UConn’s insane comeback
UConn erased a 19‑point deficit and hit a buzzer‑beater to stun Duke and clinch a Final Four spot — one of the tournament’s most dramatic finishes in recent memory. (youtube.com) The men’s Final Four is now Michigan, Arizona, Illinois and UConn, with semis scheduled for Saturday, April 4 in Indianapolis and the title game on Monday, April 6. (ncaa.com) (npr.org)
Freshman guard Braylon Mullins buried a 35‑foot, logo 3‑pointer with 0.4 seconds left to lift UConn to a 73–72 victory over Duke. (uconnhuskies.com) Senior Tarris Reed Jr. led UConn with 26 points and nine rebounds, finishing 10‑for‑16 from the field in the game. (espn.com) Silas Demary Jr. made one of two free throws with 10 seconds remaining to tie the score at 72 before Mullins’ final shot, and UConn connected on just 5 of 23 attempts from 3‑point range overall. (uconnhuskies.com) Coach Dan Hurley said he declined a late timeout because “it felt like the window where you’ve just got to let March Madness take over,” a line he gave after the East Regional finish. (cbssports.com) The result came 36 years after Christian Laettner’s famous Elite Eight shot for Duke, a historical parallel noted by national outlets comparing the two closing moments. (espn.com) UConn improved to 33–5 with the win and will make its third Final Four in four seasons, while Duke — the tournament’s overall No. 1 seed this year — fell to 35–3. (nytimes.com)
