Who is Reigan Richardson? Meet the March Madness star who took Duke to its first Sweet 16 since 2018

Meet Reigan Richardson, the Duke star who propelled an upset over Ohio State.

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