Wilson, USA Move Into Olympic Quarterfinals

COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina alumna A’ja Wilson led Team USA into the women’s basketball quarterfinals at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games last week. Another Gamecock alumna Laeticia Amihere and Team Canada have ended their Olympic run after three games of group play, during which Amihere averaged just under six minutes per game and contributed 2.3 points and 4.3 rebounds per game.

The U.S. team went undefeated in Group C, winning three games by an average of 19.3 points over Japan, Belgium and Germany in the opening week of Olympic competition. Wilson is the only player in the tournament to post multiple double-doubles, opening the event with 24 points and 13 boards against Japan and following with 23 points and 13 rebounds against Belgium. She joined teammate Brianna Stewart as the first American players to score 20 points in consecutive games to start an Olympic Games since Teresa Edwards in 1988. According to FIBA, her four career Olympic double-doubles are the most of any USA player in the 21st century and have come in just 11 career games.

Wilson’s 20.3 points per game at the third-most in the tournament, a spot she shares with Stewart. The two-time Olympian is third in the tournament with 9.7 rebounds per game, tied for second in blocks per game (2.0) and tied for the tournament lead with 4.3 offensive rebounds per game. Wilson’s 16.7 plus-minus rating leads Team USA.

The Americans are back on the court in quarterfinal action on Wed., Aug. 7, against Nigeria with tipoff on USA Network scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET.

Continue to check GamecocksOnline.com and the team’s social media accounts (@GamecockWBB) for the most up-to-date information on South Carolina women’s basketball.