UCLA Dominates, Duke Wins Thriller in March Madness Sweet 16

The top-seeded Bruins cruise past Minnesota, while the Blue Devils advance on a last-second buzzer-beater against LSU

Mar. 28, 2026 at 8:24pm

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In the Sacramento regional March Madness games, the UCLA Bruins took down the Minnesota Golden Gophers with ease, winning 80-56. Meanwhile, the Duke Blue Devils defeated the LSU Tigers in a thrilling 87-85 contest that came down to the final seconds, with senior guard Ashlon Jackson hitting the game-winning shot at the buzzer.

Why it matters

The wins by UCLA and Duke set up an Elite Eight matchup between the two powerhouse programs, renewing a rivalry from earlier in the season when the Bruins routed the Blue Devils. This high-profile clash will have major implications for the national championship race.

The details

The Bruins dominated the paint, outscoring Minnesota 52-22 inside as senior center Lauren Betts and forward Angela Dugalic combined for 29 points. UCLA's defense also clamped down in the second half, forcing multiple shot clock violations to build a double-digit lead. For Duke, the Blue Devils overcame a halftime deficit with a strong third quarter, then held off a late LSU comeback attempt. Ashlon Jackson's buzzer-beating layup gave Duke the dramatic victory.

  • UCLA and Minnesota were tied 35-35 at halftime.
  • Duke led LSU 57-50 at halftime.
  • Duke went on an 11-0 run to start the fourth quarter.
  • LSU took a one-point lead with 9 seconds left, but Ashlon Jackson hit the game-winning shot for Duke as time expired.

The players

Lauren Betts

Senior center for the UCLA Bruins who dominated the paint, combining with teammate Angela Dugalic for 29 points.

Kiki Rice

Senior guard for UCLA who led all scorers with 21 points, including a steady diet of layups and floaters.

Ashlon Jackson

Senior guard for the Duke Blue Devils who hit the game-winning buzzer-beater to defeat LSU.

Mikaylah Williams

Junior guard for the LSU Tigers who scored 22 points in the losing effort against Duke.

Flau'jae Johnson

Senior guard for LSU who finished with 13 points as part of the Tigers' star-studded backcourt trio.

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What they’re saying

“We said 'no matter what, we're going to start this half with a kill,' which is three stops in a row. Momentum changes off of shot clock violations are a big deal. We started to see ourselves get stops, and we were rewarded with transitions.”

— Cori Close, Head Coach, UCLA Bruins

“The way it went in, I felt like I was in a dream. It was just playing back over and over again before the ball went in.”

— Ashlon Jackson, Senior Guard, Duke Blue Devils

“In the late game moments, as a coach, you're trying to stay poised and calm for [the players], because they take their cues from me. There's a lot of talking that goes on to myself in my head in those moments of what I need to focus on and what messaging I need to give to them.”

— Kara Lawson, Head Coach, Duke Blue Devils

What’s next

The UCLA Bruins and Duke Blue Devils will face off in the Elite Eight on Sunday, March 30, 2026. This will be a rematch of an earlier regular season game where UCLA defeated Duke 89-59 on November 27, 2025.

The takeaway

These two March Madness Sweet 16 games showcased the high-level talent and drama that makes the NCAA women's basketball tournament so captivating. UCLA's dominant interior play and Duke's thrilling last-second victory set the stage for an Elite Eight showdown between two of the sport's premier programs.