2021 Olympic Women’s Basketball Standings, Results, Bracket, Schedule: United States Tops Nigeria in Opener
Jeff Bottari/NBAE via Getty Images. Pictured: Sue Bird.
- Women's basketball at the 2021 Olympics is underway.
- The U.S. is a massive favorite to win gold at -1100 ($110 bet wins $10), and beat Nigeria 81-72 to open its quest for a seventh straight gold.
- Here's everything you need to know about women's basketball at the Toyko Olympics.
Team USA women's basketball goes for it seventh straight gold medal at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, which kick off Sunday night.
The U.S. topped Nigeria in its opener, 81-72.
Six of the 12 players have Olympic experience, combining for a total of 15 gold medals, including Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi, who both return for a fifth Olympics.
The United States are heavy favorites to win gold (-1100), but it wasn't a cake walk through their final exhibitions, as the Americans dropped two of their final three scrimmages (Australia and WNBA All-Stars), before beating Nigeria to close out the final tune-up.
Both the men's and women's tournaments consist of 12 teams placed among three different groups. The top two teams in each group advance to the quarterfinals as well as the top two third-place finishers.
A draw will then take place following the completion of the group-stage games to determine quarterfinal matchups. The winners of each group and the best second-place team will be placed in one pot and while the two remaining second-place teams and two best third-placed teams are placed in another pot. Teams from the same group cannot play each other in the quarterfinal round.
Olympic Women's Basketball Groups
Group Standings
Group A
| Team | Points |
|---|---|
| Spain | 3 |
| Canada | 3 |
| Serbia | 3 |
| South Korea | 2 |
Spain and Serbia were favored to advance from this group, with +125 and +190 odds, respectively on DraftKings to win Group A.
Group B
| Team | Points |
|---|---|
| United States | 2 |
| Japan | 2 |
| France | 1 |
| Nigeria | 1 |
France has the second best odds to win this group (+900) behind the U.S. (-5000).
Group C
| Team | Points |
|---|---|
| Belgium | 2 |
| China | 2 |
| Australia | 1 |
| Puerto Rico | 1 |
Australia, who beat Team USA earlier this month, had -220 odds to win Group C but dropped its first game to Belgium.
Olympic Women's Basketball Schedule
Sunday, July 25
| Game | Time (ET) | TV Channel |
|---|---|---|
| Spain 73, Korea 69 | 9 p.m. | N/A |
Monday, July 26
| Game | Time (ET) | TV Channel |
|---|---|---|
| Serbia 72, Canada 68 | 4:20 a.m. | N/A |
| Japan 74, France 70 | 9 p.m. | N/A |
Tuesday, July 27
| Game | Time (ET) | TV Channel |
|---|---|---|
| United States 81, Nigeria 72 | 12:40 a.m. | USA |
| Belgium 85, Australia 70 | 4:20 a.m. ET | N/A |
| China 97, Puerto Rico 55 | 8 a.m. | N/A |
Wednesday, July 28
| Game | Time (ET) | TV Channel |
|---|---|---|
| Canada 74, South Korea 53 | 9 p.m. | N/A |
Thursday, July 29
| Game | Time (ET) | TV Channel |
|---|---|---|
| Spain 85, Serbia 70 | 4:20 a.m | N/A |
| Belgium vs. Puerto Rico | 9 p.m. | N/A |
Friday, July 30
| Game | Time (ET) | TV Channel |
|---|---|---|
| United States vs. Japan | 12:40 a.m. | USA |
| France vs. Nigeria | 4:20 a.m. | N/A |
| China vs. Australia | 8 a.m. | N/A |
Saturday, July 31
| Game | Time (ET) | TV Channel |
|---|---|---|
| Canada vs. Spain | 9 p.m. | USA |
Sunday, August 1
| Game | Time (ET) | TV Channel |
|---|---|---|
| South Korea vs. Serbia | 8 a.m. | USA |
| Nigeria vs. Japan | 9 p.m. | N/A |
Monday, August 2
| Game | Time (ET) | TV Channel |
|---|---|---|
| United States vs. France | 12:40 a.m. | USA |
| China vs. Belgium | 4:20 a.m. | N/A |
| Puerto Rico vs. Australia | 8 a.m. | N/A |
Tuesday, August 3
| Game | Time (ET) | TV Channel |
|---|---|---|
| Quarterfinal 1 | 8 a.m. | N/A |
Wednesday, August 4
| Game | Time (ET) | TV Channel |
|---|---|---|
| Quarterfinal 2 | 12:40 a.m. | USA |
| Quarterfinal 3 | 4:20 a.m. | N/A |
| Quarterfinal 4 | 8 a.m. | N/A |
Friday, August 6
| Game | Time (ET) | TV Channel |
|---|---|---|
| Semifinal 1 | 12:40 a.m. | NBC |
| Semifinal 2 | 7 a.m. | N/A |
Saturday, August 7
| Game | Time (ET) | TV Channel |
|---|---|---|
| Bronze Medal Game | 3 a.m. | CNBC |
| Gold Medal Game | 10:30 p.m. | NBC |
Odds to Win Gold Medal
Odds as of July 20 and via DraftKings
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| United States | -1100 |
| Australia | +1500 |
| Spain | +1900 |
| France | +1900 |
| Serbia | +2500 |
| Canada | +2800 |
| Belgium | +4000 |
| China | +9000 |
| Japan | +10000 |
| Nigeria | +10000 |
| South Korea | +50000 |
| Puerto Rico | +50000 |
Roster
- Ariel Atkins (Guard, Washington Mystics)
- Sue Bird (Guard, Seattle Storm)
- Tina Charles (Center, Washington Mystics)
- Napheesa Collier (Guard/forward, Minnesota Lynx)
- Skylar Diggins-Smith (Guard, Phoenix Mercury)
- Sylvia Fowles (Center, Minnesota Lynx)
- Chelsea Gray (Guard, Las Vegas Aces)
- Brittney Griner (Center, Phoenix Mercury)
- Jewell Loyd (Guard, Seattle Storm)
- Breanna Stewart (Forward/center, Seattle Storm)
- Diana Taurasi (Guard, Phoenix Mercury)
- A’ja Wilson (Forward, Las Vegas Aces)
Coaches: Dawn Staley (head coach), Dan Hughes (assistant), Cheryl Reeve (assistant), Jennifer Rizzotti (assistant)
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