5x5 Women's Olympic History

USA BASKETBALL HISTORY

USA WOMEN’S OLYMPIC TEAM 1976 RESULTS

MONTREAL, CANADA • JULY 18-27, 1976

After the IOC decided to raise the number of participating basketball teams in the Olympics from 16 to 18, the International Basketball Fed- eration decided that the Olympics would now host a six-team women’s basketball competition. Although a World Championship in women’s basketball had been held every four years since 1953, women’s basketball reached a milestone in 1976 with its first Olympic competition. Having finished eighth at the 1975 Worlds, before the U.S. women could set their sights on an Olympic medal, they had to qualify for the Olympics. The USSR, Japan and Czechoslovakia had qualified for the Games by virtue of their top three finishes at the 1975 World Champion- ship, and Canada, as the host country, also qualified. An Olympic Qualifying Tournament featuring nine teams was held in Hamilton, Canada, and the U.S. compiled a spotless 5-0 mark to earn the first qualifying spot. Bulgaria finished second to take the other. Despite a competitive Olympic field, the USSR proved to be the best. Entering the 1976 Games with a winning streak that had not seen the Soviet women lose a major international game since 1958, the USSR continued its domination over its international foes, earning the first Olympic women’s basketball gold medal with a perfect 5-0 record. The USA’s hopes for gold were jeopardized from the start when Japan recorded an 84-71 victory. Lusia Harris recorded 17 points and seven rebounds for the U.S. in the setback. Nancy Dunkle, Patricia Roberts and Ann Meyers scored 17, 16 and 15, respectively, as the U.S. rebounded for a 95-79 win over Bulgaria. Get- ting the better of host Canada two days later, 89-75, the USA’s offense was spearheaded by Dunkle’s 15 points. The long-awaited match-up between the USA and the Soviet Union ended in a lopsided loss for the Americans, as the Soviets rolled to a 112- 77 win. Meeting Czechoslovakia for the silver medal, the U.S. broke open the tight contest in the second half to claim an 83-67 win. Tied 37-37 at halftime, the U.S. outscored Czechoslovakia 46-30 in the second half to earn the win.

1976 USA WOMEN’S OLYMPIC TEAM ROSTER

1976 USA RESULTS (3-2)

NAME

POS HGT WGT AGE SCHOOL

HOMETOWN

Japan

L, 71-84 W, 95-79 W, 89-75 L, 77-112 W, 83-67

Bulgaria Canada

Cindy Brogdon Nancy Dunkle

F C F F C F F G G G G F

5-10 6-2 6-2 6-2 5-9 5-10 5-11 5-8 5-10

155 155 180 155 180 140 165 135 158 150 135 156

19 21 21 24 20 18 21 21 22 21 23 23

Tennessee

Buford, GA La Habra, CA Minter City, MS Ashland City, TN Far Rockaway, NY St. Albans, NY Peoria, IL La Habra, CA Fairfield, CT Monroe, GA Worcester, MA Roselle Park, NJ

California-State Fullerton

Lusia Harris Pat Head

Delta State

Soviet Union

Tennessee-Martin

Czechoslovakia

Charlotte Lewis Nancy Lieberman

Illinois State

Far Rockaway H.S. Queens College

Gail Marquis Ann Meyers

UCLA

FINAL STANDINGS

Mary Anne O’Connor

Southern Connecticut State

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Soviet Union (5-0) United States (3-2)

Patricia Roberts Sue Rojcewicz Juliene Simpson

6-1 5-7 5-6

Tennessee

Southern Connecticut State

John F. Kennedy

Bulgaria(3-2)

HEAD COACH: Billie Jean Moore, California State University ASSISTANT COACH: Sue Gunter, Stephen F. Austin University(TX) MANAGER: Jeanne Rowlands, Northeastern University(MA) ATHLETIC TRAINER: Gail Weldon, Western Illinois University(MA)

Czechoslovakia (2-3)

Japan(2-3) Canada(0-5)

1976 USA WOMEN’S OLYMPIC TEAM CUMULATIVE STATISTICS

NAME

G/S

FGM-A

PCT

FTM-A

PCT

REB

PTS

AST

Harris Dunkle Roberts Meyers

5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 2 1 5 5

29-46 26-51 23-44 19-46 12-34 16-44 10-37 12-31

.630 .510 .523 .413 .353 .364 .270 .387 .538 .444 .200 .000 .439 .504

18-28 13-18 14-24 10-11 16-16

.643 .722 .583 .909 .667 .900 .500 .800 .000 .000 .752 .802

35/7.0 26/5.2 19/3.8 16/3.2 10/2.0 10/2.0 27/5.4 12/2.4

76/15.2 65/13.0 60/12.0 48/9.6 40/8.0 36/7.2 29/5.8 25/5.0 22/4.4 12/2.4 2/1.0 0/0.0

7

10

3

26 22 19

Simpson Rojcewicz Brogdon O’Connor Lieberman Head

1.000 18/3.6

4-6 9-10 8-10 4-4 0-0 0-0 1-2

5 7 8 1 0 0

7-13 4-9 1-5 0-2

1.000 6/1.2

Lewis

3/1.5 0/0.0

Marquis

USA OPP.

159-362 170-337

97-129 77-96

182/36.4 164/32.8

415/83.0 417/83.4

108 123

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