After two weeks of basketball, it all comes down to this. The U.S., gunning for a historic eighth straight gold medal and a ridiculous 61st straight Olympic win. France, having survived a rollicking semifinal, trying to win its first gold medal on home soil. Can any team hang with Team USA for more than a quarter or two? How motivated will former WNBA star Gabby Williams be to stick it to a group of players she knows all too well? Let's break down the most important factors that will decide this Olympic final.
USA-France women's basketball gold medal game: Keys to the game
Who guards Gabby Williams?
France's half-court offense is an adventure, to put it mildly. There are very few options to create good looks ... save for Williams, who just so happens to be one of the better players in the world. The former No. 4 overall pick in the WNBA Draft has filled up the stat sheet so far in Paris, ranking in the top 10 in points, assists and steals per game. At an even 6-feet, she presents a tricky matchup problem for opposing defenses, too big for many guards but too slippery for most bigger wings. When Williams is getting to the rim, Les Bleus are tough to beat. Shut her down, though, and there isn't really a plan B. So, which American will draw the assignment? Napheesa Collier feels like the best bet to start out, which would be awfully juicy — not least because the two were teammates at UConn and won a pair of national titles together.
Can the U.S. protect the ball?
Again, France doesn't really have the ability to win this game via half-court execution. This team is rarely going to outshoot its opponent, especially one as talented as the U.S. Instead, it's going to try and tilt the math like it did in the semifinal against Belgium, when Les Bleus shot just 30% from the field but won anyway thanks to 25 more shot attempts. The best way to make that work? Turnovers: France forces more than anyone, leading all teams in steals per game. It forced 22 of them against Belgium, and it'll be looking to clear that number against an American team that can sometimes have a tendency to get a little careless with the ball.
Which team controls the pace?
On a related note: The U.S. typically loves a track meet — why wouldn't it, considering its athleticism advantage — but this is one instance in which it'll want to slow things down and just hit singles rather than swing for the fences. France thrives on chaos, turning a typically efficient Belgium offense into a mad scramble in the semifinal. Make it generate offense and knock down shots against a set defense, and you'll be in great shape. Let Williams get out in transition, though, and things could get interesting.
Which team controls the glass?
The other half of that equation above? Rebounding; France is a middling rebounding team overall, but it crashes the offensive glass with abandon, racking up 19 of them against Belgium. Those second chances lead to putbacks and open looks against scrambled defenses, the lifeblood of the French offense. Team USA is certainly not hurting for size — though the pace in this one might make it a challenge to keep the improving Brittney Griner on the floor for extended periods — and it's largely controlled the glass thorughout this tournament. Doing it one more time will go a long way toward securing an eighth straight gold.