France's Historic 22 Three-Pointers Against Nigeria in Women's World Cup
France did not just win. They detonated a shooting clinic that will sit in the Women's FIBA World Cup record books for a long time.
Against Nigeria, the French national team turned the group-stage finale into a perimeter shooting masterclass, drilling a historic 22 three-pointers in a 111-56 rout. No team had ever hit that many from deep in a Women's World Cup game.
They took 40 shots from beyond the arc and buried 22 of them. Fifty-five percent from three. In a World Cup game. It was ruthless, it was relentless, and by halftime the contest was already a formality.
By the break, the scoreboard told the story better than any highlight reel: France 65 points, 14 made threes. Nigeria were chasing shadows while the French shooters kept stepping into rhythm looks and knocking them down. The outcome was effectively sealed before the teams even reached the locker room, but France refused to ease off from the perimeter.
Japan’s short-lived mark erased
Only three days earlier, Japan had set what looked like a serious benchmark in this tournament, splashing 20 three-pointers against Mali. It felt like a statement of intent.
France answered by tearing that standard to pieces.
Where Japan had set the pace, France simply accelerated. By the time the final buzzer sounded, the new record stood at 22, and the gap between the two marks felt bigger than the raw numbers suggested. This was not a team hunting a stat line; it was a team playing in such a flow that the record almost became a side note.
They went to halftime with 65 points and those 14 threes already on the board, the game long since out of Nigeria’s reach. The second half became about execution, rhythm and, unintentionally, history.
Stars on fire from deep
In a night overflowing with offense, two names burned brightest.
Gabby Williams led the charge with 25 points, attacking, cutting, and stepping into threes with complete confidence. Marine Johannes, as ever, brought flair and edge, knocking down five three-pointers and stretching Nigeria’s defense past breaking point.
Alongside them, the Golden State Valkyries WNBA guard-forward delivered a near-perfect performance from long range, going six-of-eight from three and joining the barrage that Nigeria simply could not contain.
France finished with five players in double figures and 29 assists, a box score that underlined how well the ball moved and how willingly the team shared the spotlight. The shots were not forced. They were created, passed into, and then buried.
The record falls, almost by accident
The early onslaught came from Williams and Johannes, who combined for eight three-pointers in the first half and set the tone for what followed. Every extra pass seemed to find another open shooter. Every open shooter seemed to make Nigeria pay.
The pressure finally told on the record itself in the closing stages.
With 5:45 remaining, Migna Touré rose up and drilled France’s 21st three-pointer of the night. A few possessions later, Dominique Malonga added the 22nd, the shot that officially pushed France into uncharted territory.
The most telling detail came afterward. Touré later admitted she had no idea the team was chasing a record at all. France were not obsessed with the number. They were simply playing their game, letting it fly, and watching the net snap again and again.
On a night when every perimeter look seemed to find its mark, France did more than win a group-stage game. They sent a message to the rest of the tournament: if you let them get comfortable from deep, the scoreboard – and the record book – can get ugly in a hurry.
