Feeling Sweet: Duke women overcome early deficit, hold off Oregon to advance to Birmingham

ACC Rookie of the Year Toby Fournier did not participate in pregame warm-ups, nor was she on the bench when No. 2 seed Duke (28-7) faced No. 10 seed Oregon (20-12) with a Sweet 16 berth on the line.

But even without the Blue Devils’ leading scorer playing — Duke coach Kara Lawson simply said “she wasn’t feeling well” just before the game and “our doctors didn’t clear her” — junior guard Ashlon Jackson’s second-half heroics were enough to lift Duke to a 59-53 victory Sunday in the NCAA Tournament round of 32.

Jackson recorded all of her team-high 20 points in the second half.

It’s the latest example of the junior guard rising to the challenge in big games this season. Jackson scored 22 in Duke’s ACC Championship win over then-No. 7 N.C. State on March 9 and a season-high 30 points against then-No. 9 Kansas State in November.

“Ashlon just really injected us with a ton of energy and confidence and swagger by making plays,” Lawson said on Sunday, “and I thought that kind of got us going a little bit.”

Sophomore forward Delaney Thomas — who Lawson praised for her “total floor game” — added 10 points and led the team with four rebounds. Jadyn Donovan recorded a team-high four assists. With the win, Duke advances to its second straight Sweet 16 and 19th in program history.

Jackson was a freshman two seasons ago when Colorado upset the Blue Devils in a second-round NCAA Tournament game hosted at Cameron Indoor Stadium. When asked about the game on Saturday during media availability, she laughed.

“We didn’t play our best,” she said. “That’s the only thing I remember… we just hate losing and, honestly, we dwell on it so much. It sucks.”

And on Sunday, after a first half in which Duke never led, another upset seemed imminent. Oregon led 28-23 and was shooting 50% from the field. Even with the Blue Devils’ defensive pressure – forcing eight turnovers and recording four steals — they couldn’t find their rhythm on the offensive end.

Jackson knew the Blue Devils had to regain their focus or they’d be sent home.

“I knew I didn’t want that feeling again,” Jackson said.

Even though the junior opened the game with three missed triples, she said teammates like Thomas encouraged her to keep seeking out her shot.

Luckily for the Blue Devils, Jackson followed their advice.

The guard drained two straight three-pointers to open the second half — both assisted by Donovan — to give Duke its first lead of the game at 29-28.

When those shots swished through the net, Donovan said she knew “we were in business.”

“It gave us a lot of confidence, her getting those shots back-to-back,” Donovan said. “We kept telling Ash, ‘Keep shooting, keep shooting.’ I know she didn’t start off how she wanted to, but we were proud of the way she continued to shoot and help us get that comeback.”

Jackson would up scoring 11 points in the first five minutes of the second half with a trio of three-pointers and a layup.

Even after a media timeout midway through the third quarter gave Oregon some time to regroup, Jackson immediately tacked on another triple off an assist from senior guard Reigan Richardson.

That play gave Duke a 10-point lead — its largest of the game.

Richardson credited Jackson for giving the team a boost of energy and confidence to finish the game.

“We say, every morning, make sure you got your swag on coming into the gym,” Richardson said. “Ash for sure has it.”

Despite Jackson’s third-quarter masterclass, Oregon guard Deja Kelly kept the Ducks within striking distance with a team-high 20 points in her final collegiate game. The former North Carolina player recorded nine points in the third quarter with a three-pointer and then, in typical Kelly fashion, three straight buckets with a variety of flashy midrange moves and dribble combos.

The last of those shots, a right-handed floater she kissed off the glass, brought Oregon within five points of the lead heading into the final quarter. Then, to start the fourth quarter, the Ducks’ Nani Falatea sank a three-pointer to cut the deficit to two points at 45-43.

From there, the Ducks focused on feeding 6-foot-8 center Phillipina Kyei in the post. She recorded eight of her 14 points in the final quarter, often fighting through double-teams.

But, eventually, the Blue Devils’ stifling defense responded — which Thomas and Jackson said came from the teams’ desire more so than any tactical shift.

“We really wanted it,” Thomas said. “We really wanted it for each other. Just playing together, being gritty [and] getting down to it.”

Oregon’s offense went cold and, by the time Jackson hit her fifth three-pointer of the game with a minute and a half remaining, the Ducks hadn’t scored for over three minutes.

That triple came off a baseline pindown screen from Thomas, freeing Jackson up in the corner, right in front of her bench.

With the shot, Jackson put Duke up by seven points with a minute and a half remaining. To further emphasize the dagger, Jackson did her best Stephen Curry impression — replicating his iconic “night night” celebration as she ran down the court.

Jackson joked after the game that she didn’t know where the impulse came from.

“I was feeling it… it just happened,” she said. “I hit the shot and felt the energy from my teammates behind me. It came to mind and I just did it.”

While teammates Richardson and Donovan didn’t see the celebration in the moment – they were too busy running back on defense — they said it embodies the style Jackson plays with.

“Ash plays with a lot of confidence,” Donovan said. “I love the way she celebrates. I love to celebrate as well. She just gives us energy… it’s pretty special.”

The Blue Devils relied on their defense until the very end, holding Oregon scoreless from the field (0-for-9) in the last four and a half minutes. A steal from junior guard Taina Mair with six seconds remaining sealed the win.

In fitting form, it was Jackson who went to the line in the final seconds to ice the game.

The Blue Devils advance to play in Birmingham, Alabama, this week in the Sweet 16. Duke will take on either No. 3 seed North Carolina or No. 6 seed West Virginia, depending on which team wins that Round of 32 contest. The Mountaineers and Tar Heels will face off on Monday night at 7 p.m. in Carmichael Arena.

Lawson did not further clarify the reason for Fournier’s absence or provide a diagnosis. Her timetable for a return to play is still unknown.

This story was originally published March 23, 2025 at 2:28 PM with the headline "Feeling Sweet: Duke women overcome early deficit, hold off Oregon to advance to Birmingham."