Duke's Ashlon Jackson Hits Buzzer-Beater for Elite Eight

Ashlon Jackson had never hit a game-winning shot in her basketball career, but she picked the perfect moment to change that.

The Duke guard's 3-pointer spun around the rim and dropped through the net as the buzzer sounded Friday night, lifting the Blue Devils to an 87-85 victory over LSU in the Sweet 16 of the women's NCAA tournament. The shot from the wing came with just 2.6 seconds remaining after LSU had taken an 85-84 lead on two free throws.

"I feel like I'm on cloud nine right now," Jackson said after the game. "The way it went in, I felt like I was in a dream, and it was playing back over and over again before the ball went in."

The dramatic finish happened in Sacramento after Duke appeared to have control with an 11-point lead early in the fourth quarter. LSU fought back, setting up the nail-biting final seconds that had Jackson catching the ball, faking out defender Flau'jae Johnson, and launching her shot right in front of Duke's bench.

Just seconds earlier, Jackson had missed two crucial free throws that could have sealed the win. But instead of dwelling on the mistake, she stayed ready for what came next.

Taina Mair and Toby Fournier each scored 22 points to lead Duke's balanced attack, while Jackson finished with 19. The Blue Devils shot 55% in the first quarter and never let LSU's high-powered offense pull away, despite the Tigers averaging over 100 points in an NCAA-record 16 games this season.

Why This Inspires

This victory represents more than just an exciting finish. Duke started their season 3-6, losing to this same LSU team in the ACC-SEC challenge. Since that low point, the Blue Devils won 24 of their next 26 games, claiming both the ACC regular-season and tournament titles along the way.

Jackson's resilience in the final minute shows the power of staying focused on the next play, even after a mistake. Her ability to shake off those missed free throws and deliver when it mattered most gave Duke a shot at the Elite Eight against top-seeded UCLA.

For LSU, the loss ended Flau'jae Johnson's college career and coach Kim Mulkey's tournament run, but both teams left everything on the court. "Been around a long time and seen endings like that," Mulkey said, wearing her signature purple sequined suit. "Takes a while to get over it."

Duke's Cinderella story continues Sunday when they face UCLA for a chance at the Final Four.