Duke, the top seed, had a heart-stopping end to their dream season on Sunday when they blew a 19-point lead and lost to second-seeded UConn 73–72 in the Elite Eight of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament. Duke’s 35–3 season came to an end with this loss, which kept the Blue Devils from going to the Final Four. UConn won thanks to a last-second three-pointer from Braylon Mullins.
At halftime, Duke was ahead 44–29, which put the Blue Devils on track to make history and keep a long-running streak going for No. 1 seeds who are ahead by at least 15 points at the break. The Huskies, on the other hand, made a fierce comeback in the second half, turning Duke’s double-digit lead into a heartbreaking loss. They became the first No. 1 seed to lose after leading by 15 or more at halftime.
Cayden Boozer tried to make a simple outlet pass under pressure near midcourt with only a few seconds left and the score 72–70 in Duke’s favor. The pass was deflected, and UConn’s Braylon Mullins caught the ball and hit a deep three-pointer from more than 30 feet away at the buzzer. This sent the Huskies to the Final Four and completed a stunning 19-point comeback.
Boozer publicly took blame for the mistake after the game, saying he “cost” Duke the chance to make it to the Final Four. Teammates and coach Jon Scheyer said that the program was hurting, and many said it was one of the most painful finishes in recent Duke tournament history, especially after a strong first half.
The Huskies are now in the Final Four. They have a reputation for being tough in clutch situations and a resume that includes one of the most memorable buzzer-beaters in March Madness history. Their star big man is Tarris Reed Jr. and they have a balanced supporting cast.
