After LSU stormed back, a Duke buzzer-beater provided an all-time Sweet 16 finish
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — It’s easy to imagine that LSU head coach Kim Mulkey’s squad, seeded No. 2 in its region and fresh off a 101-47 beatdown of seventh-seeded Texas Tech, came into Friday’s game against a stout Duke team expecting a battle in the trenches. Instead, the Tigers stumbled into a group ready for a shootout.
Here are some of the biggest takeaways from the Blue Devils’ last-second Sweet 16 win over LSU.
The Blue Devils have put together one of the best scoring defenses in the nation and gave up just 46 points in their second-round victory over sixth-seeded Baylor. Head coach Kara Lawson has garnered a reputation for having stingy, low-scoring teams that force a lot of turnovers but can struggle to score in halfcourt sets. Duke averages a respectable but not mind-blowing 74.5 points per game while allowing just 59.4.
Against the Tigers with an Elite Eight berth on the line, the Blue Devils gave up an unusually high 85 points. This number was far from the most surprising statistic of the night, though. That would be how many Duke scored: 87 — including a buzzer-beating three by guard Ashlon Jackson that swirled around the rim before dropping in to give the third-seeded Blue Devils an upset victory over the Tigers.
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