Australia vs Nigeria final score: Opals suffer surprise defeat to open Paris Olympics campaign

The Australian Opals have endured a horrendous start to their 2024 Olympic campaign, losing by 13 points to Nigeria, who recorded their first Olympic victory since 2004.

Turnovers and missed free throws were the story of the night for Australia, with the presumed medal contenders turning the ball over 26 times and shooting just 8 of 18 from the free throw line.

Ezinne Kalu shone for Nigeria, scoring 19 points and grabbing five rebounds in the win, while Promise Amukamara added 14 and Amy Okonkwo contributed 13.

Alanna Smith led the Opals with 15 points and seven rebounds, while Sami Whitcomb added 13 points.

After dropping what many thought was a guaranteed win against Nigeria, the Opals will now have to go back to the drawing board before facing Canada this Thursday, with the team suddenly finding themselves fighting for Olympic survival.

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If you missed any of the action, The Sporting News has been tracking all the live score updates and highlights throughout the game.

Australia vs Nigeria basketball match score

Updates and highlights from the Australia v Nigeria women’s basketball match at the 2024 Olympics

FINAL: Nigeria 75, Australia 62

8:51 p.m. – Nigeria beat Australia in a surprise loss for the Opals, who are likely to be in medal contention. The Aussies have a lot of work to do before they face Canada on Thursday. Nigeria wins 75-62.

8:47 p.m. – Talbot misses a layup on one side, allowing Okonkwo to break away for a fast break layup. Nigeria takes a 12-point lead and likely wins the game.

8:45 p.m. – Wallace makes contact and goes to the line for two points. She misses the first, scores the second. Nigeria leads 67-59, with one minute left.

8:40 p.m. – Nigeria makes two free throws, Magbegor moves to the other end of the court and gives up the ball. Nigeria leads 65-56.

8:36 p.m. – After being three-pointers on several occasions, the Opals find themselves trailing by seven points after an open three-pointer from Okonkwo. Time is now running out for Australia, with just under four minutes remaining on the clock.

8:33 p.m. – Smith has a chance to equalise on the line but misses both attempts, Nigeria get the rebound. The story of this game so far, with the Opals struggling to execute their fundamentals.

8:30 p.m. – Wallace steals the ball at midcourt, which turns into a clear trajectory foul by Nigeria. She splits the free throws and the Opals maintain possession, which leads to a three-pointer by Smith. Nigeria leads 58-56.

8:26 p.m. – A few crucial minutes from Steph Talbot; he first scored a three-pointer to make it a one-possession game, before drawing a foul on a defensive rebound.

8:22 p.m. – A three-pointer from Musa kicks off the final quarter, and Nigeria shows it’s not going away quietly.

8:19 p.m. – Stop me if you’ve heard this before, but Lauren Jackson hit a huge shot, with a three-pointer to bring the Opals within two points. Musa answered with a two-pointer late in the third period, but Australia looked much more comfortable, outscoring Nigeria 19-10 in the quarter. Nigeria leads 51-47.

8:15 p.m. – Magbegor goes all the way for the free throw, Nicole Enabosi replies, before Melbourne make significant contact and drain both free throws. The game tightens up, as Nigeria look to contain the Opals.

8:12 p.m. – Two massive baskets from Minnesota Lynx star Alanna Smith, plus a key block, and the Opals are back to within five points.

8:09 p.m. – Sloppy play on both sides led to points on each side, with Whitcomb’s three pushing the lead back to 10. Nigeria leads 45-35.

8:02 p.m. – They started the second half with a turnover, but the Opals also drew first blood, with Jade Melbourne rolling in a tough finish for two.

7:47 p.m. – Two consecutive mid-court interceptions from Nigeria lead to four easy points and a 13-point halftime win. The Opals have a lot of work to do to turn things around. Nigeria leads 41-28.

7:43 p.m. – The Opals can’t seem to get any breathing room, with a wide-open ATO layup being ruled out due to a travel, leading to a Nigeria timeout.

7:40 p.m. – Nigeria’s attack looks much better than Australia’s; the former are scoring almost uncontested layups thanks to smart cuts, while the Opals are continually forced to make low-percentage shots all around the court. Nigeria leads 37-28.

7:38 p.m. – A much-needed three-pointer from Jackson brought Australia within two points, before a tough layup from Amukamara extended the lead to five points.

7:36 p.m. – That makes 11 turnovers for Australia as Sami Whitcomb sends the ball out of Jackson’s hands as the Opals continue to look disjointed.

7:34 p.m. – Kalu scores a three-pointer, plus a free throw thanks to a foul by Steph Talbot, and Nigeria leads 28-25.

7:29 p.m. – The Opals call a timeout after another turnover leads to a layup by Nigeria, who take the lead. Nigeria leads 24-22.

10 turnovers in 14 minutes for the Opals. I know the kick-off was at 11am, but the start of the game was incredibly sloppy. Australia are lucky to only be down by two points.

— Kane Pitman (@KanePitman) July 29, 2024

7:27 p.m. – Magbegor splits his free throws after suffering a massive hit from Murjanatu Musa.

7:24 p.m. -Kristy Wallace scores the first basket of the second quarter after two frigid first minutes for both teams. The Opals lead 19-18.

7:20 p.m. – Ezi Magbegor breaks free but misses his layup as the buzzer sounds. The Opals go into the quarter-time break trailing by one point.

7:18 p.m. – Nigeria take the lead for the first time in the match, thanks to a well-locked defense and a three-pointer from Ezinne Kalu. Nigeria leads 18-17.

7:15 p.m. – Isabel Borlase scores her first free throws in her Olympic debut, with the 2024 WNBA draftee already active in her opening minutes.

7:11 p.m. – Alanna Smith scores a three-pointer to steady the ship after Nigeria tied the game. The Opals lead 16-13.

7:10 p.m. – Lauren Jackson, five-time Olympian, Basketball Hall of Famer and all-time Olympic basketball leading scorer, watches the game.

7:06 p.m. – The Opals are buzzing offensively, as Jade Melbourne answers a three from Amy Okonkwo with a deep ball of her own.

7:04 p.m. – A six-point start to the game for the Opals, their cut to the basket leading to three open layups.

Pre-match

6:55 p.m. – Sami Whitcomb, Jade Melbourne, Steph Talbot, Alanna Smith and Ezi Magbegor will be the first five on the field for the Opals tonight.

It’s time for the Opals to shine.

Our starting 5 against Nigeria

⏰ 7:00pm AEST
???? 9NOW
???? https://t.co/rPzqU5QZNk#WeAreBasketball | #GoOpals | #AllezAUS pic.twitter.com/ScvnXB9GCs

— Basketball Australia (@BasketballAus) July 29, 2024

What time is the Australia v Nigeria match tonight?

• Date: Monday July 29
• Time: 7:00pm AEST

The Australia v Nigeria match will kick off at 7:00pm AEST on Monday 29 July. The match will be played at Stade Pierre Mauroy in France.

What channel is Australia vs Nigeria on tonight?

• TV channel: Canal Nine
• Direct: 9Now/Stan Sport

The Australia-Nigeria match will be broadcast on the Nine Network, with viewers able to stream the matches on 9Now and Stan Sport.

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Paris Opals Olympics Program – Group B

The Opals begin their Olympic campaign against Nigeria, followed by matches against Canada and France.

2024 Australian Opals women’s basketball team roster

The Opals’ Paris 2024 Olympic roster features an elite collection of WNBA talent, headlined by Ezi Magbegor, Alanna Smith and Sami Whitcomb, while Australian basketball legend Lauren Jackson returns to the Opals fold, competing in her fifth Olympic Games.

List of Nigeria Women Basketball Teams 2024