Italy’s defense, energized by a partisan crowd in Berlin, held the USA to the program’s lowest-ever shooting percentage from the floor at 29 percent, marking the squad’s worst World Cup field-goal performance at 28.6 percent. The three-point victory represented the closest margin for the Americans since a narrow win over Australia in 2010, and the first single-digit triumph since 1979.
Lawson Emphasizes Resilience After Narrow Escape
Addressing media including Olympics.com, head coach Kara Lawson framed the sluggish offensive showing as a valuable lesson rather than a crisis.
“(The odds) say we won’t shoot 29% in the paint again,”
Lawson reflected, underscoring the statistical anomaly of the performance.
“My takeaway is that even if we do, we have enough to win; we’re tough enough to win either way.
You have to be honest with yourself as an individual and as a team when you have a performance that is below your level. I know our history is so accomplished at our federation; I know all the expectation is for us to win. But it is hard to win a World Cup.
You have to be able to win in different ways because every team plays stylistically different. Italy played with great force and passion, and controlled the game for large parts.
The World Cup is supposed to be challenging, and we’re supposed to have moments where we’re not at our best. The teams that can persevere and have a resilient mindset are the ones that are able to win. That’s what makes it so satisfying at the end.
Every game is information for us. Every time you get exposed in certain ways, you can look back and improve. We’ll grow from it.”
Tournament Outlook Shifts Toward Adaptability
The victory, while unconvincing on the stat sheet, reinforces a championship trait: finding ways to win when the primary game plan falters. Italy’s physical, high-pressure approach disrupted the USA’s rhythm for extended stretches, forcing the defending champions to rely on defensive intensity and clutch execution down the stretch. Lawson’s message signals a pivot from style points to substance, positioning resilience as the defining metric for the remainder of the World Cup campaign.
