The Sacramento Shocker: Ashlon Jackson Leaves the Tigers Rags-to-Riches (and Sequences)
SACRAMENTO — If you’re a fan of heart-stopping drama, wild celebrations, and Kim Mulkey’s purple sequined suits, then the Golden 1 Center was the only place to be on Friday night. In a Sweet 16 showdown that had more mood swings than a teenager’s TikTok feed, Duke pulled off the ultimate revenge mission, taking down the LSU "juggernaut" 87-85.
The hero of the night? Ashlon Jackson. After missing two free throws that could have sealed the game earlier—making every Duke fan’s heart collectively stop—she decided to redeem herself in the most cinematic way possible. With zeroes flashing on the clock, Jackson caught the ball, sold a fake that sent LSU’s Flau'Jae Johnson into the next zip code, and launched a three-pointer that rattled around the rim like it was teasing the crowd before finally dropping in.
The Multi-Million Dollar Momentum Swing
LSU entered the game having scored 100+ points in a record 16 games this season, but Duke’s defense decided that the "Century Club" was closed for the evening.
Mi’Laysia Fulwiley was a one-woman wrecking crew for the Tigers, dropping a career-high 28 points and moving into third all-time at LSU for career steals. She and Mikaylah Williams (22 points) accounted for over half of LSU’s offense, but even a career night couldn't stop the Blue Devil onslaught.
Sequins and Squandered Leads
The game was a literal track meet. Duke jumped out to a 9-0 lead, forcing Kim Mulkey to burn a timeout early to presumably adjust her sequins and her strategy. The Blue Devils kept the Tigers at arm's length for most of the half, led by Taina Mair and Toby Fournier, who both finished with 22 points.
The fourth quarter was absolute madness:
Duke built an 11-point lead.
LSU went on an 18-7 run because they simply refuse to go away quietly.
Mikaylah Williams sank two clutch free throws with 9.2 seconds left to give LSU the lead.
Ashlon Jackson said, "Hold my Gatorade," and ended the Tigers' season at the buzzer.
By the Numbers:
24 of 26: The number of games Duke has won since their rocky 3-6 start to the season. They didn't just turn the corner; they drifted around it at 100 mph.
55%: Duke’s shooting percentage in the first quarter, which set the tone that they weren't intimidated by the defending-style champs.
2.6 Seconds: All the time Duke needed to go from "Oh no, we blew it" to "Pack your bags for the Elite Eight."
Next Up: It’s a rematch from November! Duke faces top-seeded UCLA on Sunday. The Bruins won the first meeting easily, but this Duke team is currently playing like they have a cheat code enabled.
