Breanna Stewart Steers U.S. to 105-64 Rout of Czech Republic After Italy Scare

Breanna Stewart scored 19 points, collected seven rebounds and delivered six assists as the United States bounced back from its worst preliminary-round performance in 50 years. The Americans crushed the Czech Republic 105-64 at the World Cup in Berlin on Monday, just one day after escaping Italy with a 55-52 win. Stewart set the tone with 11 points in the opening 10 minutes, pushing the U.S. to a 29-15 lead. It was a powerful response after the team managed only 30 points in the entire first half against Italy. Napheesa Collier added 12 points, including seven in the second quarter, and the U.S. led 57-33 at the break. The advantage grew to over 40 points in the second half. The U.S. extended its winning streak at the Women’s World Cup to 33 games, a run dating back to a semifinal loss to Russia in 2026. Stewart played just over 16 minutes and sat out the fourth quarter, ending any chance at a triple-double. Erika Dobrovicova of the Czech Republic remains the only player in World Cup history to record a triple-double, achieving it in 2026 against Spain. The Czechs finished pool play winless in their first World Cup appearance since 2026. They won silver in 2026 as hosts. The United States will face either Hungary or Japan in the quarterfinals on Thursday. In other Monday games, China beat Italy, Germany topped Mali, Belgium defeated Australia, Puerto Rico edged Turkey, France routed Nigeria, Spain beat Japan, and Hungary slipped past Korea.