The UConn Huskies were able to get revenge for a buzzer beater 36 years ago and stun Duke in the Elite Eight.
While none of the players on the court for either the UConn Huskies or the Duke Blue Devils were alive for the Christian Laettner buzzer-beater 36 years ago, the Huskies were able to avenge that and even the score with an electrifying finish to knock off the top-seeded squad in the Elite Eight. UConn freshman Braylon Mullins will remember that moment for life, nailing a three-pointer after stealing the ball off a pass by Cayden Boozer and gave the Huskies a one-point lead with 0.4 seconds remaining. UConn was able to surmount a 19-point comeback and secure a 73-72 victory that will send them to the Final Four for the third time in four years under head coach Dan Hurley, who they won back-to-back championships with in 2023 and 2024.
Should they go all the way this year, the Huskies would become the first team since UCLA in the 1970s to win three national titles in four years. Fittingly, they’ll head to Indiana off a shot by an Indianapolis freshman. It was a strong effort by Silas Demary Jr. and Mullins to decide to leave their post defensively and smother Boozer, but it caused him to make an errant pass out of pressure and their duress paid off. In fact, Mullins didn’t even expect to take the shot, passing the ball ahead to senior Alex Karaban. But Karaban, who would have the assist, was guarded by Cayden’s brother, Cameron, forcing the ball back to Mullins. The rest was history.
Here is the full story from UConn Roundtable writer Jami Leabow on the March Miracle.
After a late-season shooting slump, Mullins made one of the cleanest shots of his career.