On the way to Rio for the 2016 Summer Games, Canada Basketball's Senior Women's National Team is going to spend a few days stateside with some old acquaintances when it competes at the 2016 USA Basketball Showcase at the end of July.
The exhibition tournament, hosted by the five-time defending Olympic champion Americans, features a quartet of Brazil-bound teams going head-to-head just a handful of days before the Olympics begin.
On July 27, Team Canada tips off against Australia in Newark, Del., before traveling to Bridgeport, Conn., for a July 29 match-up with the host Americans. The SWNT concludes its schedule on July 31 when the Canadians meet France at New York's historic Madison Square Garden.
Currently ranked ninth by FIBA, Canada has enjoyed recent success against the three opponents it will play during the tournament. The SWNT defeated the United States, FIBA's top-ranked team, in the gold medal game of the Toronto Pan Am Games last July. At an exhibition tournament in France this June, Team Canada beat Australia (FIBA No. 2) and France (No. 4) on back-to-back days.
The Showcase serves as a final tune-up for the Olympic women's basketball tournament, which gets underway on Aug. 6, when Canada plays China at 1:15 p.m. EST.. The SWNT will play four more preliminary round games in Group B, against Senegal, Serbia, Spain, and the United States.
Team Canada qualified for its second consecutive Olympic Games by winning gold at the FIBA Americas Championship in Edmonton last August. The SWNT advanced to the quarterfinal round at the London Games four years ago.
Keep up with Canada's Olympic journey by following @CanBball
2016 USA Basketball Showcase schedule (All times eastern)
July 27 at Bob Carpenter Center (Newark, Del.)
Australia vs. Canada, 5 p.m.
France vs. United States, 7:30 p.m.
July 29 at Webster Bank Arena (Bridgeport, Conn.)
Australia vs. France, 4:30 p.m.
Canada vs. United States, 7 p.m.
July 31 at Madison Square Garden (New York, NY)
Canada vs. France, 1:30 p.m.
Australia vs. United States, 4 p.m.