In a March Madness classic, UConn’s Braylon Mullins redeemed his rough shooting night with a 35-foot buzzer-beater to complete a 19-point comeback and send the Huskies to the Final Four, exposing Duke’s late-game fragility and cementing UConn’s legacy as a tournament powerhouse.
The Shot That Defined a Tournament
Braylon Mullins missed his first four 3-point attempts. On his fifth, the freshman sank one of the all-time great shots in NCAA Tournament history. With UConn down 72-69 and 10 seconds remaining, Silas Demary Jr. deflected a Duke inbound pass, Alex Karaban fed Mullins, who squared up and drained a 35-footer as the clock hit 0.4 seconds. The shot capped a miraculous 19-point comeback and gave UConn a 73-72 lead that held after Cameron Boozer’s half-court heave clanged off the rim Field Level Media.
“Yeah, still a loss of words. Still processing all of what just happened,” Mullins said. “Man, I’m just happy that was the one that went down tonight.” Karaban, who fed Mullins for the winner, added: “When I saw him release it, I was like, ‘That really might go in.’ It went in, and the Indiana kid sent us to Indianapolis.” Mullins, a McDonald’s All-American from Greenfield-Central High School, will return to Indiana for the Final Four.
Duke’s Collapse and UConn’s Grit
The Blue Devils (35-3) led for nearly the entire game, building a 19-point advantage early in the second half. But UConn (33-5) chipped away, cutting the deficit to 15 by halftime and then using an 8-1 run to get within seven. After Duke restored a double-digit lead, a 10-2 UConn run closed it to 67-65 when Solo Ball completed a three-point play with 3:42 left.
What makes the win staggering is UConn’s abysmal 3-point shooting. The Huskies finished 5 of 23 from deep (21.7%), including a horrific 1 of 18 at one point. “What the hell did you just say, 1 for 18?” coach Dan Hurley exclaimed in the postgame press conference, covering his face in disbelief. “I knew it was bad. I kept asking the assistant coaches, and no one would tell me what it was.” Yet UConn snapped the nation’s longest active winning streak at 14 games.
Duke’s undoing was self-inflicted. The Blue Devils committed eight turnovers after halftime, including the fatal one by freshman Cayden Boozer that led directly to Mullins’ shot. “We just gave them easy baskets,” coach Jon Scheyer said. “We just had to secure the ball better, and that’s a recipe to put yourself in that position.”
Legacy and What’s Next
The victory sends UConn to its third Final Four in four years and seventh overall, reaffirming the program’s status as a modern dynasty under Hurley. The Huskies overcame a season riddled with injuries to key players, a narrative Hurley highlighted: “It’s been a season where we’ve been dealt with injuries to key players at critical points of the year that we’ve had to overcome, and we’ve had to show a lot of fortitude and resilience.”
For Duke, the loss is a crushing end to a 35-3 season. Cameron Boozer scored 27 points and grabbed eight rebounds in what is likely his final collegiate game; the Naismith Award favorite is projected as an NBA lottery pick. “I’m just super thankful for it all,” Boozer said. “I’m hurting right now. We’re all hurting. I wish I could have gave more for those guys.” Scheyer fell one game short of back-to-back Final Four appearances in his fourth season succeeding Mike Krzyzewski.
UConn will face No. 3 seed Illinois, which eliminated No. 9 Iowa 71-59 in the South Region final. The matchup pits two resilient programs that have overcome adversity to reach Indianapolis.
Fan Perspective: The “What-Ifs” and Rising Stars
This game will fuel endless fan debates. Could Duke have fouled intentionally earlier? Why did Scheyer call a timeout before the final inbound? But the lasting image is Mullins—a freshman who endured a brutal night from the field—delivering in the brightest moment. His emergence adds another weapon to a UConn team that already features stars like Tarris Reed Jr. (26 points, one rebound shy of a third tournament double-double) and a deep supporting cast.
For Duke fans, the focus shifts to the NBA draft and the future. With Cameron Boozer likely departing and Cayden Boozer’s turnover sealing the loss, questions about roster construction will dominate the offseason. Yet the Blue Devils’ 35 wins and ACC dominance remain a testament to Scheyer’s building.
The convergence of UConn’s veteran poise and Mullins’ freshman heroics encapsulates why this tournament captivates. A team that shot so poorly from deep still found a way, thanks to defense, rebounding, and one unforgettable shot.
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