Connecticut Upsets Duke in Exciting Game to Set Final Four Matchups
UConn’s Last-Second Three-Pointer Shocks Top-Seeded Duke in NCAA Tournament
In an exhilarating finish, Braylon Mullins of the University of Connecticut made a dramatic three-pointer with just 0.4 seconds remaining, securing a stunning 73-72 victory over top-seeded Duke. This win propels the Huskies into the Final Four after overcoming a significant 19-point deficit in the first half.
The Blue Devils held a three-point lead when UConn’s Silas Demary Jr. converted one of two free throws with 10 seconds left. As Duke attempted to maintain possession to avoid a foul, a pass from Cayden Boozer was intercepted. UConn seized the opportunity, and Demary, positioned well beyond the three-point line, launched a successful shot that became a defining moment for the program.
This defeat marks another disappointing ending for Duke, which has faced two significant collapses in consecutive years. Last season, the team was up by six points with just over a minute left before losing to Houston in the national semifinals.
UConn struggled in the early stages, hitting just five of its 23 attempts from beyond the arc, with the final shot destined to be remembered in Connecticut lore.
Looking ahead, UConn will face No. 3 seed Illinois next Saturday, while No. 2 seed Michigan will take on Arizona. The winners will compete for the national championship two nights later. The match between Arizona and Michigan features two top seeds, with UConn as the second seed squaring off against Illinois.
BetMGM Sportsbook currently places Arizona as the early favorite to win the title, with odds of 19-10, closely followed by Michigan at 2-1 after their decisive 95-62 victory against Tennessee on Sunday. Michigan enters its semifinal as a 1½-point favorite.
