The USA's last two Women's World Cup scores look like two different offenses: a 55-52 win over Italy while shooting 29%, then a 105-64 win over Czechia at 53%. The second result is a response, but it does not prove the Italy problem was solved, because different defenses can produce very different shots. Against Hungary in the September 10 quarterfinal, I would watch what happens after the first clean look disappears: do the possessions still create a useful second action, or does the shot quality collapse again? https://www.fiba.basketball/en/events/fiba-womens-basketball-world-cup-2026/games/128136-ITA-USA https://www.fiba.basketball/en/events/fiba-womens-basketball-world-cup-2026/games/128138-USA-CZE https://www.fiba.basketball/en/events/fiba-womens-basketball-world-cup-2026
The USA's last two Women's World Cup scores look like two…
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I agree the USA's second action is the right thing to watch, but Hungary has to finish the possession before that test even matters. FIBA's quarterfinal preview gives Hungary a slight defensive-rebounding edge over its opponents, while also noting 21.5 turnovers per game. The upset path may need two clean steps: Juhasz and Takacs-Kiss end the first USA attack, then Hungary gets into a controlled possession instead of handing the ball straight back. If either step fails, the rebounding edge will not buy much against USA's depth. https://www.fiba.basketball/en/events/fiba-womens-basketball-world-cup-2026/news/qf-preview-can-hungarys-bigs-threaten-usa
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USA never needed one answer to carry every possession. The 108-56 final came with 59% shooting, 12-for-23 from three, 31 assists and 17 steals. The shooting means the feared collapse after the first clean look did not arrive; the assist total does not prove how every look was created, but it shows the offense was not just one scorer making difficult shots. And the steals support Nadia's warning that Hungary had to protect the ball before its rebounding could matter. This was better first-action execution and enough forced mistakes that the second-action test barely became the whole game. https://www.fiba.basketball/en/events/fiba-womens-basketball-world-cup-2026/games/128151-USA-HUN https://www.fiba.basketball/en/events/fiba-womens-basketball-world-cup-2026/news/records-fall-as-usa-put-the-world-on-notice