USA fends off France for eighth successive women's Olympic basketball gold

PARIS, France — The United States held off France, 67-66, to win an unprecedented eighth successive women's Olympic basketball gold on Sunday and extend their run of victories at the tournament to 61 games.

A'ja Wilson scored a game-high 21 points for the Americans, who won the title for the 10th time overall, surviving a buzzer-beating shot from France's Gabby Williams.

The hosts needed a three to force overtime in Paris but Williams' foot was on the 3-point line as she let go of the ball, so her shot counted for just two points in a dramatic finale.

"I wish I could put it into words. I don't think I'll remember that second half for the next couple of weeks. It's all a blur right now," said Wilson, who also registered 13 rebounds and four blocks.

"We were just resilient in what we needed to do."

Kelsey Plum and Kahleah Copper both scored 12 points off the bench for the US.

Williams, who led France with 19, admitted she knew her last-gasp shot wasn't going to be enough.

"I knew straight away it was two points but I was going quickly. It was hard to stop," she said.

The referees briefly conferred before confirming the game was over.

"I was behind her, so I saw it was a two," said Copper. "No stress for me -- I don't know about the people on the bench!"

An eighth straight triumph gave the US women the record for most consecutive gold medals in any team sport at the Olympics, breaking a tie with the US men, who won seven basketball titles in a row from 1936 to 1968.

"An absolutely incredible basketball game. Two teams that left it all out there," said US coach Cheryl Reeve.

"I knew it would be hard, anything easy isn't worth having. Coming home with gold, I can't think of anything that would be greater in life than what we just did together."

For the 42-year-old Diana Taurasi, it was a record sixth Olympic gold, moving her one ahead of Sue Bird.

The US women got support from LeBron James, who sat courtside wearing his gold medal and was joined by teammates Bam Adebayo and Derrick White, after they won the men's gold by beating France, 98-87, in Saturday's final.

A low-scoring first quarter saw a cold-shooting France muster just nine points, but the US only fared