Breanna Stewart sparks US to 105-64 rout of Czech Republic after a scare vs Italy

BERLIN (AP) — Breanna Stewart led the United States to a dominant 105-64 victory over the Czech Republic on Monday, after the Americans battled back from a disappointing 55-52 loss to Italy in the preliminary round. The 19-point, seven-rebound, and six-assist performance from Stewart set the tone early as the U.S. secured a 29-15 lead within the first 10 minutes.

The team maintained their momentum in the second quarter, led by Napheesa Collier's 12 points, which helped the U.S. extend their lead to 57-33. Stewart's point total fell short of her World Cup career high of 23 points, set against China in 2018. She also missed out on becoming only the second player in World Cup history to achieve a triple-double, as she only played over 16 minutes against the Czechs.

The U.S. will face the winner of the Hungary vs. Japan match on Thursday, which takes place in the quarterfinal round.