“We’re able to just build chemistry off of each game,” Young said. “I think the biggest thing for us was just executing the defensive schemes, being locked in on defense. And we know that we can score the ball, but we’re able to play and transition at the pace that we want to play whenever we get defensive stops.”

The U.S. limited Australia to fewer than 20 points in each of the first three quarters and held the Opals to just 36% shooting. The Americans also racked up 19 total points off 12 Aussie turnovers and outscored them on the fastbreak, 26-9.

The Australian team rosters six active WNBA players, the second-most behind Team USA, whose whole roster consists of WNBA pros. The Aussie Opals entered the match on a three-game win streak, gathering victories over Canada, France, and Serbia after their upset loss to Nigeria in pool play.

Despite a disappointing start to Olympic play, the Opals were the main challenger rivaling the U.S. women. They medaled in five of the last seven Olympic Games – silver in 2000, 2004, and 2008 and bronze in 1996 and 2012 – albeit losing to Team USA in all five of those medal-outings.

Friday’s contest was the ninth in the all-time Olympic series between USA and Australia, and the Americans remain undefeated in all nine meetings. They moved to 20-0 overall against the Opals in international meetings with the win that now sends them to Sunday’s gold medal match.

“I honestly don’t think they feel the pressure,” U.S. coach Cheryl Reeve said of the 60-game win streak. “Because the journey is unique to them. This is their first one together, and, yeah, we’ve had some repeat Olympians, but it’s a little bit more about a process for them…It’s a little different. The coaches, you don’t want to be the one that’s not able to continue the streak, right? And so your mind can work on you a little bit.

“But I can tell you one thing, there’s not going to be a coach that’s in the seat that isn’t going to be prepared…Because the pressure does that to you. You’re going to think of every possible thing so that you can get your team across the finish line.”

Madie Chandler is writing for Team USA as a graduate student in the Sports Capital Journalism Program at Indiana University Indianapolis.