As three former Huskies on Team USA continue to dominate Group C at the Paris Olympics, former UConn women’s basketball star Gabby Williams is powering an equally strong start for host nation France in Group B.
The French squad improved to 2-0 with a 75-54 rout of Nigeria on Thursday, the same Nigeria team that upset an Australia squad loaded with WNBA players on Monday. Williams anchored France on both ends of the floor with 14 points, seven assists, five rebounds and six steals. She currently leads the tournament in steals, ranks third in assists per game and is in the top 10 in efficiency.
In two games of group play, France has outscored its opponents by a combined 42 points — three points better than the U.S.’s differential in a pair of wins over Belgium and Japan. The French have already clinched a berth in the quarterfinals along with the U.S., Germany, Spain and Serbia, but they’ll end the group stage against an Australia team that desperately needs to win to prevent a shocking early exit as the 2022 FIBA World Cup bronze medalists.
Williams is representing France at her second consecutive Olympics after helping the team win bronze at the Tokyo Games in 2021. The guard was a two-time national champion and two-time All-American at UConn from 2014-18, also earning WBCA defensive player of the year in her junior season.
Results from Paris Olympics Day 7
Napheesa Collier, Breanna Stewart, Diana Taurasi and Alyssa Thomas, women’s basketball
CT connection: UConn (Collier, Stewart, Taurasi), Connecticut Sun (Thomas)
Stewart became the first American player since 1988 to open the Olympics on back-to-back 20-point games, scoring 26 plus seven rebounds and five assists in Team USA’s 87-74 win over Belgium. Collier logged seven points and eight rebounds, and Thomas added eight points, six rebounds and four assists in just 16 minutes. Taurasi started for the U.S. but went 0-for-3 from the field, also picking up two fouls.
Up next: USA vs. Germany, Aug. 4 at 11:15 a.m.
Liam Corrigan, rowing
CT connection: Old Lyme
The U.S. men’s four boat won its first gold medal since 1960 in a time of 5:49.03, beating out silver medalist New Zealand by less than a second. Great Britain took bronze.
Connecticut has its first gold medalist from the Paris Summer Olympics
Aaliyah Edwards and Kia Nurse, women’s basketball
CT connection: UConn
Nurse was Canada’s No. 2 scorer in a 70-65 loss to Australia, logging 12 points, two rebounds and a steal. Edwards added four points and a team-high three steals. Canada is 0-2 in Paris.
Up next: Canada vs. Nigeria, Aug. 4 at 7:30 a.m.
Sophie Hamilton, field hockey
CT connection: UConn
Hamilton scored her first goal of the Olympics in Great Britain’s 5-2 victory over Team USA, improving the team to 2-2 in pool play.
Up next: Great Britain vs. Argentina, Aug. 3 at 4 a.m.
Tiffany Hayes, women’s 3×3 basketball
CT connection: UConn
Hayes struggled with five points and six rebounds in Azerbaijan’s 15-10 loss to France in its first game of the day, and she was held to her lowest-scoring performance of the Olympics with two points and six rebounds in a 12-8 loss to Germany.
Up next: Azerbaijan vs. Australia, Aug. 2 at 3:30 a.m.
Margaret Hedeman, rowing
CT connection: Yale
Team USA won the women’s eight repechage in a time of 6:03.93 to advance to Final A. The top four teams from the race moved on to the final, and Denmark was eliminated in fifth.
Up next: Women’s eight Final A, Aug. 3 at 4:50 a.m.
Karlie Kisha and Beth Yeager, field hockey
CT connection: UConn (Kisha), Greenwich (Yeager)
Team USA lost 5-2 to Great Britain in pool play to fall to 0-3-1 in the tournament, and Yeager was scoreless in four shots on goal. Abigail Tamer scored both goals for the Americans.
Up next: USA vs. South Africa, Aug. 3 at 7:15 a.m.
UPDATED PHOTOS: Olympic athletes with Connecticut ties in action at the Paris Games
Daisy Mazzio-Manson and Kelsey Reelick, rowing
CT connection: Yale (Mazzio-Manson), Brookfield (Reelick)
The U.S. women’s four boat finished fifth in Final A in a time of 6:34.88. The Netherlands won the gold medal, followed by Great Britain earning silver and New Zealand for bronze.
Maya Meschkuleit, rowing
CT connection: Yale
Canada finished second in the women’s eight repechage in a time of 6:04.81, less than a second behind that first-place Americans, to advance to Final A.
Up next: Women’s eight Final A, Aug. 3 at 4:50 a.m.
Jennifer Rizzotti, women’s 3×3 basketball (coach)
CT connection: New Fairfield, UConn, Connecticut Sun
Team USA opened the Olympics 0-3 after losing 17-15 to Australia in its first game, but the defending gold medalists recovered for their first victory 17-11 over Spain later in the day.
Up next: USA vs. France, Aug. 2 at 7 a.m.
Gabby Williams, women’s basketball
CT connection: UConn
Williams led France with 14 points, seven assists, five rebounds and six steals in a 75-54 victory over Nigeria.
Up next: France vs. Australia, Aug. 4 at 3 p.m.
2024 Paris Olympics: Your ultimate guide to the athletes with Connecticut ties
Connecticut athletes competing on Day 8
3:30 a.m.: Tiffany Hayes, Azerbaijan women’s 3×3 basketball vs. Australia
4:42 a.m.: Oliver Bub, USA men’s pair rowing
5:42 a.m.: Christina Bourmpou, Greece women’s pair rowing
6:13 a.m.: Maggie Shea, USA women’s skiff
7 a.m.: Jennifer Rizzotti (coach), USA women’s 3×3 basketball
7:13 a.m.: Ian Barrows, USA men’s skiff
11:30 a.m.: Tiffany Hayes, Azerbaijan women’s 3×3 basketball vs. China
12 p.m.: Jennifer Rizzotti (coach), USA women’s 3×3 basketball
3 p.m.: Niels Giffey, Germany men’s basketball vs. France
