OTTAWA, Ontario — The Team USA women opened the 2026 IWBF World Championships in wheelchair basketball with a 94-27 victory over France on Wednesday at Carleton University, establishing a 23-point lead in the first quarter and maintaining control through the remainder of their tournament opener.

Rose Hollermann led the United States with 27 points on 13-of-18 shooting and added six assists. Zoe Voris scored 14 points on 7-for-7 shooting, Lindsey Zurbrugg finished with 12 points, eight rebounds and four assists, and Ixhelt Gonzalez added 11 points. Becca Murray contributed nine points, nine rebounds, five assists and two steals.

Team USA shot 64.2 percent from the field and finished with 25 assists against three turnovers. The United States also held a 44-24 rebounding advantage while limiting France to 24.5 percent shooting.

FAST START

Zurbrugg opened the scoring before Courtney Ryan and Hollermann helped Team USA build an early 6-0 lead. France got on the board through Lucie Nolet, but the United States continued to create separation and moved ahead 14-2 midway through the quarter.

Ryan, Voris and Hollermann added scoring during the closing stretch. Hollermann converted twice in the final 1:32 before adding another basket with two seconds remaining, sending Team USA into the second quarter with a 29-6 advantage.

Hollermann said the approach remained consistent as the margin grew.

“I think we had the same plan throughout,” Hollermann said. “We wanted to make sure we focused on ourselves, making sure we were doing the little things like playing in transition offensively and defensively and communicating.”

She also pointed to the depth of the U.S. rotation.

“The biggest thing we wanted to make sure we went 12 strong for this game,” Hollermann said. “And I feel like we really did that today.”

SECOND-QUARTER CONTROL

France scored first in the second quarter, but Team USA continued to extend the lead. Voris scored twice early in the period, while Ryan and Hollermann helped push the margin further.

Hollermann continued to produce through the middle of the quarter, and Zurbrugg added baskets at 3:55 and 3:10. Emily Oberst scored with 1:07 remaining, sending the United States into halftime with a 49-15 lead.

The ball movement and possession management that helped create the early separation continued throughout the game. Team USA assisted on 25 of its 43 made field goals while committing only three turnovers.

STAYING CONSISTENT

The United States scored the first six points of the second half, with Hollermann converting twice before Gonzalez made it 55-15. France found scoring through Nolet and Grâce Wembolua during the third quarter, but Team USA continued to answer and entered the fourth ahead 67-25.

Voris said maintaining the team’s usual approach was important after a long stretch in which the national team spent much of its preparation competing against itself.

“I think in games like this, it’s really important to stay consistent,” Voris said. “We all really needed to be mindful of playing our game and not getting too excited.”

The national team gathers about once a month for roughly four days of training before players return to their individual programs, Voris said. That made the tournament opener a change from the repeated training environment leading into Ottawa.

“We’ve been practicing against each other for so long that it’s super great to finally get into an official game,” Voris said.

FOURTH-QUARTER FINISH

Murray scored Team USA’s first two baskets of the fourth quarter before Oberst and Bailey Moody followed. The United States continued to work through its rotation while holding France to one basket in the period.

Voris added three baskets late, Arelle Middleton scored with 1:11 remaining and Hollermann closed the scoring with three seconds left to set the final at 94-27.

For Voris, the tournament also provides an opportunity to face opponents she has not regularly seen in international competition.

“It’s so much different being here and competing against people that I have never competed against before,” Voris said.

Team USA leaves its opening game with a win built on efficient shooting, ball movement, rebounding and contributions throughout the rotation — the consistency Hollermann and Voris emphasized after the game.