Sunday afternoon in Columbus, Ohio, turned out to be a coming-out party for Duke junior guard Reigan Richardson.
The former Georgia transfer lit up the No. 2 seed Ohio State Buckeyes in a decisive 75-63 upset for the Duke Blue Devils. They did it on the strength of Richardson, who got whatever she wanted as a scorer at all three levels — at the rim, from the midrange, and from 3-point land.
All told Richardson recorded 28 points, seven rebounds, three steals, and an assist. She is the first Duke women’s player to record at least 25 points in back-to-back tournament games since Alana Beard in 2003.
It is perhaps no coincidence then that Richardson’s sterling performance also helped Duke to its first Sweet 16 appearance since 2018:
DUKE DOWNS OHIO STATE! The seventh-seeded Blue Devils upset the No. 2 seed Buckeyes behind 28 points from Reigan Richardson, the first Duke player with back-to-back 25-point games in the NCAA tournament since Alana Beard in 2003.
— ESPN Women's Hoops (@ESPN_WomenHoop) March 24, 2024
In her second full season as a starter for the Blue Devils, Richardson has been a steadying presence. Her season-long stat line of 11.9 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.6 assists has been a boon for Duke on both ends of the court.
And now, with March Madness in full swing, the experienced player has taken her game to another level. What perfect timing:
Reigan Richardson WOW pic.twitter.com/Fzik90YjnH
— Mark Schindler (@MG_Schindler) March 24, 2024
