Team USA women’s basketball coach Kara Lawson brushed aside external prognostications following her team’s dominant 108-56 victory over Hungary in the FIBA Women’s World Cup quarterfinal.
Lawson, addressing reporters after the game, stated that outside opinions and rankings do not impact the team's focus or performance. "Worrying about someone else’s opinion doesn’t serve you, because it doesn’t change whether you can do it or not. It’s just someone’s opinion," she said.
FIBA had recently placed France ahead of the United States in its "Smart Power Rankings" after the group stage. The Americans had dropped to second following a narrow 55-52 win against Italy, their lowest-scoring World Cup performance since the 1984 introduction of the three-point line. The ranking also described the U.S. team's on-court connections as a "work in progress," though FIBA noted the rankings were subjective.
Lawson acknowledged France as a strong opponent, stating, "what a wonderful team, and they’ve had an outstanding World Cup so far, so they should have a lot of people thinking they can do well." France also advanced to the semifinals with a 90-61 victory over China.
The United States' performance against Hungary set several records. The 108 points scored were the most ever in a Women’s World Cup quarterfinal, and the team recorded at least 30 assists, becoming the first team to do so at that stage of the tournament, according to FIBA.
Napheesa Collier led the U.S. with 19 points and six rebounds. Every player on the roster scored, with five finishing in double figures. Caitlin Clark contributed 10 points and a game-high nine assists in 20 minutes, while Angel Reese added nine points and six rebounds. Paige Bueckers scored seven points.
The victory extended the United States' World Cup winning streak to 34 games, with the program's last loss occurring in the 2006 semifinals. The U.S. will face the winner of the Australia vs. Spain quarterfinal in the semifinal round, seeking its fifth consecutive World Cup championship.
Lawson's coaching decisions, particularly her consistent starting lineup of Chelsea Gray, Jackie Young, Kahleah Copper, Napheesa Collier, and Breanna Stewart, have drawn attention. Star players like Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers, and Angel Reese have continued to come off the bench, a strategy that nonetheless proved highly effective against Hungary.
The U.S. secured a commanding lead early against Hungary, scoring 36 points in the first quarter and holding a 59-30 advantage by halftime. The team shot 59% from the field and made 12 of 23 three-point attempts.