DURHAM, N.C. – Duke University sophomore
Richa Jackson had surgery on Friday morning at the Duke Ambulatory Surgery Center and will not be making the trip to Nashville, Tenn., with the sixth-ranked and second-seeded Blue Devil women's basketball team.
Jackson's surgery was performed by
Dr. Alison Toth to reconstruct her left ACL, which was injured on Feb. 15 as she went for a layup against Virginia Tech.
A product of Midwest City, Okla., Jackson started 17 games this season, while averaging 9.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.8 steals and 1.1 assists. The 6-0 guard had started the past 17 straight games prior to the injury. She ranked sixth overall in field goal percentage (51.1), but in Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) game only, she was second (57.1). Jackson also ranked 25th in scoring (11.1) in league contests.
Duke has now lost three potential starters -- Jackson,
Chloe Wells and
Amber Henson since the season started. Two of these student-athletes were McDonald's All-America selections -- Jackson and Henson. Wells had started the first 10 games and Henson played in eight contests before having surgery. The Blue Devils are down to eight scholarship players.
The Blue Devils will travel to Nashville, Tenn., on Friday afternoon as Duke will take on Samford in the NCAA Tournament first round on Sunday, March 18 at 7:30 p.m., on ESPN2.
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