Duke women's basketball survives Oregon scare without star player
03/23/2025 05:19 PM
No. 2 seed Duke women’s basketball overcame the absence of Atlantic Coast Conference rookie of the year Toby Fournier to defeat 10th-seeded Oregon 59-53 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Sunday.
The Blue Devils (28-7) were without their leading scorer and rebounder after Fournier was ruled out shortly before tipoff. Duke women’s basketball coach Kara Lawson said the 6-foot-2 forward "wasn't feeling well" and was not cleared by team doctors.
"We found out right before the game. That's the way it goes," Lawson said, as reported by Mitchell Northam of the Associated Press. "So, I don't have a diagnosis, or a timetable either."
In Fournier's absence, sophomore Ashlon Jackson delivered a standout performance. Jackson scored 14 of her 20 points in the third quarter and shot 5-for-9 from three-point range. Her scoring run helped the Blue Devils erase a five-point halftime deficit and seize control of the game.
"I got tired of missing. It's simple," Jackson said. "But yeah, just seeing the ball go in, it was a great thing."
Duke women’s basketball advances to Sweet 16
Reigan Richardson added 13 points and Delaney Thomas contributed 12 for Duke, which advanced to the Sweet 16 for the second straight season — the first time the program has done so since 2013.
Oregon (20-12) was led by Deja Kelly, a transfer from North Carolina, who scored 20 points in her eighth career game against Duke. Phillipina Kyei added 14 points and 13 rebounds. The Ducks led at halftime but went cold in the third quarter, failing to score a field goal for six minutes as Jackson powered an 11-0 run for the Blue Devils.
"Usually, the third quarter has been our quarter, and today Duke came out and just kind of put their foot down," said Oregon head coach Kelly Graves.
Duke will play in the Sweet 16 later this week. Fournier's status remains unclear.
"It was a gritty game. It's what we expected," Lawson said. "It's hard to go to back-to-back Sweet 16s. It's not something that a lot of programs are able to do."
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