Kahleah Copper takes over late to help US women hold on for gold over France

The U.S. women’s basketball team narrowly avoided its first Olympic loss since 1992, edging out host France 67-66 on Sunday for the gold medal in Paris with some fireworks at the buzzer.

Kahleah Copper led the Phoenix Mercury stars with 12 points, including 10 in the fourth quarter. Brittney Griner had four points and two rebounds in five first-half minutes but didn’t play in the second.

Diana Taurasi didn’t see the floor for the first time all tournament but won her sixth Olympic gold medal, the most all-time for a U.S. basketball player, men’s or women’s.

Copper’s defense was exceptional late, minimizing France’s high-level perimeter scorers and showing the physicality required on a FIBA stage. She also forced a turnover with two minutes left to retain a three-point lead.

Her free throws with three seconds left put the gold on ice as Seattle Storm wing Gabby Williams hit a shot at the buzzer that would’ve sent it to overtime if her foot wasn’t on the line.

UNBELIEVABLE ENDING IN PARIS. 😱

Gabby Williams banked it in at the buzzer but her FOOT WAS ON THE THREE-POINT LINE. TEAM USA WINS BY A SINGLE POINT.#ParisOlympics pic.twitter.com/DJI7YxfVMl

— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 11, 2024

Williams led France with 19 points, seven rebounds and three steals in the loss.

Olympic MVP A’ja Wilson led the way for the Americans with 21 points, 13 rebounds and four blocks for her fourth double-double of the tournament. Her two misses at the rim in the final seconds of the first half kept the U.S. from gaining an advantage going into the break. It didn’t help that French guard Marine Fauthoux hit a logo 3 late in the second that kept the momentum even and helped tie the score at 25-all at the break.

Marine Fauthoux beats the shot clock with a DEEEEP three. 👀

📺 NBC and Peacock | #ParisOlympics pic.twitter.com/FXUDL04qts

— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 11, 2024

Former San Antonio Stars forward Valériane Ayayi helped France by scoring eight points of a 10-0 start to the second half that matched the Americans’ second quarter total.

Kelsey Plum and Wilson led a response that kept the game from getting out of hand. Wilson added a couple more buckets and a block before Sabrina Ionsecu later found Napheesa Collier for the assist to get the lead back at 41-40. The two connected again to end the third on a high note before Copper exploded in the fourth.

Taurasi had previously played between six and 15 minutes in each Olympic game but had only made 1-of-9 three-pointers in the tournament and watched this one from the bench, as head coach Cheryl Reeve tightened the rotation for the gold medal game.

Griner was in tears as the national anthem played during the medal ceremony.

After Team USA's win in women's basketball, the Star-Spangled Banner rings out one last time at the #ParisOlympics. 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/ede9dTQfsq

— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 11, 2024