Mullins Buzzer-Beater Sends UConn to Final Four

Summary:

• UConn’s Braylon Mullins hit a last-second three to beat the Duke Blue Devils.
• The Huskies completed a stunning 19-point comeback, advancing to the Final Four.
• They will face the Illinois Fighting Illini in a semifinal lineup that will also feature Michigan and Arizona.

It felt like something out of a movie, the kind of ending that only seems possible in NCAA Basketball Tournament. However, on Sunday night in Washington, it was very real .

With just seconds left and everything on the line, Braylon Mullins delivered a moment that will be remembered for years.

The UConn freshman drilled a deep three-pointer with 0.3 seconds remaining to lift the Huskies to a 73-72 win over the Duke Blue Devils, sending them to the Final Four.

They Trailed by 19 Points

What made it even more remarkable was how the game unfolded. UConn trailed by as many as 19 points and had spent most of the night chasing. At halftime, Duke looked firmly in control, holding a lead that teams historically never give up in this stage of the tournament.

However, somehow, Yet UConn kept hanging around, and the final sequence was chaotic. Down two points with seconds left, the Huskies forced a turnover near midcourt.

The ball then bounced free before Mullins gathered it and briefly passed to teammate Alex Karaban. Seeing an opening, Karaban returned it to Mullins, who pulled up from well beyond the arc, and the shot dropped cleanly.

Mullins: “The Greatest Thing In My Life”

It’s just crazy. You cannot even process or explain it. It’s single-handedly the greatest thing in my life.

His father, watching from the stands, was not as surprised. He had seen his son hit similar shots before, though none with stakes like this.

UConn’s comeback will go down as one of the most dramatic in tournament history. The Huskies led for less than a minute the entire game, yet somehow walked away with the win. They had also struggled from long range, starting just 1-for-18 from three before Mullins delivered the biggest one of all.

The victory sends UConn to the Final Four, where they will face the Illinois Fighting Illini. The semifinal lineup also includes Michigan and Arizona, setting up a highly competitive finish to the tournament.

For Mullins, the moment carries extra meaning. A native of Indiana, he now heads to the Final Four in Indianapolis, close to home, with his family set to be in the crowd once again.

After a season that began with injury setbacks, he has now written his name into March history.