China's scoring machine Miao Lijie will look to upset world champion Australia in tonight's basketball semifinals.

Leading the scoring among the women at the Olympics, Miao averages 19.5 points per game and has been in top form in Beijing.

But Australia, led by second-ranked scorer Lauren Jackson, is determined to shut down China's offensive power.

Lauren Jackson of Australia goes up for a basket against Latvia in her team's Group A women's basketball game last Friday. [Agencies]

"I want to attack and score as many as I can," said Miao after scoring a game-high 28 points in China's quarterfinal win over Belarus on Tuesday. "They are very tough on both sides of the court, but as long as we are united and 100 percent focused, we can beat anybody."

Australia, however, is sweating over the fitness of Penny Taylor ahead of the semifinal battle.

Taylor was the most valuable player at the Worlds in 2006 after leading the Opals to the gold medal, but she sprained her right ankle on a drive to the basket in her team's quarterfinal demolition of the Czech Republic.

"If she is not ready to go, that's sport," said Australian coach Jan Stirling.

"Someone else has to step up. I feel for Penny as do the rest of the team. If it's not to be it's not to be."

The Australians will still be favored against China even if Taylor can't play, although the Opals know they won't be able to spring any surprises because former Opals coach Tom Maher now coaches China.

"I have a lot of friends on the Australian team," said Maher. "They are playing us and I don't care about them at all, I just want to beat them."

One player who has really given the Aussies a lift has been 1.88m forward Laura Summerton, a member of the gold-medal team two years ago.

Summerton has averaged 8.3 points and 3.3 rebounds in Beijing.

Jackson will be counted on as usual to score, rebound and lead but something she won't be accustomed to will be someone else from the other team averaging more points.

The other final berth was to be decided between the United States and European giant Russia.