USA, Australia, and Spain to Test Each Team's Strength

The Women's National Teams of USA, Australia, and Spain will be squaring off against each other at the XL Center in Connecticut as part of their preparations for the 2010 FIBA World Basketball Championship in Czech Republic.

Reigning Olympic champion USA, which will be coach by University of Connecticut's Geno Auriemma, will face defending World Champions Australia on September 10.

The Aussies will then take on Spain on the second day of the event while the Americans and the Spaniards will clash on September 12.

Head Coach Auriemma said that they were very lucky to have the opportunity of playing against a world-caliber team before the World Championship.

“One of the things you always want to do is to try to play some really good competition leading up to the World Championship. Usually those games are held overseas where we don’t have a lot of fans." Auriemma said.

The veteran coach, who led Connecticut to multiple NCAA titles, considers Spain and Australia as one of the top five teams in the World. He also expressed his excitement on playing in front of the Connecticut crowd.

"I think people here in the Hartford area, in Connecticut, especially, appreciate women’s basketball as much, if not more, than any other place in the country. I think those two teams will get a great reception and people will get a chance to see what we’re going to be seeing in the Czech Republic." Auriemma said.

USA was drawn in Group B together with France, Senegal, and Greece, while the Aussies will go up against Belarus, China, and Canada in the preliminary round of the tournament.

On the other hand, Spain belongs to Group C and will face Brazil, Korea, and Mali in the opening round.