Buzzer-beating 3 sends Duke past LSU 87-85 in Sweet 16 of March Madness in Sacramento

ALCOHOL IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. LIVECOPTER3 OVER THE GOLDEN 1 CENTER TODAY, AS THE SWEET 16 IS TAKEN OVER DOWNTOWN SACRAMENTO. AND WHILE THE TEAMS ARE CHASING A TITLE, THE FANS ARE BRINGING A LITTLE MADNESS OF THEIR OWN. KCRA 3’S DENSON CORTEZ CAUGHT UP WITH SOME OF THE FANS WHOSE TEAMS ARE STILL DANCING. SHE’S 81 YEARS OLD. SHE’S GOT A BLANKET. SHE RUNS AROUND THE STADIUM. YOU GOT TO GO TALK TO HER. SOMEWHERE IN THE CROWD, WRAPPED IN MORE FABRIC THAN A MINNESOTA WINTER KOHBERGER KOHBERGER. MARCH MADNESS BRINGS OUT BASKETBALL’S BIGGEST SUPERFAN. HAVEN’T MISSED A GAME SINCE 2011, AND I DRIVE 126 MILES ROUND TRIP. OLVERA PEP’S MEN ARE KNOWN TO MANY AS THE BLANKET LADY IS BASKETBALL ROYALTY, SO YOU GOT YOUR OWN HOLIDAY. I SURE DO. ISN’T THAT WONDERFUL? BECAUSE WHEN THE STATE OF MINNESOTA GIVES YOU A HOLIDAY, A SWEET 16 APPEARANCE DOESN’T JUST MEAN THE PLAYERS. NO WORDS CAN DESCRIBE HOW I FEEL ABOUT OUR GOLFERS GOPHER TEAM. I WOULDN’T BE HERE AND NOW I’M HERE. HEY, CULVERT PHOENIX, HERE WE COME. LET’S GO. COX, SHE AND THE MANY OTHERS FROM SOUTH CAROLINA. LET’S GO, LET’S GO. WHO’S UP TO VIRGINIA? I PLAYED IN HIGH SCHOOL. HE’S A WANNABE TO GRANDPA AND GRANDSON BANTER. THEY WERE WILLING TO MISS SCHOOL TO COME UP HERE AND DRIVE FIVE HOURS. SO WE’RE HERE, YOU KNOW? TURNS OUT SCHOOL ISN’T THE ONLY PLACE TO SHOW OFF SPIRIT. YOU SEE. UCLA FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT. AMID THE CHANCE THE NEXT GENERATION OF BALL PLAYERS LIKE BROOKLYN LOMBARD, INSPIRED BY THE MADNESS. I LIKE THAT CHEEKY RICE THAT SHE’S A POINT GUARD LIKE ME BECAUSE I’M A POINT GUARD AND I LIKE HOW. I LIKE HOW LAUREN BET SHE’S SUPER TALL AND SHE IS REALLY AGGRESSIVE WITH REBOUNDS, AND SHE’LL JUST GRAB THEM. IT BRINGS TEARS TO MY EYES TO SEE ALL THESE LITTLE GIRLS AND LITTLE BOYS WHO LOOK UP TO THESE PLAYERS AND, AND WANT TO EMULATE THEM. AND THEY AND THEY WILL, THEY WILL, THEY WILL, YOU KNOW, CARRY THAT FLAME AND, AND WE’LL BE WATCHING THEM HERE IN A FEW YEARS. GO TIGERS. BECAUSE NO MATTER WHAT SIDE OF THE TEAM YOU ROOT FOR, THE FANS OF BASKETBALL GO. YOU KNOW, GETTING HERE IS ALWAYS


By DOUG FEINBERG/ AP Basketball Writer

Ashlon Jackson’s 3-pointer at the buzzer lifted third-seeded Duke to an 87-85 win over No. 2 seed LSU in the Sweet 16 of the women’s NCAA Tournament at Golden 1 Center on Friday night.Jackson’s shot from the wing right in front of Duke’s bench rolled around the rim before dropping in, setting off a wild celebration by the Blue Devils. She caught the ball on the wing and after faking LSU defender Flau’Jae Johnson put up the shot.Duke (27-8) will face top-seeded UCLA in the Elite Eight of Sacramento 2 Region on Sunday. The Bruins beat Minnesota in the other regional semifinal.LSU (29-6) had rallied from an 11-point deficit to go ahead on two free throws by Mikaylah Williams with 9.2 seconds left.Taina Mair missed a 3-pointer from the corner with 5 seconds left. The ball went out of bounds off an LSU player with 2.6 seconds left, setting up the fantastic finish.KCRA 3 contributed to this report. See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

SACRAMENTO, Calif. —

Ashlon Jackson’s 3-pointer at the buzzer lifted third-seeded Duke to an 87-85 win over No. 2 seed LSU in the Sweet 16 of the women’s NCAA Tournament at Golden 1 Center on Friday night.

Jackson’s shot from the wing right in front of Duke’s bench rolled around the rim before dropping in, setting off a wild celebration by the Blue Devils. She caught the ball on the wing and after faking LSU defender Flau’Jae Johnson put up the shot.

Duke (27-8) will face top-seeded UCLA in the Elite Eight of Sacramento 2 Region on Sunday. The Bruins beat Minnesota in the other regional semifinal.

LSU (29-6) had rallied from an 11-point deficit to go ahead on two free throws by Mikaylah Williams with 9.2 seconds left.

Taina Mair missed a 3-pointer from the corner with 5 seconds left. The ball went out of bounds off an LSU player with 2.6 seconds left, setting up the fantastic finish.

KCRA 3 contributed to this report.

See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel