PARIS — Method again on July 27, Diana Taurasi informed a bunch of reporters she thought France may push the U.S. ladies’s basketball group because the People sought an unprecedented eighth straight Olympic gold medal.
Seems, essentially the most embellished basketball Olympian of all time knew what she was speaking about.
It took 21 factors, 12 rebounds and 4 blocks from A’ja Wilson — plus a late bucket by Kahleah Copper and essential block by Breanna Stewart — for Workforce USA to tug away from a 10-point third quarter deficit and safe a 67-66 win over the host nation to win gold Sunday on the 2024 Paris Olympics.
“We simply knew what we needed to do,” Wilson, who was named MVP of the match, mentioned after. “We believed in one another and that is the best factor about it.”
With the U.S. clinging to a 62-59 lead, Stewart acquired a fingertip on France’s 3 try, an enormous defensive play with 20 seconds to go. On the different finish, Wilson hit considered one of two free throws to make it a two possession recreation.
2024 Olympic medals: Who’s main the medal rely? Comply with alongside as we observe the medals for each sport.
France’s Gabby Williams hit a shot on the buzzer however the ahead wasn’t behind the 3-point line when it left her hand, leaving France in need of tying the sport and leaving the U.S. with a one-point victory.
It was a scrappy and sloppy battle, the U.S. capturing simply 34% and France capturing 32%. The People dedicated 19 turnovers, resulting in 14 factors for the French.
Tied 25-25 at halftime, France got here out of the locker room and rapidly constructed a 10-point lead, the largest deficit the U.S. had confronted all match.
A’ja Wilson dragged US ladies’s basketball to Olympic gold
A’ja Wilson is one of the best participant on the planet and it’s not even shut. The U.S. ladies’s basketball group have their eighth consecutive Olympic gold medal due to it.
Wilson completed with 21 factors and 13 rebounds, each recreation highs. She additionally had 4 blocks, together with two monster ones early within the third quarter that stored France from pulling away when the People couldn’t purchase a bucket, be it in Euros, {dollars} or francs.
This was the ugliest recreation the U.S. ladies had in, properly, eternally. And if we’re being trustworthy, they’d no enterprise successful it. They completed with 19 turnovers and had been a paltry 19 of 56 (34%) from the ground. However Wilson dragged them to the highest of the medals podium. If you happen to can’t respect that, if you happen to aren’t impressed by her or are nonetheless hung up on who wasn’t on this roster, that’s your downside. Learn Nancy Armour’s full column on A’ja Wilson’s gold medal recreation efficiency.
USA vs France basketball highlights
Listed below are highlights from the People’ one-point win over France within the Olympic last.
USA holds slim lead
Gabby Williams hit an extended 2 with about 1:30 left, Kahleah Cooper answered with a layup out of the timeout to present the People a three-point lead lead with 54 seconeds left. A’ja Wilson made it 63-59 with a free throw with about 20 seconds left earlier than France’s Marine Johannes made a pair of free throws.
Jackie Younger fouls out
Massive improvement with 2:34 to play: Jackie Younger simply picked up her fifth foul for the U.S. and is headed again to the bench.
USA vs France tied up late in 4Q
Issues are getting tight. Is that this recreation going to return all the way down to who has the ball final? It very properly may. Lots of people tuning in for the primary time are stunned on the physicality of the sport. Welcome to worldwide basketball. That is normally what it’s like. As for any feedback in regards to the refs, simply do not forget that the USA has shot 24 free throws, and France has shot simply 9.
USA 45, France 43: Finish of 3Q
The nationwide emergency seems to be over — for now. A’ja Wilson is getting ticked off, and that’s normally when the People begin rolling. Wilson is as much as 4 blocks (it looks like extra) and dominated that quarter defensively when the U.S. actually wanted it. She’s acquired 14 factors and 12 rebounds. Two good Sabrina Ionescu-to-Napheesa Collier baskets additionally helped the People get again into it after trailing by 10.
France isn’t going away although, and we ought to be in for a heck of a fourth quarter.
Marine Johannes sinks a 3 to tie it up
Marine Johannes sunk an enormous 3 with 25 seconds left within the third to tie it at 43-43.
USA retakes lead in third
Kelsey Plum hit a pair of 3s about haflway via the third, and A’ja Wilson got here up with two large blocks to assist the U.S. regain a 43-40 lead with 45 seconds left within the third.
France comes out storming in second half
Lots of people thought the U.S. would have a cakewalk to its eighth consecutive gold. France has different concepts. After an 8-0 run that gave the French a 33-25 result in open the second half, the U.S. wanted a timeout to speak issues over. This crowd is barely going to get louder.
USA vs France rating: 25-25 at halftime
We’ve acquired a ball recreation, people. It’s all tied up after a vital tip-in from Workforce USA’s Napheesa Collier simply earlier than the halftime buzzer.
Actual discuss: that half was ugly. The U.S. shot 29%, France shot 28% and the groups mixed for 19 whole turnovers. Goodness. A’ja Wilson has six factors however is simply 2-of-9 from the sphere, whereas Stewart is 1-of-6 with 5 factors. Each Wilson and Collier have 9 rebounds every. Gabby Williams leads France with eight factors. The U.S. appears sloppy and disjointed and in the event that they need to preserve the streak of seven-gold-medals-in-a-row-and- counting going, they’re going to wish to scrub up so much within the second half.
Marine Fauthoux nails a 3 to tie it in 2Q
France’s Marine Fauthoux buried an extended 3 with 2:45 left within the first half to tie it 23-23. The bucket despatched the group right into a frenzy.
USA vs France rating: 15-9, 1Q
Early ideas: A lot for dwelling courtroom benefit. France isn’t getting any pleasant whistles. In reality, they’re getting fairly just a few unfriendly ones because the French have already been referred to as for seven fouls (the U.S. has been whistled for only one). The People are attending to the road so much, and is already 7-of-10 from the stripe (France has shot zero).
France is getting quite a lot of attractiveness, and quite a lot of offensive rebounds (they have already got six). But when they need to win this recreation, they’ve acquired to transform a few of these appears, particularly those across the rim (bonus factors if they will get some People in foul hassle on the identical time).
USA makes first substitutions
Kelsey Plum got here in for Chelsea Grey with 4:32 left within the first quarter. Shortly after, Alyssa Thomas got here in for Breanna Stewart, Kahleah Cooper got here in for Jackie Younger, and Brittney Griner got here in for A’ja Wilson.
What the group is like at ladies’s basketball Olympic last
USA basketball lineup vs. France
Why mess with what works? The People are going with their identical beginning lineup that they’ve had your complete knockout spherical, with Jackie Younger, who has performed extraordinarily properly the final two video games, sticking within the beginning lineup as Diana Taurasi stays in a reserve function. Of be aware: Coach Cheryl Reeve mentioned the opposite day that in an effort to win a gold medal, Jewell Loyd has to play properly. Look ahead to her to have a key function off the bench in the present day.
USA ladies’s basketball coaches
Cheryl Reeve, head coach of the WNBA’s Minnesota Lynx, will function the pinnacle coach of the 2024 USA ladies’s nationwide group. Kara Lawson (Duke), Joni Taylor (Texas A&M) and Mike Thibault (Washington Mystics) will function Reeve’s assistant coaches. Reeve and her workers beforehand led the USA ladies to a gold medal on the 2022 FIBA Ladies’s World Cup.
Lisa Leslie, Sue Chook, LeBron James in the home
Basketball legends Lisa Leslie, Sue Chook, LeBron James and Daybreak Staley are available to look at the U.S. ladies go for his or her eighth staight gold medal. Vanessa Bryant can also be courtside for the sport.
A’ja Wilson Olympic stats
U.S. ladies’s basketball star A’ja Wilson leds the group in scoring (18.2 factors per recreation), rebounds (9.6), blocks (2.4) and steals (1.6).
Breanna Stewart Olympic stats
Breanna Stewart is second on the group in scoring with 18.0 factors per recreation. She has additionally averaged 5.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.6 blocks per recreation.
USA vs. France basketball prediction
This recreation goes to be tougher than individuals assume. Sure, the U.S. ladies are a dominant dynasty. However the French crowd is the last word sixth (wo)man and can make it powerful for the People. If France comes out pulling down 3s, it’ll be shut for awhile. However the distinction, because it normally is, will probably be A’ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart. Nobody on the Olympics has had a solution for that dynamic duo. France would be the newest on that checklist.
What time does USA basketball play in the present day?
USA and France tip off within the Olympic gold medal recreation at 9:30 a.m. ET.
USA vs France basketball the place to look at
The gold medal ladies’s basketball recreation will probably be proven dwell on NBC and Peacock.
USA ladies’s basketball scores
- Monday, July 29: USA 102, Japan 76
- Thursday, Aug. 1: USA 87, Belgium 74
- Sunday, Aug. 4: USA 87, Germany 68
- Wednesday, Aug. 7: USA 88, Nigeria 74
- Friday, Aug. 9: USA 85, Australia 64
- Sunday, Aug. 11: USA vs. France, 9:30 a.m. ET in gold-medal recreation
France’s Gabby Williams, Marine Johannes: What to know
France is led by two standout WNBA veterans in ahead Gabby Williams and guard Marine Johannes. Williams likes to assault the rim and end via contact along with her sturdy body and Johannes is Caitlin-Clark like in that as quickly as she crosses half courtroom, she’s prepared to shoot. Iliana Rupert, whose brother performs within the NBA, can also be a tricky matchup.
Brittney Griner extra grateful than ever in Paris Olympics
Brittney Griner is aware of the face she presents to the world is usually a masks. She is aware of what you see — the goofy grin, the 6-foot-9 huge child who loves skateboarding and off-roading, the intimidating shot-blocker on the basketball courtroom — is barely a fraction of the reality.
To outsiders it appears like Griner has moved on rapidly from her 10-month detention in Russian custody, a terrifying and isolating stretch of time that might’ve damaged most individuals. When she poses for photographs with followers, simply banks in an eight-footer, it appears like issues are again to regular. However they’re not, and she or he’s not.
“It’s all the time with me, and there’s undoubtedly moments of like, oh wow this may very well be completely completely different — I may very well be seeing this stunning view via bars,” Griner mentioned Saturday from USA observe. “It doesn’t go away. It makes you respect all the things a bit bit extra too.”
Olympic basketball gold medal historical past
The US has dominated on the Summer season Video games and has medaled in each Olympics they’ve competed in (they did not compete in 1980 as a consequence of a nationwide Olympic boycott).
In whole, the U.S. ladies’s basketball group has received eleven medals – 9 gold, one silver (1976), and one bronze (1992). The U.S. ladies have received seven straight gold medals relationship again to the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.
USA ladies’s basketball Olympics roster
The U.S. ladies’s basketball roster is made up of eight WNBA champions, three WNBA MVPs and 5 WNBA Rookies of the 12 months.
- Guards: Kahleah Copper, Chelsea Grey, Sabrina Ionescu, Jewell Loyd, Kelsey Plum, Diana Taurasi, Jackie Younger
- Forwards: Breanna Stewart, Alyssa Thomas, A’ja Wilson, Napheesa Collier
- Heart: Brittney Griner
A’ja Wilson’s basketball dominance is pushed by pleasure
A’ja Wilson will preserve piling up double-doubles, pushing the boundaries of what a ahead on this recreation can do and, if all goes based on plan, lead the U.S. ladies’s basketball group to a file eighth straight Olympic gold medal on the 2024 Paris Olympics. Perhaps the crowning of the newest U.S. dynasty, led by an distinctive expertise, will make you tune in. If not, Wilson figures, that’s your loss.
“Forwards, facilities, no matter you need to name us, we don’t get the love we should always,” Wilson informed USA TODAY Sports activities. “However I don’t pay it any thoughts as a result of the true followers, those who actually perceive and love the sport, they perceive how forwards and facilities are an enormous half. So yeah, I really feel like we’re below appreciated. However I really like my place.”
Nonetheless, one of the best participant on the planet is aware of there’s prone to be extra eyeballs than ever on ladies’s basketball this summer time. She will be able to’t wait to placed on a present.
USA ladies’s basketball Olympic gold medals
USA ladies’s basketball has medaled in each Olympics it has participated, successful a complete of 11 Olympic medals, together with 9 gold, one sliver and one bronze. Here is how the U.S. ladies have carried out since 1976, when ladies’s basketball debuted on the Montreal Olympics:
- 2020, Tokyo: Gold (90–75 win over Japan)
- 2016, Rio: Gold (101–72 win over Spain)
- 2012, London: Gold (86-50 win over France)
- 2008, Athens: Gold (92–65 win Australia)
- 2004, Athens: Gold (74–63 over Australia)
- 2000, Sydney: Gold (76–54 over Australia)
- 1996, Atlanta: Gold (111–87 win over Brazil)
- 1992, Barcelona: Bronze (88–74 win over Cuba in bronze medal recreation)
- 1988, Seoul: Gold (77–70 win over Yugoslavia)
- 1984, Los Angeles: Gold (85–55 win over South Korea)
- 1980, Moscow: USA boycotted Olympics as a result of Soviet invasion of Afghanistan
- 1976, Canada: Silver (83–67 loss to Czechoslovakia)
Diana Taurasi Olympic gold medals
Diana Taurasi and Sue Chook (2004, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020) are the one two American ladies’s basketball gamers to win 5 Olympic gold medals. Taurasi can turn into the primary to earn six gold medals in Paris.
Olympics ladies’s basketball bracket
GROUP STAGE
Sunday, July 28
- Spain 90, China 89
- Serbia 58, Puerto Rico 55
Monday, July 29
- Nigeria 75, Australia 62
- Germany 83, Belgium 69
- France 75, Canada 54
- United States 102, Japan 76
Wednesday, July 31
- Spain 63, Puerto Rico 62
- Serbia 81, China 59
Thursday, Aug. 1
- Germany 75, Japan 64
- Australia 70, Canada 65
- France 75, Nigeria 54
- United States 87, Belgium 74
Saturday, Aug. 3
- China 80, Puerto Rico 58
- Spain 70, Serbia 62
Sunday, Aug. 4
- Belgium 85, Japan 58
- Nigeria 79, Canada 70
- United States 87, Germany 68
- Australia 79, France 72
QUARTERFINALS
Wednesday, Aug. 7
- Australia 85, Serbia 67
- Belgium 79, Spain 66
- France 84, Germany 71
- United States 88, Nigeria 74
SEMIFINALS
Friday, Aug. 9
- United States 85, Australia 64
- France 81, Belgium 75 (OT)
