Canadian women beat the U.S. to collect first-ever Pan Am basketball gold

Canada's women's basketball team made history Monday night, and salvaged the country's gold-medal streak in the process.

Hamilton's Kia Nurse was dominant with 33 points, five rebounds and three assists as Canada defeated the United States 81-73 in the women's basketball final.

The first ever Pan Am Games basketball gold for Canada gave the host nation a shot in the arm. The Canadians were in danger of finishing a day's competition without a gold for the first time at the Games.

Nurse and her teammates made sure that didn't happen with a gutty effort. Canada outrebounded the U.S. 39-35 and forced the Americans into making 18 turnovers.

Pan Am Games medal standings, updated daily.

Natalie Achonwa of Guelph, Ont., added 13 points in her first tournament with Canada since tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee last year.

Nurse was almost perfect from the free-throw line Monday, sinking 11 of 12 chances.

"I just tried to not think about it... I just tried to play unconsciously and that's when I'm usually at my best," she said.