HENDERSON, Nev. — In an impressive display of skill, Ashlon Jackson achieved a personal best of 30 points as No. 14 Duke triumphed over No. 10 Kansas State with a score of 73-62 in the semifinals of the Ball Dawgs Classic on Monday.

The Blue Devils (6-1) showed their resilience, surmounting an early 11-point deficit, primarily due to Jackson’s exceptional shooting performance, thereby securing a spot in Wednesday’s championship game against the victor of the matchup between No. 9 Oklahoma and DePaul.

Throughout the game, Jackson was unstoppable, finishing with an impressive shooting line of 12 for 19 (63.1%) from the field, which included a stellar 6 of 9 (66.7%) from beyond the arc. She has maintained a streak of scoring in double digits in all of Duke’s games this season. Reigan Richardson contributed significantly to the offense as well, adding 16 points to the Blue Devils’ total.

On the side of Kansas State (5-1), Ayoka Lee led the charge with 16 points, while teammates Serena Sundell and Kennedy Taylor added 15 and 11 points, respectively, to the team’s scoreboard.

In terms of milestones, Lee is nearing a significant achievement; with her 16-point effort, she now requires just 48 points to surpass the career scoring record at Kansas State, previously held by Kendra Wecker, who amassed 2,333 points from 2001 to 2005. Lee, anticipated to be a strong contender as the 2024-25 Preseason Big 12 Player of the Year, is currently averaging 15.3 points per game.

For Duke, Jackson reached her season scoring average of 13.3 points by the 3:54 mark in the second quarter, when she netted a pull-up jumper for her 14th point. By halftime, the junior guard had transformed the game with 20 points, shooting 8 of 11 from the field and 4 of 5 from three-point territory.

A pivotal moment in the game occurred midway through the second quarter when Duke was down by six points. Jackson ignited a remarkable 15-0 scoring run, contributing 13 of those points, allowing Duke to take a lead they would not let go of for the remainder of the contest.

Looking ahead, Duke is set to meet the winner of the matchup between No. 9 Oklahoma and DePaul in the championship game on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Kansas State will take on the losing team in a consolation matchup.