Duke’s Ashlon Jackson got congratulatory message from Kevin Durant after game-winner
SACRAMENTO, CA — Everyone watches women’s sports, including Kevin Durant.
After Ashlon Jackson knocked down a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to send No. 3 Duke to the Elite Eight for the second consecutive season, her phone exploded with hundreds, maybe thousands, of messages, she said.
“I put my phone on Do Not Disturb last night,” Jackson said on Saturday, twelve hours removed from her 3-pointer that ended No. 2 LSU’s season. “I try to respond to as many people as I can because I’m very grateful that they’re even watching women’s basketball… but I haven’t been able to get back that much.”
Jackson revealed that one message was from Houston Rockets star Kevin Durant on Instagram.
“I was so happy about that. He’s one of my favorite players,” Jackson added. When asked if she was able to respond to Durant’s message, Jackson said, “Of course. I just hit him with a thank you so much.”
HIGHLIGHTS: No. 3 Duke holds on, beats LSU to advance to women’s Sweet 16
Jackson said she hasn’t had time to fully process the shot that will go down in March Madness history, much like Arike Ogunbowale’s buzzer-beating 3-pointer to win a national championship at Notre Dame over Mississippi State in 2018. Jackson remembers watching Ogunbowale’s shot “as a kid. It was really cool to see. And now I have the opportunity to say that I was a part of [tournament history].”
Jackson’s game-winner was a mainstay on ESPN’s “SportsCenter” and social media Friday evening, so much so that Jackson “got tired of seeing it.”
“It’s literally everywhere. Every time I scroll I see it,” Jackson said with a laugh. “I just put my phone down. I just replay in my head the ball spinning and spinning and I’m like, bro, I don’t want to see that.”
The shot rimmed around the basket for several seconds before ultimately falling down. Jackson was immediately engulfed by her teammates as they celebrated in front of their bench. She shared an embrace with head coach Kara Lawson and even went in the stands to celebrate with Duke alum Chelsea Gray.
“The shot was great, but that feeling was better of them telling me how much they believed in me, telling me how much they love me, I wouldn’t trade that for the world,” Jackson said. “Regardless if I would’ve missed that shot or not, they would’ve told me the same thing. And I feel like that speaks volume, especially for our program. We call ourselves the sisterhood and it feels exactly like that.”
Jackson didn’t end up going to bed around 2 a.m. as emotions were running high. She said rest is going to be “very, very important” moving forward with the tight turnaround.
No. 3 LSU plays No. 1 UCLA in the Elite Eight on Saturday 3:00 p.m. ET (ABC).
Her text messages can wait until next week.
“People are still texting me,” Jackson said in disbelief. “I’ve been just trying to stay present, trying to stay where my feet are. I’ve gotten back to some people. I plan to get back to as many people as I can, but just trying to take it all in with (my teammates). It’s my last time at this.”
Reach USA TODAY National Women’s Sports Reporter Cydney Henderson at chenderson@gannett.com and follow her on X at@CydHenderson.
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