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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Trailing 52-50 with 29.8 seconds remaining against No. 1 South Carolina in the Elite Eight on Sunday, the No. 2 Duke Blue Devils had the ball with a chance to tie or take the lead. Head coach Kara Lawson drew up what her players later called “a winning play,” putting the ball in the hands of sharpshooter Ashlon Jackson.
Jackson, with South Carolina forward Sania Feagin guarding her, took a few dribbles to her left, sizing up Feagin before hoisting a potential go-ahead 3.
The shot fell short, failing to hit the rim as it landed in the hands of Gamecock guard Bree Hall. South Carolina then knocked down two free throws to ice the game and advance to its fifth-straight Final Four, defeating Duke, 54-50.
“The plan was just to get a 3 off,” senior guard Reigan Richardson said. “We trust Ash to make that shot, we wanted the ball in her hands at that time.”
Earlier in Sunday’s game, at the 1:04 mark of the third quarter, Jackson made Duke history by tying the single-season record for made 3-pointers. She finished with 87 on the season.
Jackson shot 2-of-8 from the perimeter on Sunday. She sits No. 9 all-time among Duke’s 3-point markswomen, having made 162 in just three seasons.
“She can make plays for us, and that's why I put the ball in her hands late, because she's our best guard at making plays, and I trust her to do that,” Lawson said.
Duke, playing in its first Elite Eight since 2013, saw its season come to an end with the loss.
“My team believes in me, my coaches believe in me, I believe in me,” Jackson said after the game. “There’s no other shot I’d rather take for my team.”
Wesley Branch is a student in the University of Georgia's Sports Media Certificate program.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Duke women's basketball players explain final shot vs. South Carolina
Continue reading...
Jackson, with South Carolina forward Sania Feagin guarding her, took a few dribbles to her left, sizing up Feagin before hoisting a potential go-ahead 3.
The shot fell short, failing to hit the rim as it landed in the hands of Gamecock guard Bree Hall. South Carolina then knocked down two free throws to ice the game and advance to its fifth-straight Final Four, defeating Duke, 54-50.
“The plan was just to get a 3 off,” senior guard Reigan Richardson said. “We trust Ash to make that shot, we wanted the ball in her hands at that time.”
Earlier in Sunday’s game, at the 1:04 mark of the third quarter, Jackson made Duke history by tying the single-season record for made 3-pointers. She finished with 87 on the season.
Jackson shot 2-of-8 from the perimeter on Sunday. She sits No. 9 all-time among Duke’s 3-point markswomen, having made 162 in just three seasons.
“She can make plays for us, and that's why I put the ball in her hands late, because she's our best guard at making plays, and I trust her to do that,” Lawson said.
Duke, playing in its first Elite Eight since 2013, saw its season come to an end with the loss.
“My team believes in me, my coaches believe in me, I believe in me,” Jackson said after the game. “There’s no other shot I’d rather take for my team.”
Wesley Branch is a student in the University of Georgia's Sports Media Certificate program.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Duke women's basketball players explain final shot vs. South Carolina
Continue reading...
