LILLE, France (August 1, 2024) - The Canadian Senior Women’s National Team dropped a 70-65 decision to No. 3 ranked Australia to fall to 0-2 in the Group Phase at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games on Thursday.

Despite a 19-point, eight-eight rebound, four-assist performance from Bridget Carleton, 12 points from Kia Nurse, and 10 points for Kayla Alexander, Canada couldn’t slow an Australian team led by Sami Whitcomb’s 19-point, 10-assist double-double as well as nine rebounds and six assists Steph Talbot. Cayla George and Marianna Tolo added 11 points apiece for Australia, while Natalie Achonwa led Canada with seven assists.

“I think we had some good moments offensively and got some good moments defensively, but I think over the course of the 40 minutes, we needed to be more locked in against a really good Australian veteran team who knows how to play basketball the right way,” Carleton said. “Some lapses here and there, and that's what the difference was today.”

Canada shot just 35 percent in the game while giving up 48 percent shooting to Australia. The Australians outrebounded Canada 42-31 and held a 40-24 advantage in points in the paint.

“I think we did a great job in all of our rules except one, in defence,” head coach Víctor Lapeña said. “But I’m very proud of how my athletes led today. Some young players played good minutes. We are building the future of this program, and the veterans were able to come back into the game and to lead the last minutes to still be alive in this tournament, and for that reason, I’m very, very proud of them.” 

The two teams started the game evenly, with Australia holding a two-point lead, 18-16, after the opening 10 minutes. Sami Hill began the second quarter by attacking the basket and getting fouled. The score was tied after she made a pair of free throws. Carleton’s third three of the game moved Canada back in front, 21-18. A three-point play from Alexander extended Canada’s lead to four points before Australia’s Ezi Magbegor went to the bench after picking up her third foul.

Back-to-back buckets for Australia tied the game at 24 points, and then Talbot moved Australia back in front by two. Canada struggled to keep Australia out of the paint as Whitcomb scored inside to extend Australia’s lead to six. A steal from Edwards led to a three-point play for Alexander to trim Australia’s lead to three, 35-32, with 11 seconds remaining in the half, but George hit a three-pointer at the buzzer to give Australia a 38-32 advantage at the break.

Magbegor extended Australia’s advantage to eight to start the third quarter before a three from Colley brought Canada within five. A layup from Syla Swords brought Canada within two, 46-44, with 3:24 remaining in the third, but Australia closed the quarter on a 5-0 run to go into the fourth leading by seven, 51-44.

Whitcomb scored the first four points of the fourth, extending Australia’s advantage back to double figures. A three from Hill brought Canada within eight, but George responded with a layup and a three-pointer to put Australia in front 62-49. Canada went on a 6-0 run as Carleton hit a fadeaway, Shay Colley scored on a layup, and then Carleton made a pull-up to get Canada within seven with 2:46 remaining.

“The grit that we played with, the pride that we played with… our first showing wasn't us, and we know that we represent so much more when we put a Canada jersey on, and so I was really proud of how we came out today and how we fought,” Achonwa said. “We had some lapses in execution, but no matter what, the grit that we play with is truly who we are and I'm glad that we showed that today.”

Australia led by 10 with less than two minutes to play. Nurse and Whitcomb traded three-point plays to keep Australia in front by 12 with 1:08 remaining, but Canada continued to push. Four free throws from Nurse and a late three from Carleton trimmed the deficit to five points as the Canadians ran out of time to try to complete a comeback.

“In a tournament like this, points matter,” Achonwa said. “And so we were going to, regardless of whether it was a win or loss, we knew we had to keep it close. So that's what we did. We weren't going to quit. We went from 12 points to five points. So it's a point spread when it gets close to it. So I'm just glad that we locked in, and we were really aware of that the whole time.”

Canada’s final game in the Group Phase will be against Nigeria on Sunday, Aug. 4, at 7:30 a.m. ET/4:30 a.m. PT.