How did UConn beat Duke for Final Four?
UConn’s 19-point comeback ends Duke’s season
No. 2 seed UConn stunned top-seeded Duke in the Elite Eight, winning 73-72 after an astonishing comeback that erased a double-digit deficit. The turning point came late when UConn freshman Braylon Mullins hit a desperation 3-pointer with roughly 0.4 seconds remaining—an ending that capped a run that had UConn believing after a difficult first half.
The game had already flipped before the final shot. UConn entered the second half trailing by a wide margin, including a first half where Duke controlled much of the tempo. UConn’s offensive drought was real earlier on, but the Huskies found a burst of scoring and defensive stops that shifted momentum quickly.
What mattered most in the finish
Two elements define how UConn pulled it off:
- Defense and urgency down the stretch: UConn’s late-game execution improved dramatically after an early shooting slump.
- A single decisive make: Mullins’ long-range heave gave UConn the lead with time almost expired.
Why it matters
This result doesn’t just send UConn to the men’s Final Four in Indianapolis—it also extends the storyline of Duke repeatedly falling short after promising tournament position. UConn’s breakthrough moment adds another historic chapter to the program’s March resume.
The Final Four field is now set with UConn, Illinois, Arizona, and Michigan, and the Huskies will carry the emotional weight of that collapse-driven victory into the national semifinals.
For fans, it is a classic March Madness narrative: the favorite looked in control, the underdog kept fighting, and the last shot rewrote the outcome.