Barcelona, Spain • July 25 - August 10, 1992

Journeying to Barcelona, Spain, with high hopes of earning the United States' third straight Olympic gold medal, despite an impressive showing the U.S. women fell short of their goal but still managed to capture the bronze medal while posting a 4-1 record.

Opening against Czechoslovakia, the U.S. women's performance was nothing short of totally dominating as the Americans stormed to a 111-55 victory. Cynthia Cooper led the U.S. charge with 18 points as seven U.S. players scored in double digits. The USA's 111 points were the most ever by an USA team in Olympic competition. Facing China two days later, the U.S. exploded in the second half and behind scoring spurts of 22-2 and 25-2 went on to a 93-67 victory. Medina Dixon led the U.S. attack with 19 points and Vickie Orr and Clarissa Davis each added 14.

Rounding out its pool play against host Spain, again the USA rolled, recording an impressive 114-59 win. Dixon tallied a USA Olympic team single game scoring record 28 points in the win, and the USA's 114 points reset the U.S. Olympic scoring record, breaking the mark the '92 team had just set four days earlier.

Advancing to the semifinals, a match with a strong and very experienced Unified Team was ahead for the USA and a trip to the gold medal game was the reward for the victor. From the start the USA team found the game's pace slowed as the former Soviet squad ran its deliberate offense while sitting back defensively in a zone. At half the U.S. trailed 47-41, and early in the second half the U.S. lagged behind by 11, 54-43. Rallying, the U.S. outscored the Unified Team 13-2 over 3:36 to take a narrow 57-55 lead with 12:39 to play. The game continued to see-saw back and forth and was tied 67-67 with 5:25 remaining, but a 6-0 scoring spurt earned the Unified Team a 73-67 advantage and eventually the 79-73 victory. Cold shooting doomed the U.S. as the Americans shot just 35.8 percent (29-81 FGs) from the field and just 52.6 percent (10-19 FTs) from the foul line. Dixon finished the contest with 12 points and Teresa Edwards contributed 11.

With China's surprising 109-70 upset of previously unbeaten Cuba in the other semifinal contest, the USA women had the unenviable task of facing Cuba in the bronze medal game. The USA-Cuba matchup was also a tight affair. Tied 44-44 at halftime, Cuba edged out to a 59-54 lead in the second half and led 63-60 with 11:07 remaining. However, the USA's pressure defense began to pay dividends and its running game came to life and the result was a 12-4 U.S. run that lifted the Americans to a 72-67 lead with 6:26 to play. Leading 75-71 with 5:31 to go, the U.S. closed out the game with a 13-3 spurt to earn an 88-74 victory and the Olympic bronze medal. Edwards, the USA's first male or female to play in three Olympic basketball competitions, possibly finished her storied Olympic career as the USA's high scorer with 18 points, Davis added 14 points and McClain recorded 13 points and 12 rebounds. In the gold medal game, the Unified Team edged China 77-66.

1992 USA WOMEN’S OLYMPIC TEAM ROSTER

1992 USA WOMEN’S OLYMPIC TEAM CUMULATIVE STATISTICS