dailynewsnblog
The No. 2 Connecticut Huskies will be playing in their third Final Four in four seasons after a stunning, come-from-behind victory against the No. 1 Duke Blue Devils in final game of the men’s Elite Eight on Sunday.
The Huskies were trailing for most of the game — from the 18:26 mark of the first half until the final second of regulation — but won 73-72 after an improbable 3-pointer from freshman guard Braylon Mullins with 0.3 seconds remaining.
The Blue Devils led by as many as 19 points, and held an 11-point advantage with 7:59 left in the second half. Connecticut managed to finish the game on a 22-10 run from that point forward, shocking Duke after after a topsy-turvy final few minutes.
With 1:51 left in the second half, Patrick Ngongba II hit a free throw to put the Blue Devils ahead 70-65. After a free throw and then a steal by Tarris Reed Jr., Alex Karaban hit a 3 to cut Duke’s lead to 70-69.
Cameron Boozer answered with a bucket to extend the Blue Devils’ lead to three points, only for Duke to fumble the game away.
First, on a possession that was stalling as time ticked away, Boozer fouled Silas Demary Jr., which sent him to the line, where he hit only one free throw.
The Blue Devils had a 72-70 lead and the ball with 10.0 seconds on the clock. But after the ensuing inbounds, a Cayden Boozer pass was tipped and stolen Mullins.
After a quick hit-ahead pass, Mullins received the ball back and unleashed a 35-foot 3-pointer for the win.
Meanwhile, had a Duke player simply held on to the ball, the Huskies would have been forced to foul because the Blue Devils were not in danger of a 10-second backcourt violation.
Connecticut is now advancing to the Final Four, while Duke will be denied a repeat trip after losing to Houston in the semifinals last season — another game in which the Blue Devils squandered a late lead.
The Huskies, one the other, hand, will be looking for their third national championship since 2023.
