Braylon Mullins hit a three-pointer with 0.4 seconds left. That’s it. That’s the game. That’s March.
In one of the most stunning comebacks in recent NCAA Tournament memory, UConn erased a 19-point deficit to defeat Duke 73-72 in the Elite Eight on Saturday in Washington, D.C., punching their ticket to the Final Four on a shot that will live in Huskies lore for a very long time. The Blue Devils, who entered the game at 35-2 and looked every bit like a team destined for a championship run, are now heading home — stunned, 35-3, and asking a lot of hard questions about how it all unraveled so fast.
How It Happened
Duke was in control for most of this game. Dominant, even. The Blue Devils used a 14-0 run to build a commanding lead and went into halftime up 44-29, looking every bit like the better team on the floor. UConn, a program that’s won back-to-back national championships, was being outplayed — and not by a little.
Then the second half happened. UConn outscored Duke 44-28 after the break, a swing so dramatic it almost defies the box score. The engine of that comeback was Tarris Reed Jr., who finished with 26 points on 10-of-16 shooting and grabbed 9 rebounds — a quietly massive performance that kept the Huskies within striking distance long enough for the moment that everyone will remember.
With the clock bleeding out and Duke still clinging to a three-point lead, a deflection by Silas Demary Jr. created just enough chaos for Mullins to catch, set, and fire from beyond the arc. It went in. The Huskies stormed the court. Duke stood in disbelief. It was, to put it plainly, extraordinary.
Hurley Lets March Do the Talking
Coach Dan Hurley didn’t seem all that surprised. Or at least, he wasn’t going to let on if he was. “It just felt like the window where you’ve just got to let March Madness take over,” he said after the game. “March magic.” Short sentences. Big meaning. That’s a coach who’s been here before — and knows exactly what this program is built for.
And he wasn’t done. Reflecting on UConn’s broader identity in the postseason, Hurley was characteristically direct. “It’s a UConn culture, a UConn heart,” he told reporters. “We believe we’re supposed to win this time of year.” That’s not arrogance — or not entirely, anyway. It’s a statement backed by two straight national titles and now a third consecutive Final Four appearance. At some point, you stop calling it a coincidence.
The Bigger Picture
What does it mean that UConn is back in the Final Four? For starters, it means the Huskies are now three wins away from something no program has done in the modern era — three consecutive national championships. They’ve won it both times they’ve reached this stage under Hurley. The blueprint is established. The expectation is real.
Still, it won’t be easy from here. UConn will face Illinois in the Final Four, while the other semifinal will pit Michigan against Arizona. Illinois has been one of the tournament’s most physical teams, and the Huskies — who needed a miracle to get here — will have to find another level if they’re going to cut down the nets again. That said, a team that just erased a 19-point deficit in an Elite Eight game probably isn’t too worried about what’s coming.
Duke’s Bitter Exit
For Duke, there’s no clean way to process this one. A 35-3 record. A 15-point halftime lead. A roster loaded with talent. And yet — here we are. The Blue Devils led by three points with less than a minute left in a regional final, and it still wasn’t enough. That’s not a program failure; that’s March doing what March does. But it doesn’t make the flight home any shorter.
Mullins’s shot will sting in Durham for a while. Maybe a long while. The kind of loss that replays itself in slow motion, over and over, through an entire offseason.
For UConn, though? It’s just another chapter. And if history is any guide, they’re not done writing it.
