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Balogun, Chidom & Gray to Open Tokyo Olympics Tuesday
7/26/2021 2:00:00 PM | Women's Basketball
TOKYO – Duke women's basketball will feature three Blue Devils opening action in the 2020 Olympic games in Tokyo Tuesday, July 27, as Chelsea Gray will represent the United States while Elizabeth Balogun and Oderah Chidom will play with Nigeria. Â
The United States and Nigeria open action against each other at 12:40 a.m. (ET) in the preliminary round. Nigeria will then face France (July 30 at 4:20 a.m.) and Japan (Aug. 1 at 9 p.m.) to close preliminary competition. All three Blue Devils will be participating in their first Olympics. Â
Following the Nigeria contest, USA will face Japan (July 30 at 12:40 a.m.) and France (Aug. 2 at 12:40 a.m.) in preliminary play. Â
The quarterfinals will take place Aug. 3-4, while the semifinals will be held Aug. 6 and the gold medal game will be Aug. 7. Â
Balogun, who will be a senior at Duke in 2021-22, is a former ACC Freshman of the Year selection in 2018-19 along with All-ACC Freshman and McDonald's All-America. Over the last two years at Louisville, Balogun made 42 starts and competed in 57 contests, helping lead the Cardinals to back-to-back ACC Regular Season Championships. Â
A 2017 Duke graduate, Chidom saw action in 122 games over her Blue Devil career, before being selected with the 31st overall pick in the 2017 WNBA Draft by the Atlanta Dream. The 6-4 forward concluded her Duke career ranking sixth in blocks (153) and sixth in field goal percentage (55.4). Â
Gray, a four-time WNBA All-Star, was a two-time All-American with the Blue Devils and went on to be drafted No. 11 overall by the Connecticut Sun in the first round of the 2014 WNBA Draft. She helped Duke claim two ACC Tournament Championships and three ACC regular season titles over her Blue Devil career before graduating in 2014. Â
Prior to the 2020 Olympics, Lindsey Harding was the first Blue Devil to compete in the Olympics as she represented Belarus in 2016. Â
#GoDuke
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The United States and Nigeria open action against each other at 12:40 a.m. (ET) in the preliminary round. Nigeria will then face France (July 30 at 4:20 a.m.) and Japan (Aug. 1 at 9 p.m.) to close preliminary competition. All three Blue Devils will be participating in their first Olympics. Â
Following the Nigeria contest, USA will face Japan (July 30 at 12:40 a.m.) and France (Aug. 2 at 12:40 a.m.) in preliminary play. Â
The quarterfinals will take place Aug. 3-4, while the semifinals will be held Aug. 6 and the gold medal game will be Aug. 7. Â
Balogun, who will be a senior at Duke in 2021-22, is a former ACC Freshman of the Year selection in 2018-19 along with All-ACC Freshman and McDonald's All-America. Over the last two years at Louisville, Balogun made 42 starts and competed in 57 contests, helping lead the Cardinals to back-to-back ACC Regular Season Championships. Â
A 2017 Duke graduate, Chidom saw action in 122 games over her Blue Devil career, before being selected with the 31st overall pick in the 2017 WNBA Draft by the Atlanta Dream. The 6-4 forward concluded her Duke career ranking sixth in blocks (153) and sixth in field goal percentage (55.4). Â
Gray, a four-time WNBA All-Star, was a two-time All-American with the Blue Devils and went on to be drafted No. 11 overall by the Connecticut Sun in the first round of the 2014 WNBA Draft. She helped Duke claim two ACC Tournament Championships and three ACC regular season titles over her Blue Devil career before graduating in 2014. Â
Prior to the 2020 Olympics, Lindsey Harding was the first Blue Devil to compete in the Olympics as she represented Belarus in 2016. Â
#GoDuke
Â
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