For the second consecutive Olympics, former Notre Dame guards Jewell Loyd and Jackie Young are returning to the United States with a gold medal.
On Sunday, Team USA defeated France, 67-66, in front of a hostile crowd pulling for the home team. In the defensive clash, the Americans were down by as much as 10 points in the third quarter before clawing back and taking the lead for good with 3:45 to play. Loyd did not play in the gold medal match, but Young had 2 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals.
With the win, the United States has won eight consecutive Olympic gold medals and has not lost a game in Olympic play since 1992.
Both Loyd and Young are former No. 1 selections in the WNBA Draft in 2015 and 2019, respectively. Loyd won a gold medal last season in the 5×5, while Young won one in the 3×3. Young remains just one of two former Notre Dame women’s basketball players to win a national championship, WNBA championship and Olympic gold medal.
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