Final score: United States 76, Spain 66

The United States women's national team closed out its FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup campaign with a 76-66 victory over Spain, riding a dominant third quarter and a deep, unselfish offense to a result that underlined once again why the Americans remain the benchmark in the women's international game. Spain stayed within touching distance for 20 minutes before a 22-14 third-quarter surge from the USA turned a tight, tactical contest into a controlled ten-point win.

It was a game that promised a lot on paper — Spain's patient half-court execution against American athleticism and depth — and it delivered exactly that for two quarters before the talent gap finally told. The final scoreline flatters neither side's effort: Spain competed hard, defended with discipline and got quality shot-making from its veteran core, while the USA answered every run with a run of its own.

Quarter-by-Quarter Breakdown

• First quarter: USA 18, Spain 16 — a scrappy, physical opener with both teams shooting under 40% from the field.
• Second quarter: USA 20, Spain 18 — Spain's ball movement kept it close; the USA led 38-34 at the half.
• Third quarter: USA 22, Spain 14 — the decisive stretch, built on transition points and offensive rebounds.
• Fourth quarter: Spain 18, USA 16 — Spain won the final period, but the deficit was already too large.

Half-time: USA 38, Spain 34. Full-time: USA 76, Spain 66.

Key Moments

The game's turning point arrived midway through the third quarter. With Spain trailing by three and looking settled in its half-court sets, the USA forced three turnovers in a two-minute span and converted each one into points at the other end. A corner three off a kick-out pass capped an 11-2 run that pushed the lead into double digits, and Spain never got it back under eight again.

Spain's best moment came earlier, late in the second quarter, when a 7-0 burst — capped by a tough mid-range jumper with the shot clock winding down — briefly gave it the lead. It was the last time the Spanish bench had something to celebrate for long.

The Tactical Story

Spain's game plan was clear and, for a while, effective: slow the tempo, switch aggressively on the perimeter, and force the Americans into contested mid-range looks rather than clean catch-and-shoot threes. It worked in the first half, when the USA managed only a handful of open looks from beyond the arc.

The adjustment from the American side was simple but ruthless — attack the rim earlier in the possession and crash the offensive glass. The USA finished with a clear edge in second-chance points and points in the paint, and once Spain's bigs picked up fouls trying to help on drives, the defensive shell that had held for 20 minutes began to crack. Spain's offense, meanwhile, became more static as the game wore on, leaning on isolation plays and late-clock heaves rather than the crisp ball movement that had defined its first half.

Standout Players

• USA forward A'ja Wilson — a game-high 18 points to go with 9 rebounds; her mid-range touch and defensive presence set the tone on both ends.
• Breanna Stewart — 14 points, several of them in the decisive third-quarter run, plus important help defense at the rim.
• Kelsey Plum — 12 points and steady ball-handling against Spain's pressure, finishing with a handful of assists.
• Sabrina Ionescu — 11 points, including the corner three that broke the game open in the third.
• Spain's Astou Ndour — a team-high 16 points and a constant threat on the offensive glass.
• Alba Torrens — 13 points and the veteran leadership that kept Spain organized when the USA threatened to run away with it.

What the Result Means

For the United States, the win is another reminder that its margin over the rest of the world is now measured in execution rather than raw talent alone. Spain proved it can hang with the Americans for long stretches, and its first-half performance will give the coaching staff plenty of encouragement as the program looks ahead to the next Olympic cycle and the continuing development of its younger guards.

For neutrals, this was a useful measuring stick: Spain sits firmly in the world's top tier, but closing a ten-point gap against the USA requires 40 minutes of near-perfect basketball, not 20. The head-to-head record between the two nations remains comfortably in American hands — and on this evidence, that is unlikely to change any time soon.