Friday’s opening night of the 2026 Women’s NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 delivered everything March Madness promises — heartbreak, history, and a buzzer-beater for the ages.
Duke 87, LSU 85 — Jackson’s Miracle Ends It
The night’s defining moment belonged to Duke senior Ashlon Jackson, whose extraordinary buzzer-beater lifted the Blue Devils past LSU 87-85 and into the Elite Eight.
What made the finish so remarkable was the dramatic reversal it represented. Duke had led by 11 in the fourth quarter before going completely scoreless for nearly three and a half minutes, allowing LSU to rattle off a 10-0 run and seize the lead with nine seconds remaining. Jackson herself had nearly sealed the loss, missing two free throws with 18 seconds left that could have given Duke a comfortable cushion.
But with 2.6 seconds on the clock, Jackson got her redemption. Running through a designed elevator-door screen action to shake LSU’s Flau’jae Johnson, she caught the inbound pass, took one dribble, drew a pump-fake foul attempt from the closing Johnson, and released the shot. The ball rattled around the rim — two full revolutions — before dropping through as time expired.
“Honestly, I can’t really spill the beans,” Jackson said of the final play. “It was a great call by [coach Kara Lawson] for sure. I’m really glad they trusted me that much.”
Jackson finished with 19 points and five assists. Duke now advances to the Elite Eight in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2012-13, where they’ll face No. 1 seed UCLA on Sunday.
Notre Dame 67, Vanderbilt 64 — Hidalgo Makes History
In Fort Worth, Notre Dame’s Hannah Hidalgo delivered arguably the most statistically staggering individual performance in tournament history. The Irish guard posted 31 points, 11 rebounds, seven assists, and an astonishing 10 steals — a 30-point triple-double that placed her alongside Caitlin Clark as the only players to ever accomplish that feat in NCAA Tournament play. She also broke the NCAA single-season Division I steals record in the process.
Hidalgo’s brilliance was necessary. Notre Dame led by as many as 12 but could never fully put away Vanderbilt, whose star Mikayla Blakes — despite going just 7-of-26 from the field — had two shots in the final seconds to tie the game. Both missed, and the Irish held on 67-64, reaching the Elite Eight for the first time since 2019.
UCLA 80, Minnesota 56 — Bruins Cruise
No. 1 seed UCLA required no late heroics. After a slow start against fellow Big Ten foe Minnesota, the Bruins took control in the second half behind Kiki Rice and Lauren Betts, who combined for 37 points, six rebounds, six assists, four steals, and five blocks on 14-of-21 shooting. The 24-point final margin was comfortable and clinical.
UConn 63, North Carolina 42 — Huskies Remain Unblemished
UConn’s path was briefly bumpy — the top overall seed shot just 5-of-22 from the field in the first quarter — but the Huskies’ talent quickly reasserted itself. Sarah Strong posted a dominant 21-point, 10-rebound, five-steal performance to lead UConn to a 21-point win and their 29th Elite Eight appearance in the last 32 years.
At 37-0, the reigning national champions remain undefeated and are now just three wins from a perfect season and back-to-back titles.
Friday’s results set up a compelling Elite Eight weekend. UConn’s aura of inevitability, Hidalgo’s historic ascent, and now Jackson’s miracle moment have all reset the tournament’s stakes. Whether any team can slow the Huskies’ march toward history remains the central question — but Friday proved the drama is far from over.
