It was a heartbreaking night in Sacramento for the #2 LSU Tigers as they were eliminated with a buzzer-beater from the Sweet Sixteen by the #3 Duke Blue Devil’s.
It was time they met this season, as LSU went to Duke for the ACC/SEC Challenge, where the Tigers took the win 93-77. Things started looking very different to start the Sweet Sixteen matchup.
LSU had a first half full of mistakes, where both team leaders, Flau’jae Johnson and Mikayla Williams, had discreet performances. Flau’jae was 1-7 in field goals with three points to finish the second quarter, while Williams was 2-7 with nine points.
The team struggled to win their matchups under the paint, struggling with rebounding and overall momentum.
Coach Mulkey wasn’t satisfied with his team’s performance during the first half. “We didn’t play with a sense of urgency or energy.” Duke led the entire first half, showcasing that they could be a real threat for this Tigers offense, who were averaging more than 95 points a game.
Coming off the bench, Mylasia Fulwiley kept LSU in the game, scoring 18 points in the first half. She also played 18 minutes out of the first twenty, while Mulkey was giving rest to all other players. “She gave us a spark when we just started real lethargic,” said Mulkey.
It was a good start to the second half for the Tigers, as in less than four minutes, they managed to change the game, as they overcame a 7-point deficit to lead for the first time since the first possession of the game. LSU won the quarter, but they were still losing by 2 points with one quarter to go.
Starting the fourth quarter, Duke scored 11 unanswered points. They would lead the matchup for almost all the fourth quarter until LSU started to come back, and with nine seconds on the clock, they managed to take the lead.
Rebounding showed up as a problem again for LSU. After a missed shot by Taina Mair, the Tigers couldn’t keep the ball, giving the Blue Devils another chance.
Ashlon Jackson made an unbelievable three-point field goal that would seal the deal for the Blue Devils in a dramatic fashion.
Duke’s head coach Kara Lawson knew she had the right player to finish the game despite her only making 1-7, 3-point field goals at that point of the match. “With two and a half seconds left, there was no doubt who was going to get the ball in that situation; it was three, and she just made an unbelievable play.”
Jackson was in complete disbelief minutes after the press conference, as she couldn’t believe she had made that shot. “It doesn’t really feel real. Right now, I feel like I am on cloud nine,” said Duke’s Guard.
It’s the first time that LSU is not playing in the Elite Eight since Mulkey’s first season in 2022. This was Flau’jae Johnson’s last game as a Tiger; her next step is the WNBA draft.
