and copyright belong to the linked sources. SportsNewsReport.com aggregates and links — it does not republish full articles.
Related Stories
Last 14 days
WNBA•Sep 4, 2026, 4:47 PMCathy Engelbert reveals why she’s retiring as commissioner of the WNBA
WNBA•Sep 4, 2026, 4:40 PMCaitlin Clark double-double helps USA rout China in Fiba World Cup opener
WNBA•Sep 4, 2026, 4:37 PMCommissioner Freedom Has a Nice Ring to It
WNBA•Sep 4, 2026, 4:18 PMTeam USA coach reveals what makes Caitlin Clark a World Cup game-changer
WNBA•Sep 4, 2026, 4:03 PM6-foot-4 Angel Reese towered over by 7-foot-4 Ziyu Zhang in stunning side-by-side
WNBA•Sep 4, 2026, 2:35 PMRoyce White puts even more pressure on WNBA over draft eligibility rules