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Following its shocking upset at the hands of Lithuania, Team USA is looking to get back on track in the FIBA World Cup. It'll have an opportunity to do so in its upcoming matchup against Italy.
Team USA will have its quarterfinals matchup against Italy on Tuesday, Sept. 5. The game is scheudled for 8:40 a.m. Eastern Time and will be aired on LBCI and MTN TV+.
Prior to its shocking loss, the U.S. squad was looking like one of the top teams in the FIBA World Cup. It began the tournament with three straight blowout victories against New Zealand, Greece and Jordan. After that, it took down Montenegro by 12 points.
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Italy also has one loss in the World Cup, coming at the hands of Karl-Anthony Towns and the Dominican Republic. Outside of that, it has wins against Angola, the Philippines, Serbia and Puerto Rico.
Whoever wins this matchup will advance to the semifinals and face the winner of Latvia vs. Germany.
Team USA's FIBA World Cup roster:
- Tyrese Haliburton
- Mikal Bridges
- Cameron Johnson
- Brandon Ingram
- Paolo Banchero
- Bobby Portis Jr.
- Anthony Edwards
- Jalen Brunson
- Josh Hart
- Jaren Jackson Jr.
- Walker Kessler
- Austin Reaves
Team Italy's FIBA World Cup roster:
- Marco Spissu
- Stefano Tonut
- Nicolo Melli
- Simone Fontecchio
- Giampaolo Ricci
- Matteo Spagnolo
- Achille Polonara
- Mouhamet Diouf
- Luca Severini
- Gabriele Procida
- Alessandro Pajola
- Luigi Datome
Prediction
While Italy has played well in the FIBA World Cup, Team USA should be favored to andvance in this matchup. It has one of the top rosters in the tournament, and will be extremely motivated after its recent loss.
Looking at the numbers, the United States has outperformed Italy in a number of statistical categories. The biggest standout is points, where the U.S. is averaging over 20 more per game than its next opponent. It is also shooting more efficiently (61.6%), and bringing down more rebounds per game (36).
Players to watch
One of the key players to watch in this game will be Anthony Edwards. The Minnesota Timberwolves star has been the top performer for the U.S. throughout this World Cup.
In five games, Edwards is posting averages of 20.2 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.6 assists. He is also fresh off erupting for 35 points in the loss to Lithuania.
For Italy, its standout performer in the World Cup has been Utah Jazz forward Simone Fontecchio. He has been the leading scorer at 18.4 points to go along with 6.6 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game.
