Duke appeared to have its ticket punched to the Final Four, leading UConn by double digits in the second half of Sunday’s Elite Eight game before an epic collapse took it all away.
Duke led by as many as 19 points before the Huskies mounted a steady comeback, eventually overtaking the Blue Devils in the final seconds of the game. The loss shook the college basketball world, with many expressing shock at a game that Duke appeared to have wrapped up.
Fans Share Amazement at Duke-UConn Ending
Despite watching UConn storm back in the second half, Duke had a chance to ice the game with less than 10 seconds remaining, but UConn stole a pass and freshman star Braylon Mullins hit a shot from near halfcourt to take a 73-72 lead, which would hold up as Duke failed on their final possession with one second remaining.
“One of the greatest shots I’ve ever seen in my life,” a fan shared in a post on X.
“MULLINS OH MY GOODNESS,” another posted.
UConn head coach Dan Hurley appeared just as excited, shouting some praise for Mullins in his postgame interview.
“We told Braylon Mullins when we were recruiting him, we’re gonna bring him back to Indy for the Final Four, and now Braylon Mullins is going back to Indy for the Final Four,” Hurley shouted. “Oh yeah!”
Mullins attracted plenty of praise himself, both for the final shot and the poise he showed in knocking down Cayden Boozer’s final pass attempt. Mullins appeared to let the ball bounce one time to avoid a backcourt violation, then carefully gathered it before hitting the final shot.
Other fans shared praise for the entire game, which was one of the most thrilling contests in this year’s NCAA Tournament.
“That was one of the greatest endings to any sporting event I’ve ever seen in my entire life,” a fan shared on X. “Easily one of the greatest shots/moments in the history of the NCAA tournament. I love sports so much. Nothing like it.”
Duke Fans, Players Devastated With Loss
Fans weren’t the only ones stunned at the last-second winner from UConn after their furious comeback. Many noted that Duke star Cam Boozer appeared shell-shocked at the outcome.
“Cam Boozer looks absolutely shook, just took a sigh. This was a tough one….” a post on X noted.
Duke had entered the NCAA Tournament as the top overall seed but struggled from the beginning, trailing No. 16 seed Siena by 13 points at halftime and needing a big comeback against the shorthanded MAAC champion to win and advance.
The Blue Devils were still one of the most popular picks to win it all when they faced the tournament-tested UConn team.
The game could be the last one for Duke’s Boozer twins, who are expected to head off to the NBA next season. Neither Cayden nor Camden have announced their final decision, which is expected to come in the next few weeks.
The win puts UConn back into the Final Four and a matchup against Illinois.
College Basketball World Reacts to Epic Duke Collapse Against UConn