The US women’s basketball team won their eighth successive Olympic title on Sunday in the final event of the Paris Games, overcoming hosts France 67-66 in a thrilling game.
The win was also a victory for Team USA as a whole: the win drew the Americans level with China at the top of the medal table for most golds. The US also finished the Olympics with the most total medals of any nation.
The victory was no stroll for the turnover-plagued Americans, who were pushed hard by a feisty French team playing in front of a rollicking home crowd. The US also struggled with their shooting, and were just 2 for 12 from three-point range. They also shot 79.4% from the free-throw line compared to France’s 100%. The US trailed by 10 points towards the start of the third quarter but were able to use their experience when it mattered most, edging out a narrow victory that came down to the final seconds of the entire Olympics.
A’Ja Wilson led the US with 21 points and 13 rebounds, while Gabby Williams, whose three-pointersbrought France to within one point late on, had 19 points for the French.
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