What happened: The Americans escaped with a 55-52 group-stage win in Berlin after trailing 50-49 with 3:21 left. They opened the tournament with a 94-61 victory over China on Friday.
Why it matters: The result extended USA's World Cup winning streak to 32 games, dating to its 2006 semifinal defeat. It was the Americans' closest game in the tournament in 20 years.
By the numbers: Aliyah Boston posted a game-best plus-18 against Italy. Caitlin Clark went 0-for-6 with one assist and two turnovers.
What to watch: USA closes group play against Czechia on Monday at 2:45 p.m. ET. The quarterfinals begin Thursday.