The Sweet 16 clash between the Duke Blue Devils women’s basketball and the LSU Tigers women’s basketball ended with a dramatic buzzer-beating finish. Kim Mulkey’s LSU made a strong run in the second half with momentum on their side. But Duke refused to fold.
Duke guard Ashlon Jackson was caught in a defining moment with the clock winding down. She pulled up for a 3-pointer and it went in, stunning LSU. With this, Duke completed a dramatic last-second victory.
LSU had a defensive breakdown on the final possession. They allowed a clean look under pressure and Jackson made them pay.
After the game, former LSU Tigers national champion and Chicago Sky star Angel Reese commented on the dramatic finish of the game:
“What a game.”
LSU’s National Championship Dreams Shattered vs Duke in Sweet 16
The LSU Tigers were having a great season. After losing the SEC Tournament to South Carolina, LSU hoped for a deep run in March Madness. They appeared poised for that after healthy wins against Jacksonville and Texas A&M in the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament.
In the game against Duke, LSU started slow, allowing a 9-2 lead. Duke continued to press the advantage after a strong start, and they were leading by 11 points in the second quarter before the half came to a close with a 47-40 win for Duke.
Thanks to maximizing early scoring opportunities by Amiya Joyner and Mikaylah Williams after halftime, LSU took control of the game, 53-52. Despite the late 10-0 run and outscoring Duke 45-40 in the second half, it fell just short of two points in the end.
This marked a disappointing end to LSU’s dream to win a national championship for the first time since Angel Reese won for them in the final against Caitlin Clark’s Indiana Fever. Their last connection to that game in the form of a player was Flau’jae Johnson, who finished with 13 points and five rebounds.
It remains to be seen what Mulkey has to say about the game in press conference.
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