WASHINGTON — Thirty-six years after Christian Laettner hit a buzzer-beater to beat UConn in the Elite Eight and send Duke to the men’s Final Four, the Huskies got their revenge.
UConn freshman Braylon Mullins — who grew up just outside of Indianapolis and will return home looking for more magic — stole the ball and buried a 3-pointer from 35 feet to cap a remarkable 19-point comeback and give the Huskies a 73-72 win.
They advance to the Final Four for the third time in four years.
“It’s a UConn culture, a UConn heart,” coach Dan Hurley said. “We believe we’re supposed to win this time of year.”
UConn trailed by as many as 19 points in the first half, and Duke still led by double digits with just over six minutes left. But Tarris Reed Jr.’s 26 points kept the Huskies close and a flurry of 3-pointers in the final four minutes pushed UConn over the top.
The Blue Devils led by three before UConn’s Silas Demary Jr. made one of two free throws with 10 seconds left. With Duke playing keep-away to prevent the Huskies from fouling, Cayden Boozer’s pass near midcourt was deflected, and after UConn came up with the ball, Mullins made a shot from well beyond the 3-point line.
It’s the second straight season to end in a huge collapse for Duke, which was the top overall seed in this year’s tournament. The Blue Devils led by six with 1:14 remaining before falling to Houston in last year’s national semifinals.
In what was probably his final college game, Naismith Player of the Year front-runner Cameron Boozer had 27 points, eight rebounds and four assists.
With the Huskies’ win, the Final Four is set. Illinois will face UConn and Michigan will take on Arizona next Saturday, with the winners squaring off two nights later for the national title.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
