Team USA vs. Italy Live FIBA Women's World Cup Updates, Scores and Highlights

What a game, and what a battle from Italy.

Italy led with under four minutes remaining against the best team in the world, but Team USA made just enough tough buckets and defensive plays down the stretch to pull out a three-point win.

Italy's Cecilia Zandalasini deserves all of her flowers, Matilde Villa made some really impressive shots in the fourth quarter, there was really high compete level from everyone and what a coaching performance from Andrea Capobianco.

On the United States side, there's a lot to work on across the board and they need to get more from Breanna Stewart, Napheesa Collier and Caitlin Clark (though, it's probably not possible for them to play a worse game than that).

Head coach Kara Lawson also got completely outcoached, and some of her lineup decisions were pretty confusing.

Italy's Matilde Villa just went to work on one of the best defenders in the world, schooling Napheesa Collier in isolation and finishing with the layup around Angel Reese.

Villa was a third-round pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft, but the Atlanta Dream renounced her rights in April. She's making a pretty good case that she deserves a shot in the league.

This has been a masterclass performance from Italy's team and their head coach Andrea Capobianco. They are in position defensively on the ball, cutting off every drive and rotating quickly on the perimeter and at the rim. A ton of physicality, too.

This is a tie game with five minutes remaining, folks.

Italy has outscored Team USA by eight points since the end of the third quarter to make it a one-possession game with 10 minutes to go.

Italy's Cecilia Zandalasini has been the best player on the court, while the role players around her have been dialed into the game-plan and bringing a ton of energy.

Caitlin Clark and Breanna Stewart have combined for one point on 0-of-13 shooting. The United States have scored 17 of their 42 points at the free-throw line, with Kahleah Copper and Angel Reese combining for 10 of them.

Italy took their first lead since the opening minutes after Sara Madera hit two free-throws with 5:32 remaining in the third quarter. A possession later, Olbis Andre scored at the rim to extend the lead to three.

Team USA is shooting only 37 percent from two and still hasn't made their first 3-pointer (0-of-8).

We're witnessing the Cecilia Zandalasini legacy game. She hit another tough pull-up turnaround jumper to make it a two-possession game early into the second half.

Zandalasini has a game-high 14 points and four rebounds on 5-of-10 shooting from the field.

Team USA looked completely out of sorts in the second quarter, scoring just 11 points while struggling to contain Italy's Cecilia Zandalasini, who leads all scorers with nine points.

Italy has mixed in some zone and been extremely physical defensively, making the United States work for everything. No player has more than six points, and they haven't hit a 3-pointer yet. They've done most of their damage at the free-throw line, where they've scored 12 of their 30 points.

Team USA has found success with their younger lineups, but the veterans haven't been able to get much going. Breanna Stewart, Chelsea Gray, Napheesa Collier and Kahleah Copper combined for just 11 points on 2-of-11 shooting (18.1%) in the first half.

Cecilia Zandalasini gets buckets. The Golden State Valkyries wing has caught fire in the second quarter, helping Italy cut the deficit to six.

She went to work, getting to a mid-post isolation bucket over Rhyne Howard, hit Kahleah Copper with a crossover before knocking down a step-back three, then drilled another pull-up mid-range jumper over Breanna Stewart.

With the Dallas Wings, Paige Bueckers has to carry so much of the offensive load that you don't always see the defensive playmaking numbers. But playing alongside superstars with Team USA, we're seeing just how impactful she can be on that end.

Bueckers already has four points, two steals and two blocks in seven minutes, midway through the second quarter against Italy.

Italy scored on their first two possessions, but struggled to create anything else from there, finishing the quarter with just eight points.

Team USA closed the quarter on an 8-0 run, thanks to elite two-way play from Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers.

Reese finished the quarter with four points, two blocks and a steal, while Bueckers added four points, two steals and a block of her own.

Angel Reese was only on the court for four minutes in the first quarter, but she already has two blocks and a steal.

She stuffed Cecilia Zandalasini on a runner in the paint. Then, just a minute later, Reese jumped the inbound for a steal and took it the other way for a bucket.

Team USA has shot just 2-of-7 from the field through the first five minutes, leading Italy 8-6.

They are making the United States play a half-court game and work into secondary actions on offense. Italy's already forced two turnovers, and held Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier scoreless on three field-goal attempts.

Team USA is running it back up with the same veteran-focused starting lineup against Italy:

Chelsea Gray, Jackie Young, Kahleah Copper, Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart.