Lima, Peru • April 18 - May 4, 1964

Originally slated to be held in 1963, the Fourth World Championship was postponed several times while some of the venues were completed. When the competition finally did take place, it was historic because for the '64 World Championship featured 13 nations, including for the first time the top teams from the Americas, Europe and Asia.

This World Championship was also intriguing because of the potential for a USA-USSR showdown. The USA had captured the first two women's World Championship titles in 1957 and 1953, beating the Soviets in the 1957 finale. However, the United States did not participate in the 1959 World Championship which was held in Moscow, where the host Soviets claimed top honors. The basketball world was looking forward to another USA-USSR showdown.

Cindy Wigington scored a team-high 13 points to help the U.S. open the preliminary round with a 48-37 victory over France on April 19. Doris Rogers' game-high 20 points aided the USA to a 54-39 win over Paraguay in its second game on April 20.

However, the U.S. was stunned 52-39 in the final game of the preliminary stage by Bulgaria, the silver medalist at the 1959 World Championship, on April 21, as Rita Horky scored a team-best 11 points. Still, by virtue of its second place finish in its pool competition, the USA advanced into the final round.

Things in the final round did not begin well for the Americans.

Czechoslovakia handed the Americans their second straight loss, bettering the U.S. team 50-31, on April 24. The Americans were led by Wiginton, who scored nine points, while Rogers managed to score eight.

The U.S. regrouped and reeled off two consecutive wins, including a 59-38 drubbing of host Peru on April 26 as Betty Ransom and Rogers poured in 19 points apiece. Two days later, behind Horky's 15 points and a strong second half rally which saw the USA outscore Brazil 28-19 after being down a point at halftime, the USA defeated Brazil 51-43.

The Soviet Union loomed next for the U.S., and the Soviets led by just three at half, 20-17. But behind a USSR second half offensive explosion that saw the Soviets outscore the U.S. 51-20, the U.S. suffered a 71-37 loss on April 30. Betty Searles was the only U.S. player in double digits, and finished with 10 points.

For the second time in the competition, Bulgaria again got the better of the U.S. team recording a 46-42 victory on May 2, as just six U.S. players scored, including a high of 12 points from Rogers.

Closing the competition against Yugoslavia, the American women rallied from a 22-16 halftime deficit to capture a 50-46 win behind 18 points from Wiginton on May 3.

The Soviet Union emerged from the 1964 World Championship with the gold medal and an unblemished 9-0 record. Czechoslovakia netted the silver medal, and Bulgaria captured the bronze.

1964 USA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM CUMULATIVE STATISTICS

NOTE: Complete 1964 USA Women's World Championship cumulative statistics are unavailable. Further, the opponent field goals made and free throw statistics are for eight games only. Opponent totals for the USA's April 24 game against Czechoslovakia are unavailable.