Winning its eighth straight Olympic gold medal required the US women's basketball team to overcome a tough French team, a loud and hostile Paris crowd, and its own sloppy play. But all that happened, resulting in a 67-66 victory, ensured when officials declared Gabby Williams' last-second shot for France a 2-pointer that otherwise would have brought overtime. It was the 61st consecutive victory in the Olympics for the US women, the Washington Post reports. The women passed the US men's team, which won seven straight gold medals. "It truly is a dynasty that we have built here at USAB," A'ja Wilson said, per the AP, adding, "We could have fumbled it many times, but we pulled through."
Wilson, who was named the tournament's most valuable player, starred with 21 points, 12 rebounds, and four blocks, per USA Today. The game was tense and scrappy, but not always easy to watch: the US shot just 34%, France 32%. The winners turned the ball over 19 times. At halftime, the game was tied at 25-25. France jumped out to a 10-point lead in the third quarter—the US had never trailed by so much in the tournament. The mistake-riddled performance was not the sort of gold medal game the US is used to, per the Athletic. France provided the greatest challenge in the Americans' gold medal-winning streak, per the AP.
"What a tremendous basketball game," US coach Cheryl Reeve said. "The 12,000-plus that were here were just treated to an unbelievable environment and the level of athleticism and competitiveness that these players had." Kahleah Copper contributed a big basket late and Breanna Stewart an important block. The gold medal is Diana Taurasi's sixth, raising her to the most decorated basketball player in Olympic history, per the AP. Wilson said: "We understood what we had in our locker room and leaning on each other and talking to one another and believing that we believed in each other and that's the greatest thing about it." (More 2024 Paris Olympics stories.)
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