Takeaways from Durham: Jackson and Richardson lead the way as Kelly’s college career ends

Here are the key takeaways from a gritty, star-powered battle.

Ashlon Jackson changes everything

For the first 20 minutes of Sunday’s game, Duke struggled to find offensive rhythm. Ashlon Jackson went into halftime scoreless, but the silence didn’t last. She opened the second half with back-to-back threes, giving Duke its first lead of the game, 29-28. She added a layup in traffic, then buried a third three from deep, capping an 11-0 run that shifted momentum firmly in the Blue Devils’ favor.

Jackson scored 14 of her team-high 20 points in the third quarter alone, pouring in five threes and energizing a home crowd that had been holding its breath.

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When asked postgame what helped her shift her mindset and performance in the second half, Jackson credited the people around her.

“Just my teammates and my coaches,” Jackson said. “They just told me, if you’re open, shoot the ball. We need you to shoot the ball. But having that confidence from my coaches and from my teammates, that’s really what got me going there.”

She finished 7-for-17 from the field and 5-for-9 from behind the arc in 35 minutes, adding four rebounds and a critical free throw in the final seconds. 

Looking ahead to the Sweet 16 on Friday, Jackson says the team is focused on consistency and building on this win.

“As a team, we got to continue to stay together and just continue to push our pace up, our tempo, our energy,” she said. “Every single round that we will go to, it’s always going to be a great team, great coach. So I would say, you know, just stay the course.”

Reigan Richardson’s quiet control

While Jackson ignited the comeback, Richardson served as the game’s stabilizer and kept the Blue Devils steady on both ends. She recorded 13 points on 6-for-10 shooting, grabbed six rebounds and dished out two assists. Richardson’s consistent scoring and defensive composure helped Duke navigate Oregon’s late-game pressure.

Head coach Kara Lawson also praised Richardson’s versatility. “In the first half, Reigan and [sophomore guard] Oluchi [Okananwa] kind of figured out what [Oregon] was trying to do defensively and were able to kind of knife through there and make some plays,” Lawson said. “That was critical for us when our offense was not good. And so to have [Richardson] come in and make enough points so that the deficit wasn’t too large was huge. She attacked and was really efficient. That was big for us, then she got six rebounds as well, which we needed, because we weren’t at our best from a rebounding perspective either.”

Sunday marked Richardson’s 16th double-digit scoring effort of the season. She now stands just seven points shy of becoming the 36th Duke player to reach 1,000 career points with the program.​

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Deja Kelly goes down swinging

Playing in front of a familiar North Carolina crowd, former Tar Heel Deja Kelly gave everything she had in her final college game.

The fifth-year senior led Oregon with 20 points on 8-for-18 shooting — hitting from midrange, finishing through contact and knocking down a key three late in the third to keep the Ducks within striking distance. Kelly scored nine of Oregon’s 12 points in the third quarter and added two free throws in the final minute.

“She’s as impressive a person as she is a basketball player,” Oregon head coach Kelly Graves said. “But I’ve been most impressed with her as a teammate. You know, I had no idea what to expect. She’s such a high profile person and player. She came here and she was humble and she worked harder than anybody. She’s going to help any WNBA team and I’ve got several players in that league. I think she belongs and she’s going to do well for somebody.”

Kelly, who played four seasons at UNC before transferring to Oregon for her final year, fought back tears as she reflected on the season.

“They re-energized me,” she said. “I’ve never felt more connected with a team in my whole career. And that’s just the truth. And I’m so, so, so grateful. This year has meant the world to me.”

Kelly ends her collegiate career with over 1,800 points, dozens of clutch performances and one final game that showcased her competitive spirit, poised leadership and unwavering determination.

What’s next

Duke will meet the winner of Monday’s matchup between North Carolina and West Virginia on March 28 in Birmingham, Alabama for a chance to advance to the Elite 8.

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