USA Goes to 2-0 with 65-56 Win over Argentina at 2023 FIBA Women's AmeriCup

02 July 2023

USA 65, ARG 56

The United States continued Group A competition at the 2023 FIBA Women's AmeriCup with a 65-56 win over Argentina Sunday afternoon in Leon, Mexico.

The U.S. will be back in action July 4 vs. Brazil at 4:40 p.m. ET on Courtside 1891 (USA games will stream free to subscribers in the U.S.).

Since the event’s inception in 1989, the United States has captured four Women’s AmeriCup gold medals, including titles in 2019 and 2021.

View the USA-Argentina box score here.

TEAM NOTES

Historically Speaking: The meeting was the fifth between these two nations. Including today, the USA owns a 5-0 series edge. With the win, the USA now has 19 consecutive Women’s AmeriCup wins and owns an overall 32-7 record.

Teeter-Totter: The game featured nine lead changes, five ties and major runs by both squads. After Argentina opened the third quarter on a 9-0 run and took a 38-33 lead at the 5:56 mark, the U.S. responded by closing the quarter on a 16-2 run to take a 49-40 lead into the final stanza. Argentina came out firing in the fourth quarter to even the score at 52 with 7:09 remaining. The game’s leading scorer Rickea Jackson (17) gave the U.S. the lead for good – 58-56 – with 4:24 to play as the U.S. held Argentina scoreless for the final 4:44.

Shot Chart: Both teams shot 35.8% from the field (USA: 24-67 FG, 5-16 3FG; ARG: 24-67 FG, 6-23 3FG).

Go Fund Me: The USA has gotten the opposition into foul trouble, totaling 50 trips to the charity stripe through two games. Against Argentina, the U.S. was 12-of-17 from the line, hitting 10 more shots at the line (ARG: 2-9 FT).

PLAYER NOTES

We (Still) See Ya, Rickea: For the second-straight game, Jackson led the team in scoring. Today, she was good for a game-high 17 points (6-16 FG, 1-1 3FG, 4-4 FT), five rebounds and one assist. Through two games, she’s averaging 14.0 points.

Hit Me Baby One More Time: Jewel Spear came up big from beyond the arc when her team needed her most. During the U.S.’s critical third quarter run, Spear hit the game-tying 3-pointer to even the score at 40 with 3:36 to go in the period. Eighty seconds later, she hit another 3, giving her team a 45-40 edge. Spear’s third 3 of the game was the USA’s icing on the cake as she took the score to 65 with 59 seconds to go. Spear finished the game with nine points, two rebounds and one assist.

Reese’s Pieces: For the second straight game, an American had a huge day on the glass. After grabbing nine rebounds in the opener vs. Venezuela, Angel Reese followed today with 15 rebounds (9 DR) while adding five points, two assists and one block. Reese’s 15 rebounds are now the second-most by an American in this tournament (Aaliyah Boston, 19, vs. PUR, 6/19/21).

OK, Bet(ts): Lauren Betts recorded the USA’s first double-double of the week with 10 points, 11 rebounds, one assist and one block, with 10 of her rebounds coming after the halftime break.