Caitlin Clark and Team USA are through to the knockout stage of the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup after finishing the group stage unbeaten.
The Americans went 3-0 in Group D, capped by a 105-64 win over Czechia on Monday. Clark had nine points and seven assists in the victory after a quiet performance against Italy, giving her another chance to build momentum before the games become win-or-go-home.
Their next opponent will be Hungary, which has returned to the Women’s World Cup for the first time since 1998. Hungary earned its quarterfinal spot after advancing through the qualification round, setting up a matchup with the defending champions.
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FIBA has now confirmed when that game will take place, with USA-Hungary scheduled for Thursday at 5:30 a.m. ET, making it the first quarterfinal of the day.
The early start will give Clark and the Americans little room for error as they begin the elimination portion of the tournament. Team USA is chasing its fifth consecutive World Cup title and has not lost at the competition since the 2006 semifinals.
Clark has already made her presence felt in Berlin. She opened the tournament with 14 points and 11 assists against China, recording the highest assist total by an American player in a Women’s World Cup game since Dawn Staley had 12 in 1998.
The quarterfinal also gives Clark another opportunity to find her rhythm after she struggled against Italy, scoring just one point on 0-of-6 shooting before rebounding against Czechia.
After going through the group stage unscathed, the stakes are significantly higher for Team USA moving forward. One loss ends Team USA’s title defense, while a win sends Clark and the Americans into the semifinals.
