FIBA World Cup Update

OK, we have completed the Group Stages of the FIBA World Cup of Basketball.  The top 4 teams in each group advance.  Here were the results:

GROUP A:
1.  Spain:  5-0 (10 points) (440 points scored / 314 points allowed)
2.  Brazil:  4-1 (9) (416/333)
3.  France:  3-2 (8) (376/357)
4.  Serbia:  2-3 (7) (387/378)
5.  Iran:  1-4 (6) (344/406)
6.  Egypt:  0-5 (5) (312/486)

GROUP B:
1.  Greece:  5-0 (10) (414/349)
2.  Croatia:  3-2 (8) (414/398) (beat Argentina head-to-head)
3.  Argentina:  3-2 (8) (420/372)
4.  Senegal:  2-3 (7) (348/399)
5.  Puerto Rico:  1-4 (6) (388/446) (beat Philippines head-to-head)
6.  Philippines:  1-4 (6) (383/404)

GROUP C:
1.  United States:  5-0 (10) (511/345)
2.  Turkey:  3-2 (8) (365/372)
3.  Dominican Republic:  2-3 (7) (347/386) (1-1 in games with New Zealand and Ukraine)
4.  New Zealand:  2-3 (7) (347/376) (1-1 in games with Dominican Republic and Ukraine)
5.  Ukraine:  2-3 (7) (344/369) (1-1 in games with Dominican Republic and New Zealand)
6.  Finland:  1-4 (6) (342/408)

OK, given that the Dominican Republic, New Zealand, and Ukraine all went 1-1 in their head-to-head match-ups, how did FIBA break the tie?  It used total points scored in the head-to-head games.

The Dominican Republic lost to Ukraine 72-62, but beat New Zealand 76-63.  So its total for those two games was 138-135 (a difference of 3).

New Zealand lost to the Dominican Republic 76-63, but beat Ukraine 73-61.  So its total for those two games was 136-137 (a difference of minus 1).

Ukraine beat the Dominican Republic 72-62, but lost to New Zealand 73-61.  So its total for those two games was 133-135 (a difference of minus 2).  And that one point is the reason New Zealand finished ahead of Ukraine.  FIBA!

GROUP D:
1.  Lithuania:  4-1 (9) (383/331) (beat Slovenia head-to-head)
2.  Slovenia:  4-1 (9) (425/374)
3. Australia:  3-2 (8) (404/373)
4.  Mexico:  2-3 (7) (370/372) (beat Angola head-to-head)
5.  Angola:  2-3 (7) (375/399)
6.  South Korea:  0-5 (316/404) (5)

One of the very few upsets in the Group Stages took place today, when Angola beat Australia 91-83.  Goran Dragic, a Phoenix Suns guard who plays for Slovenia, immediately accused the Aussies of losing on purpose, presumably so that they would come in third place -- thereby avoiding the Americans until the semi-finals.  FIBA!

Here is the draw for the round of 16, which will be played on Saturday and Sunday:

UPPER BRACKET (all games in Madrid):
Spain v. Senegal
Croatia v. France
Greece v. Serbia
Brazil v. Argentina

LOWER BRACKET (all games in Barcelona):
United States v. Mexico
Slovenia v. Dominican Republic
Lithuania v. New Zealand
Turkey v. Australia

The final will be on September 14 in Madrid, which will be a big advantage to whichever team comes out of the Upper Bracket, because that team will have already played three games in the Palacio de Deportes de la Comunidad de Madrid, while the teams in the Lower Bracket will have played in the Palau Sant Jordi in Barcelona.  As it turns out, Spain (the host nation) was placed in the Upper Bracket, while the Americans (who have never won this tournament twice in a row) are in the Lower Bracket.  FIBA!

Latest odds to win the tournament:

United States:  8 to 13
Spain:  6 to 4
Brazil:  25 to 1
Greece:  33 to 1

No one else is better than 50 to 1.