Shooters Shoot: The Jasmine Carson Legacy Game

Jasmine Carson’s lone season in Baton Rouge quickly became one to remember after capping it off with a National Championship. The shooting display on Sunday night will go down in the record books, propelling the Tigers to their first title in program history.

The quiet sharpshooter isn’t one to show much emotion on the floor, but in an “all or nothing” moment, the passion was on full display after becoming the unsung hero for LSU.

The performance put social media in a frenzy. Carson was trending on Twitter at halftime of Sunday’s showdown with the world quickly searching to figure out who the sniper was. She woke everyone up in the biggest game of her life.

"I've been working hard my whole life. I came to LSU just to contribute and win a national title and play under a Hall of Fame coach and play with great players," Carson said. "Hard work pays off, and God is great. Everybody's journey is different, and you should just embrace your journey. I couldn't have wanted a better ending than for it to end like this."

First Half Dominance

Carson played just 12 minutes in the first half after her role changed coming into the NCAA Tournament. The West Virginia transfer started during the regular season, but come postseason play, Head Coach Kim Mulkey decided to go with Kateri Poole to take her starting spot.

In what was ultimately the right decision, it altered Carson’s rhythm. She was scoreless in the Sweet 16, Elite 8 and Final Four, but it didn’t stop her from erupting in the title game.

Carson totaled 21 points on 7-of-7 from the field and 5-of-5 from three-point range in the first half, ending it with a fadeaway prayer off the glass to shift all momentum LSU’s way. The first half display changed the trajectory of the game in every way.

"It was a surreal moment. Every player dreams of being on a big stage like this and having the game of your life, and for it to come to fruition, it meant a lot," Carson said. "I was just taking in the moment. I was just living in the moment. Usually I don't even celebrate after I make a shot, but tonight I just let it all out.

"I didn't have nothing to lose. This was my last game of my college career, and I ended it. I ended it the right way."

Postseason Struggles

Carson was 3-for-26 on three point attempts heading into the National Championship Game and 3-for-14 in the 2023 NCAA Tournament alone. A significant shooting slump, she totaled just 11 points in the first five games of the tourney, but that didn’t stop her from having the game of her life.

Shooters shoot. Mulkey has labeled Carson as “the best shooter she’s ever coached” and it came to fruition against the Hawkeyes after becoming the hero for LSU.

The showing earned Carson a spot on the All-Tournament Team alongside teammates Alexis Morris and Angel Reese with Reese earning the tourney’s Most Outstanding Player.

Spark Plug

LSU had struggled to get much production from their bench during tourney play. It was going to be the deciding factor against Iowa on Sunday. Could the Tigers get some help from their reserves when the going got tough? The answer was yes.

Led by Carson and Last-Tear Poa, the two made the most of their minutes to put the Tigers out front at halftime. With Carson’s shooting paired with Poa’s elite-level defense on AP Player of the Year Caitlin Clark, it was a recipe for success.

It was a game many will remember for the rest of their lives. LSU came out the tunnel shot out of a cannon to unload 102 points in the title game, earning the program their first-ever National Championship with Carson electrifying the Tigers with her elite shooting.