SEVENTH WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FOR WOMEN -- 1975

Cali, Colombia September - 23 - October 4, 1975

Because of the timing of the World Championship, the U.S. fielded an older team which would not only compete in the World Championship, but also represent the U.S. at the Pan American Games which were to be held in Mexico City eight days after the conclusion of the Seventh World Championship.

1975 USA Women's World Championship Team 1975 USA RESULTS (4-3) Japan 73 USA 71 USA 65 Australia 52 Czechoslovakia 66 USA 65 CONSOLATION ROUND #USA 65 Australia 52 USA 78 Hungary 55 Canada 74 USA 68 USA 89 Senegal 33 USA 104 Brazil 72 1975 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL STANDINGS 1. Soviet Union (6-0) 8. USA (4-1) 2. Japan (5-1) 9. Hungary (3-2)* 3. Czechoslovakia (4-2) 10. Australia (3-2)* 4. Italy (3-3) 11. Canada (3-2)* 5. South Korea (2-4) 12. Brazil (2-3) 6. Mexico (1-5) 13. Senegal (0-5) 7. Colombia (0-6) *Final standings determined by point differential between tied teams. #NOTE: Team records reflect results from Final Round or Consolation Round games only. Result versus preliminary round opponent were also included in Final Round or Classification Round standings.

While the United States squad compiled a 4-3 record at the '75 World Championship, those three defeats came by two point, one point and six point margins.

Placed in a very strong four-team group for preliminary action and playing in Bucaramanga, Colombia, the U.S. was surprised in its first game by eventual silver medalist Japan, 73-71. Rebounding to knock off Australia 65-52, the U.S. was in need of a victory over Czechoslovakia if it was to advance on to the final round. Leading comfortably at halftime by nine, 39-30, the USA fell victim to a Czechoslovakian comeback that earned the Czechs a 66-65 victory and the right to advance with Japan to the final round.

The loss doomed the USA squad to the consolation round, but the Americans made the best of it, winning three of their final four games to take top consolation honors and eighth place overall.

The U.S. opened the consolation round with a 78-55 victory over Hungary in a game that saw the U.S. squad overcome a one point halftime deficit by outscoring their Hungarian counterparts 47-23 in the second half. Canada rallied in the second half to come-from-behind and capture a 74-68 win over the Americans, and the U.S. squad once again regrouped and finished with convincing one-sided victories. First the U.S. whipped Senegal 89-33, then, the U.S. stomped Brazil 104-72.

The Soviet Union captured the gold medal after dominating the final round, winning by an average of 32.4 points a game, Japan claimed the silver and Czechoslovakia finished with the bronze medal.

The U.S. team used the World Championship to gain experience and jell. Gaining from its playing experience in Colombia, the same USA team went on to capture the 1975 Pan American Games gold medal, and one year later nine of this team's 12 players would go on to represent the USA in the 1976 Olympic competition.

1975 USA Women's World Championship Cumulative Statistics