Women's Basketball Preview Day 7: Familiar faces among final four

(BEIJING, August 20) -- Only two teams will emerge as finalists after the Women's Basketball semifinals are held at the Olympic Basketball Gymnasium on Thursday, August 21.

8:00 p.m. (UTC/GMT +8)

Russia vs. United States

The United States heads into this match on a 31-0 winning streak in Olympic tournament play, from the 1992 bronze-medal playoff win to the last six matches at this tournament.

The United States has a 7-1 record over Russia, though at their last meeting, in the semifinal of the 2006 world championships in Brazil, Russia had its first victory over Team USA in a major international competition, winning 75-68.

US-born guard Becky Hammon is Russia's leading scorer with 13.2 points per game, and shooting at 55 percent from three-point range. There is some element of added rivalry with Hammon on the team. Not only is there an historic Russia versus United States rivalry in Olympic basketball, but as US captain Lisa Leslie put it, "We can't let one American girl's dream take down the 12 of our dreams."

Russia is the best three-point shooting team in the tournament, hitting 44.7 percent of their attempts ahead of second-place the United States with 40.7 percent, but Russia has also committed the most turnovers of the four semifinal teams with 17.8 per match.

US center Sylvia Fowles is the leading scorer on her team with 14.3 points per game, while Kara Lawson is shooting a tournament-best 58.3 percent from three-point range.

10:15 p.m. (UTC/GMT +8)

China vs. Australia

Just as Hammon is facing her country of origin, China coach Tom Maher was one of the most successful coaches in Australia's history.

"We have another huge, huge test against China," says Australia center Lauren Jackson. "Tom Maher, my God, he is the guru, bringing China up out of nowhere to get them into the semifinals."

Australia is likely to be without star forward Penny Taylor, who damaged ankle ligaments during the Opals' quarterfinal win over the Czech Republic on August 19. Taylor, the 2006 world championship MVP, is averaging 12 points per game in this tournament.

Australia is the best rebounding team in the tournament (48.7 per game) and is second in assists with 15.3 per game. Guard Kristi Harrower is dishing out a tournament-best five assists per match.

China is the most disciplined side in the tournament, committing just 14 fouls per match, and they have the tournament's leading scorer in captain Miao Lijie with 19.5 points per game. Australia's Jackson is the second-highest scorer in the tournament with 18 points per game.