Team USA and Nigeria will meet head-on this coming Sunday, as both teams continue to prepare for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Will the Americans keep themselves from being upset? Or will the Nigerians shock Team USA in Vegas? Check out our preview of this game below.
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Betting Preview for the Team USA vs Nigeria Summer Olympics Women’s Basketball Exhibition on July 18, 2021
Where: Michelob ULTRA Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada
When: Tuesday, July 18, 2021, 8:00 PM ET
Line: Team USA (odds) vs. Nigeria (odds) – view all 2021 Summer Olympics lines
TV Broadcast: ESPN
Betting on the Team USA (odds)
Team USA will face the Australians first on Friday before taking on Nigeria but expect the Americans face the African powerhouse team with a stacked roster. Brittney Griner and Sylvia Fowles will provide Team USA with a formidable frontcourt tandem, while the likes of Skylar Diggins-Smith, Ariel Atkins, Tina Charles, Napheesa Collier, and Jewell Loyd will be taking care of business on the backcourt and on the wings. The team also has Breanna Stewart, who’s versatile enough to play both positions in the frontcourt. Although Team USA recently lost to the WNBA All-Stars in a recent exhibition game to the tune of a 93-85 score, they have all the tools to overpower Nigeria. Take for example Griner, who had 18 points on 7/9 shooting from the field in a 76-71 win last year against Nigeria in the Qualifiers.
Betting on the Nigeria (odds)
The Nigerians will look to duplicate the feat pulled off by their men counterparts earlier last week when Gabe Vincent and company took down Team USA’s men’s basketball team. Ranked 17th in the world, Nigeria will come to Sunday’s game having last played the United States in the aforementioned Olympic Qualifying Tournament matchup in February 2020. Nigeria lost that game, but only by a small margin. Ezinne Kalu led Nigeria with 17 points, while Victoria Macaulay had 12 points. Those two will be leaned upon again by Nigeria this coming weekend. One of the reasons Nigeria kept in step with Team USA in the Qualifiers was its offensive rebounding. It had 18 offensive rebounds to just 11 by Team USA. The Nigerians even had a 16-point lead in the third quarter and were ahead in over 30 minutes of the contest. Nigeria also has Elizabeth Balogun, who plays college basketball in the NCAA for the Louisville Cardinals after suturing up for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.
Writer’s Prediction
Team USA wins, 91-75.
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