There has been no shortage of incredible late-game heroics in both the men’s and women’s March Madness this year, but you’ll be hard-pressed to find anything better than what Duke guard Ashlon Jackson accomplished to send the Blue Devils to their first Elite 8 in 13 years.
Down 85-84 to LSU with 2.6 seconds left, Jackson took Jordan Wood’s incoming pass, got LSU star Flau’jae Johnson to bite his fake shot and hit a 3-pointer about a second before the clock hit triple zero. The ball spun around the hoop. thrice before breaking through the web in search of a dagger that is as exciting for Duke as it is agonizing for Kim Mulkey and her squad. You really have to see it to believe it:
Jackson’s shot was not only iconic, but also redemptive. Kara Lawson’s team was up 84-75 with less than 3:30 left in the fourth quarter, only for LSU to score 10 in a row to take the lead in the final seconds. Clinging to an 84-83 lead with: 18 minutes left, the usually reliable Jackson missed two free throws that would have given Duke a three-point lead. LSU’s Mikaylah Williams converted the go-ahead free throws at the other end, but after the Tigers failed to secure the rebound on Taina Mair’s 3-pointer, Jackson capitalized on her big moment to keep Duke’s season (and her college career) alive.
This was also somewhat fitting and sweet revenge for Duke, which once went 3-6 after losing by 16 at home to LSU in December. Since then, they’ve gone 24-2, won the ACC regular season and the conference tournament, and have their sights set on reaching their first Final Four since 2006. Their final hurdle they must clear to reach Phoenix and the national semifinals is No. 1 seed UCLA (which beat Duke by 30 in the regular season) on Sunday afternoon in Sacramento.