The United States and Soviet Union sporting rivalry reached its peak during the Cold War. The U.S. men's team was considered a favorite in the run-up to the 1972 Games. Since … See more

The basketball gold medal was the last in contention. The Soviets were clearly ahead in the medal standings, but for political reasons they needed to win 50 golds (having 49 before the final match).
Both teams started out strong, winning their first games by … See more

First inbounds play
Immediately following Collins' second free throw, with the ball then being a "live" ball under the rules at the time, Soviet assistant coach Sergei Bashkin charged out of the team's designated bench area to the scorer's table. … See more

In the ensuing years, USA Basketball has periodically contacted the 1972 U.S. team members on behalf of the IOC to offer them the opportunity … See more

The United States team was the youngest in history. American players usually participated in the Olympics once before turning pro, and the U.S. team always had new players every four years. The 1972 team did not have a clear leader. UCLA's Bill Walton See more

The Soviets surprised the Americans early, led by Sergei Belov. The Soviets kept the Americans 4–8 points behind during the first half. At See more

By some accounts, at the end of the game, Righetto refused to sign the official scoring sheet in an act of protest. Herb Mols, serving as the … See more