Las Vegas at Olympics: Aces, U.S. cruise into gold medal game — PHOTOS

Breanna Stewart and the U.S. women’s basketball team cruised to a familiar place — the Olympic gold medal game.

Stewart led a balanced offense as the Americans beat Australia 85-64 on Friday in the semifinals to extend their Olympic winning streak to 60 consecutive games dating back to the 1992 Barcelona Games.

The U.S. will face France for the gold medal at 6:30 a.m. Pacific time Sunday. France defeated Belgium 81-75 in overtime in the other semifinal.

“The streak is crazy. I mean, they just told me when I was doing TV that it was, like, before I was born that it kind of started, which is wild,” Stewart said. “It just goes to show those that have really paved the way and to create USA Basketball and what it is now. Tons of appreciation for that, and knowing that when you represent this jersey and wear USA across your chest, the standard is high and there really is nothing higher.”

And the team didn’t disappoint some notable onlookers, including Sue Bird, Dawn Staley, Kevin Durant and Vanessa Bryant and her children.

The U.S. is trying to become the first team — in any sport — to win eight consecutive Olympic gold medals, breaking the tie with the U.S. men’s program that won seven in a row from 1936-68.

The U.S. was able to take control of the game in the first half, allowing coach Cheryl Reeve the opportunity to play her starters limited minutes and give players on the bench more court time.

“The group that’s going to be out there is going to be a little more ready and rested to be able to give everything they had,” Reeve said.

A win Sunday would be a record sixth gold medal for Diana Taurasi. A game after not starting for the first time since the 2004 Olympics, the Americans’ most decorated Olympic basketball player didn’t enter the game until 2:08 remained in the third quarter with the U.S. up 63-40. She missed her two shots, playing just a little over 6 minutes.

The U.S. jumped out to an early lead on Australia, but only were up 20-16 after the opening quarter. The Americans put the game away in the second quarter, starting the period with a 12-0 run. The U.S. led 45-27 at the half.

Aces guard Jackie Young added 14 points, Kahleah Copper 11 and Aces forward A’ja WIlson 10 for the Americans.

Isobel Borlase led Australia with 11, and Tess Madgen and Ezi Magbegor each had 10.

There was no shortage of WNBA players on the court.

But while the American team features 12 WNBA All-Stars who have won multiple MVPs, the Australia roster is full of complementary players in the league. The Opals, who started five WNBA players, just didn’t have enough offensive firepower to compete with the U.S. juggernaut.

In the end, the U.S. once again denied the Australians a chance at a gold medal in what’s been a one-sided affair between the teams. The Opals have never beaten the U.S. in Olympic competition, losing in the gold medal game in 2000, ’04 and ’08.

The Australians also lost to the U.S. in the semifinals of the 1996 and 2012 Olympics.

— Women’s golf: Las Vegas resident Rose Zhang shot 5-under 67 to move into a tie for third at 7-under 209 entering the final round. New Zealand’s Lydia Ko and Switzerland’s Morgane Metraux lead at 9 under.

Saturday’s locals schedule

— Midnight: Women’s golf, final round, Rose Zhang (U.S.)

Sunday’s locals schedule

— 6:30 a.m.: Women’s basketball, gold medal game, U.S. (Chelsea Gray, Kelsey Plum, A’ja Wilson, Jackie Young) vs. France

Olympic TV schedule

SATURDAY

NBC

— 7 a.m.: Women’s water polo, gold medal game, Australia vs. Spain (live, joined in progress)

— 8 a.m.: Women’s soccer, gold medal game, U.S. vs. Brazil (live)

— 10 a.m.: Track and field, finals (live)

— 12:30 p.m.: Men’s basketball, gold medal game, U.S. vs. France (live)

— 3 p.m.: Rhythmic gymnastics, group final (replay)

— 3:30 p.m.: Canoe and kayak, finals (replay)

— 4 p.m.: Men’s volleyball, gold medal match, France vs. Poland

— 8 p.m.: Primetime in Paris (replays of track and field finals, men’s basketball gold medal game, men’s diving 10-meter platform final and men’s breaking final)

— 11:35 p.m.: Late Night (replays of men’s beach volleyball gold medal match and women’s sports climbing combined final)

CNBC

— 1 a.m.: Women’s handball, bronze medal match, Denmark vs. Sweden (live)

— 2:30 a.m.: Women’s canoe, sprint semifinals (live) and women’s beach volleyball gold medal match (replay)

— 4 a.m.: Canoe, sprint finals (live)

— 5 a.m.: Rhythmic gymnastics, group final (live)

— 6:30 a.m.: Women’s table tennis, team bronze medal match

— 8:15 a.m.: Women’s volleyball, bronze medal match, Brazil vs. Turkey (live)

— 10:15 a.m.: Women’s table tennis, team gold medal match

— 11:30 a.m.: Men’s cycling, Madison

— Noon: Weightlifting, finals

— 12:30 p.m.: Boxing, finals

— 1 p.m.: Weightlifting, finals

— 1:40 p.m.: Taekwondo, finals

— 2 p.m.: Boxing, finals

— 2:30 p.m.: Wrestling, finals

E!

— 1 a.m.: Men’s diving, 10-meter platform semifinal (live)

— 3 a.m.: Women’s water polo, bronze medal game, U.S. vs. Netherlands

— 4:30 a.m.: Women’s sport climbing, combined final (live)

— 6 a.m.: Men’s diving, 10-meter platform final (live)

— 7:30 a.m.: Men’s breaking, qualification (live)

— 9:15 a.m.: Rhythmic gymnastics, group final

— 11 a.m.: Men’s breaking, final (live)

Golf Channel

— Midnight: Women’s golf, final round (live)

— 4 a.m.: Women’s golf, final round (live)

USA

— 1:15 a.m.: Weightlifting, finals

— 2 a.m.: Men’s basketball, bronze medal game, Germany vs. Serbia (live)

— 4 a.m.: Boxing and taekwondo, finals

— 5 a.m.: Weightlifting, finals

— 5:30 a.m.: Wrestling, eliminations

— 6 a.m.: Women’s handball, gold medal match, Norway vs. France (live)

— 7:30 a.m.: Men’s marathon (replay)

— 10 a.m.: Men’s basketball, bronze medal game, Germany vs. Serbia (replay)

— Noon: Men’s beach volleyball, bronze medal match, Qatar vs. Norway (live)

— 1 p.m.: Wrestling, finals

— 1:30 p.m.: Men’s beach volleyball, gold medal match, Sweden vs. Germany (live)

— 3 p.m.: Women’s soccer, gold medal game, U.S. vs. Brazil (replay)

— 5 p.m.: Women’s handball, gold medal match, Norway vs. France (replay)

— 6:30 p.m.: Women’s water polo, bronze medal game, U.S. vs. Netherlands (replay)

— 7:30 p.m.: Women’s water polo, gold medal game, Australia vs. Spain (replay)

— 9 p.m.: Men’s basketball, gold medal game, U.S. vs. France (replay)

— 11 p.m.: Women’s marathon (live)

SUNDAY

NBC

— 6 a.m.: Cycling, men’s keirin, women’s sprint and omnium

— 6:30 a.m.: Women’s basketball, gold medal game, U.S. vs. France (live)

— 9 a.m.: Women’s marathon (replay)

— 11 a.m.: Best of Paris 2024

— Noon: Closing ceremony (live)

— 3 p.m.: Women’s volleyball, gold medal match, U.S. vs. Italy

— 7 p.m.: Closing ceremony (replay)

USA

— 1:30 a.m.: Men’s water polo, bronze medal game, U.S. vs. Hungary (live)

— 2:45 a.m.: Women’s basketball, bronze medal game, Belgium vs. Australia (live)

— 4:30 a.m.: Men’s handball, gold medal match, Germany vs. Denmark (live)

— 6 a.m.: Men’s water polo, gold medal game, Serbia vs. Croatia (live, joined in progress)

— 6:30 a.m.: Weightlifting, finals

— 7 a.m.: Wrestling, finals

— 8 a.m.: Men’s handball, bronze medal match, Spain vs. Slovenia

— 9 a.m.: Men’s handball, gold medal match, Germany vs. Denmark (replay)

— 10:30 a.m.: Men’s water polo, bronze medal game, U.S. vs. Hungary (replay)

— 11:30 a.m.: Men’s water polo, gold medal game, Serbia vs. Croatia (replay)

— 12:30 p.m.: Women’s basketball, gold medal game, U.S. vs. France (replay)