New Zealand vs Italy, FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup 2026 Qualifying Tournament, Today Match Prediction

New Zealand vs Italy Basteball Odds

Teams Preview

New Zealand

New Zealand couldn’t replicate their Asia Cup form in Puerto Rico as they dropped their first game convincingly for the 2026 FIBA World Cup qualifiers. The Kiwis were outscored by Spain 50-99 in the first game. The defense was so tight that New Zealand couldn’t cross 14 points in any quarter. The Kiwi giants had a quarterfinal run in the 2025 Asia Cup where they lost to Japan. Cracking the World Cup qualification isn’t an easy job for New Zealand but Australia will surely make a way from another group. 

New Zealand will now take on Italy next and this game is huge for them. They are already in the toughest group. The Kiwis were scoring 68.4 points per game and allowing 71.2 points per game. New Zealand were ranked first in blocks per game (5.4) and fifth in steals per game (7.4). They shot 31% from the floor and 29% from the three-point line. They edged out Spain 38-36 in the rebounding battle. New Zealand were the leading side in rebounds during the Asia Cup. 

Only two players reached double figures for New Zealand. Ella Tofaeono led the offense for New Zealand with 14 points and 7 rebounds. Sharne Robati went for 12 points and five rebounds. Tegan Graham also contributed nine points. Emilia Shearer  could be an offensive threat. The 24-year-old forward averaged 10.8 points in the 2025 Asia Cup. We back her to score 15 or more points in the upcoming fixture. 

Italy

The Italy Women’s team are ready for the second matchup in the 2026 FIBA World Cup qualifying campaign. They outclassed the hosts Puerto Rico in the previous game with a good margin. With a 78-41 victory, the Italian side are back in contention. Puerto Rico appeared in the 2022 World Cup so this win was important for the European side. They outscored the hosts in each quarter and didn't concede more than 14 points in a single quarter. However, in the remaining three quarters, Italy also didn't cross more than 17 points. Italy can't afford a poor offensive show against top teams. 

Italy shot 48% from the floor and 335 from the three-point line in the previous game. They won the rebounding battle 40-27. Italy averaged 70.2 points per game and allowed 62 points per game in EuroBasket. They were ranked fourth in three-point shooting (33.8%), blocks per game (2.8) and steals per game (9.5). The European giants forced 9.8 turnovers per game, best among all teams in EuroBasket. 

Four players reached double figures for Italy in the last game. Costanza Verona was the top performer for Italy with 16 points. Sara Madera went for 13 points, while Laura Spreafico chipped in with 11 points. Cecilia Zandalasini contributed 10 points and five rebounds. Zandalasini could also be an offensive threat against New Zealand. She averaged 16.8 points in the 2025 EuroBasket. We are backing her to score 20 or more points in the road fixture. 

New Zealand vs Italy Starting Lineups

New Zealand vs Italy Match Prediction & Analysis

The New Zealand women’s team will play Italy in the FIBA World Cup Qualifiers second encounter in Puerto Rico. New Zealand are coming back from a disappointing defeat in the opener, while Italy, currently on a winning run in FIBA competition, look to get a momentum victory. 

Current Standings: New Zealand are sitting at fifth with a 0-1 record in Group B, while Italy are sitting third in Group B with a 1-0 record. 

Head-to-Head Record (Last 5 Matches): No match listed between New Zealand and Italy.

New Zealand vs Italy Player Stats

NEW ZEALAND vs ITALY
Winning Prediction

Italy head into the home contest as the favourites to win this match considering more superior defense and New Zealand’s shooting struggle. We are backing the European side to win the game. We also back both teams to score a probable 155 points with Italy reaching 85 or more points. 

Italy to win.

1xBet

400% up to ₹70,000 on 4 Deposits with Reg Code: TOPBK

BET NOW