U.S. women beat Spain 76-66 to reach the FIBA World Cup final against France

On Saturday, the U.S. women's basketball team stunned Spain 76-66, advancing to the FIBA World Cup championship game against France. Breanna Stewart contributed 16 points while Kahleah Copper added 13. This victory marked the U.S.'s fifth consecutive title, tying the record of the former Soviet Union. The Americans have won 35 straight games in the World Cup since a loss to Russia in the 2006 semifinals.

In the first quarter, Spain led 58-59 heading into the fourth quarter, but the U.S. surged with 12 of the first 14 points to take a 70-60 lead with 5:20 left. Despite Spain's valiant efforts, they couldn't close the gap. This was the first meeting between the teams in the World Cup since the 2014 tournament, where the U.S. won the gold medal.

Stewart made her debut with the national team in this game. Spain opened strong, scoring nine of the first ten points, the largest deficit faced by the U.S. since trailing Italy by three points in a 55-52 victory. The Americans struggled to maintain their lead in the second quarter, as Spain's physical defense led to numerous fouls and failed offensive flows.

The U.S. made 27 of 35 free throws, while Spain attempted 26 field goals. The U.S. led 39-36 at halftime. Spain, set to face Germany in the bronze medal game on Sunday, remained competitive throughout the match.