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Gray, USA Defeat Nigeria in Olympic Opener
7/27/2021 8:57:00 AM | Women's Basketball
TOKYO – Former Duke University women's basketball two-time All-America Chelsea Gray came off the bench Tuesday for the United States and helped lead the squad to an 81-72 victory over Nigeria in the U.S. Olympic Women's Basketball opener at Saitama Super Arena in Tokyo.
Gray, a 2014 Blue Devil graduate, collected six points and three assists in nearly 15 minutes for the United States in her first Olympic appearance. It marked the 50th consecutive Olympic victory for the U.S.
For Nigeria, 2017 Duke graduate Oderah Chidom collected seven points and four rebounds in nearly 18 minutes, while Blue Devil senior Elizabeth Balogun played two minutes off the bench.
A'ja Wilson (19 points, 13 rebounds) and Brittney Griner (13 points, 10 rebounds) paced the United States in the victory.
The U.S. came out sluggish, missing its first four shots and turning the ball over four times. The Americans were down 8-1 before Diana Taurasi hit the first USA basket with 6:14 left in the first quarter. That started an 11-0 run, capped by a Jewell Loyd 3-pointer with 4:18 remaining, for a 12-8 lead.
Nigeria — which is ranked 17th in the world and lost to the U.S. 93-62 in a Las Vegas pre-Olympic exhibition — regained the lead at the end of the first quarter on Pallas Kunaiyi-Akpanah's 3-pointer.
Neither team shot well in the first quarter, with Nigeria at 23.8% (5-of-24) and the USA at 33.3% (5-of-15). Nigeria went 8-of-10 from the free-throw line, however, while the U.S. committed eight first-quarter turnovers.
Nigeria then went up 25-20 after Promise Amukamara's hoop with 8:07 left in the half. That's when the USA took off on its 23-0 burst and eventual 44-32 advantage at halftime. The Americans got out into transition in the second quarter, which helped them convert 68.8% (11-of-16) of their shots.
The Americans opened the second half on a 14-4 run to create a cushion. Nigeria stayed aggressive and went on a 12-0 run to pull within 75-67 with 3:20 left, but the U.S. rattled off the next six points to end the comeback threat.
Next up for the U.S. in Group B is host Japan (1-0), which upset France, 74-70, in the opener. Tipoff is slated for Friday, July 29 at 12:40 a.m. ET. The United States is in pursuit of a seventh consecutive Olympic gold medal.
Nigeria will next take on France July 30 at 4:20 a.m., followed by Japan on Aug. 1 at 9 p.m.
#GoDuke
Gray, a 2014 Blue Devil graduate, collected six points and three assists in nearly 15 minutes for the United States in her first Olympic appearance. It marked the 50th consecutive Olympic victory for the U.S.
For Nigeria, 2017 Duke graduate Oderah Chidom collected seven points and four rebounds in nearly 18 minutes, while Blue Devil senior Elizabeth Balogun played two minutes off the bench.
A'ja Wilson (19 points, 13 rebounds) and Brittney Griner (13 points, 10 rebounds) paced the United States in the victory.
The U.S. came out sluggish, missing its first four shots and turning the ball over four times. The Americans were down 8-1 before Diana Taurasi hit the first USA basket with 6:14 left in the first quarter. That started an 11-0 run, capped by a Jewell Loyd 3-pointer with 4:18 remaining, for a 12-8 lead.
Nigeria — which is ranked 17th in the world and lost to the U.S. 93-62 in a Las Vegas pre-Olympic exhibition — regained the lead at the end of the first quarter on Pallas Kunaiyi-Akpanah's 3-pointer.
Neither team shot well in the first quarter, with Nigeria at 23.8% (5-of-24) and the USA at 33.3% (5-of-15). Nigeria went 8-of-10 from the free-throw line, however, while the U.S. committed eight first-quarter turnovers.
Nigeria then went up 25-20 after Promise Amukamara's hoop with 8:07 left in the half. That's when the USA took off on its 23-0 burst and eventual 44-32 advantage at halftime. The Americans got out into transition in the second quarter, which helped them convert 68.8% (11-of-16) of their shots.
The Americans opened the second half on a 14-4 run to create a cushion. Nigeria stayed aggressive and went on a 12-0 run to pull within 75-67 with 3:20 left, but the U.S. rattled off the next six points to end the comeback threat.
Next up for the U.S. in Group B is host Japan (1-0), which upset France, 74-70, in the opener. Tipoff is slated for Friday, July 29 at 12:40 a.m. ET. The United States is in pursuit of a seventh consecutive Olympic gold medal.
Nigeria will next take on France July 30 at 4:20 a.m., followed by Japan on Aug. 1 at 9 p.m.
#GoDuke
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