Zagreb, Yugoslavia • July 6-31, 1987

Directed by the University of Southern California head mentor Linda Sharp, the 1987 USA World University Games team traveled to Zagreb, Yugoslavia, with its sights set on capturing the gold.

But it was not to be in 1987 as the USA team lost just one of five games to finish 4-1 overall and in fifth place. It marked the first time an American basketball team did not win a medal in the World University Games.

Before the competition got underway, the U.S. lost the services of Auburn star center Vicki Orr, who had her appendix removed in Yugoslavia.

The U.S. team, led by 6'5' Monica Lamb (USC), 6'5' Chana Perry (San Diego State) and by 5'11' Bridgette Gordon (Tennessee), dominated its early competition.

The U.S. opened with an impressive 95-60 victory over Poland as Gordon tallied 18 points and Lamb added 16 points in the win. The following day, the U.S. followed up its initial victory with a 97-56 dubbing of Finland. Lamb accounted for 19 points and Tracey Hall added 14 for the U.S.

In its third game in as many days, the USA suffered its only loss of the competition, losing a heartbreaking 93-89 overtime decision to Yugoslavia, despite 20 points from Alisa Scott and 18 more from Perry. The difference in the contest came at the foul line where the U.S. sank 16 of 19 free throws, while Yugoslavia made 34 of 43 tries.

The U.S. remained in medal contention, but in order to advance to the medal round the American squad had to beat China by at least five points. Trailing 54-38 at halftime, despite the USA's strong comeback effort that saw the Americans roar back from a 20-point deficit to pull out an 84-83 win, by winning by only a single point, the U.S. was eliminated from medal contention. Teresa Weatherspoon paced the U.S. to its win over China with 21 points, while Lamb was credited with 14 points and 11 rebounds, and Tracey Hall also tossed in 14.

Rebounding from the disappointment of not advancing into the medal round, behind a balanced scoring attack that saw Terri Mann score 13, while Perry dropped in 10 and Scott and Gordon each added nine points, the USA defeated Canada 67-59 to finish in fifth place.

The host country, Yugoslavia, won the gold by defeating the Soviet Union 80-73 in the gold medal game, while China earned the bronze with an 88-81 victory over Bulgaria.