BY EMMANUEL OGBONNA
The noise, the pressure, and the magnitude of the moment lingered long after the final buzzer sounded. For Ashlon Jackson, sleep did not come easily following one of the most dramatic finishes of this year’s NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Tournament.
Jackson’s game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer secured an 87-85 victory for Duke over LSU in the Sweet 16, instantly becoming one of the defining plays of the tournament. But while the shot itself lasted only seconds, the aftermath stretched deep into the night. Her phone flooded with hundreds of messages from teammates, fans, and prominent figures across the basketball world.
Among those who reached out was NBA star Kevin Durant, who contacted Jackson through social media. The Duke senior later laughed at the idea that the two might have been in direct contact before, clarifying that the message came as a surprise. Despite the overwhelming attention, she made an effort to respond to as many people as possible, expressing appreciation for the growing spotlight on women’s basketball.
Eventually, exhaustion won out. Jackson put her phone aside and finally managed to get some rest around 2 a.m., though even then, the moment continued to replay in her mind. The image of the spinning ball — circling the rim before dropping through — proved inescapable, both in her thoughts and across social media platforms.
The shot itself unfolded under immense pressure. With Duke trailing by one point and just 2.6 seconds remaining, Jackson received the ball on the wing. Facing LSU defender Flau’jae Johnson, she executed a quick fake before rising into her shot in front of the Blue Devils’ bench. The ball struck multiple points on the rim, teetering on the edge of possibility before finally falling through the net and igniting a jubilant celebration.
It was a moment that capped a difficult shooting performance for Jackson, who had missed six of her first seven attempts from beyond the arc. Yet her confidence never wavered. She credited her teammates and coaches for continuing to trust her, emphasizing the resilience required of elite competitors.
For Jackson, the shot marked a personal milestone. While she had delivered buzzer-beaters before, this was her first true game-winner — a distinction that carries added weight given the stakes of the tournament. She described the experience as surreal, likening it to a dream unfolding in slow motion as the ball hung on the rim.
The play immediately drew comparisons to some of the most iconic moments in women’s tournament history. Shots like Morgan William’s overtime winner that ended UConn Huskies women’s basketball’s historic 111-game winning streak in 2017, and the clutch performances of Arike Ogunbowale during Notre Dame’s championship run in 2018, remain benchmarks for March Madness drama. While Jackson’s shot may not yet carry the same historical weight, it has already secured a lasting place in Duke’s program history.
On the opposite sideline, LSU head coach Kim Mulkey reflected on the heartbreak that accompanies such finishes. A veteran of countless high-stakes games, Mulkey acknowledged the emotional toll on players and fans alike, noting that endings like this are never easy to process, no matter how much experience one has.
Despite the emotional high of the victory, there is little time for Duke to dwell on the moment. The tournament’s relentless schedule moves quickly, and the Blue Devils now turn their attention to an Elite Eight matchup against top-seeded UCLA Bruins women’s basketball. UCLA advanced after defeating Minnesota in the same regional, setting up a high-stakes clash with a Final Four berth on the line.
For Jackson and her teammates, the challenge now is to transition from celebration to preparation. The magic of March Madness often lies in its unpredictability, but sustaining success requires immediate focus. As memorable as her shot was, Jackson understands that the next opportunity — and the next defining moment — is already waiting.
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