BERLIN – Jackie Young scored 10 points and the U.S. survived its toughest test in the women’s basketball World Cup in two decades with a 55-52 victory over Italy on Sunday.
The U.S. has won 32 straight World Cup games dating back to a loss to Russia in the 2006 semifinals. Only one team had come within single digits of the Americans before Sunday during this run, when Australia lost by eight in 2010.
The Americans (2-0) had to work hard for this victory, putting up the lowest point total in a preliminary-round game since 1971, when they had 51 against France.
The U.S. trailed 50-48 with 4:29 left before going on a 7-0 run. Breanna Stewart, who missed her first eight shots, scored her first basket of the game to put the Americans up 51-50. Young then hit a layup after the U.S. got an offensive foul against Italy on its next possession.
The Americans then got another defensive stop and Chelsea Gray hit a jumper to make it a five-point game.
Matilde Villa scored to get Italy back within three with less than a minute to go.
The U.S. had a couple of chances to make it a two-possession lead but couldn’t convert.
Italy (1-1) had one last chance to tie it, but Cecilia Zandalasini’s 3-pointer was off at the buzzer.
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