UConn Upsets Duke to Reach Final Four as Fans Stunned by Historic Collapse, Braylon Mullins' Shot

No. 2 UConn pulled off a stunning upset over No. 1 Duke, winning by the final score of 73-72 to advance to the Final Four of the 2026 NCAA tournament on Sunday.

As the Blue Devils held the ball with a late two-point lead, the Huskies forced a turnover before freshman guard Braylon Mullins connected on a deep game-winning three with 0.3 seconds left in the contest.

Duke held a 19-point advantage prior to UConn's comeback.

Fans and pundits were shocked by the Blue Devils' blown lead as well as Mullins' final shot.

Mullins finished with 10 points on 4-of-10 shooting, as his last-second jumper represented his only three-pointer of the contest.

Duke opened Sunday's game with a 14-6 edge and eventually led 40-21 with just over five minutes remaining in the first half.

While UConn went on a short run just before halftime, the Blue Devils still held a 44-29 advantage heading into the second half.

Duke pushed its lead to 50-33 early in the second half, but the Huskies quickly responded with a 12-5 run to keep the game from getting out of hand.

UConn continued to steadily chip away at the Blue Devils' lead, eventually cutting the deficit to 67-65 after junior guard Solo Ball connected on a layup while getting fouled with just under four minutes left in the contest.

Duke created more separation following a bucket from standout freshman Cameron Boozer and a free throw by Patrick Ngongba II.

The Huskies kept pace with a triple from senior forward Alex Karaban, though.

Another short shot from Boozer gave the Blue Devils a 72-69 lead, but Huskies guard Silas Demary Jr. hit a free throw before a final steal set up Mullins' deep jumper.

While UConn punched its ticket to the Final Four, the loss marked another collapse for Duke under head coach Jon Scheyer.

Boozer finished with 27 points on 10-of-21 shooting in the defeat.

As for the Huskies, Tarris Reed Jr. led the way with 26 points. Reed shot 10-of-16 from the field while racking up nine rebounds, four blocks, three assists and two steals.

UConn's comeback win was particularly impressive considering its long-range struggles, shooting just 5-of-23 from behind the arc as a team.

The Huskies will now face Illinois in the Final Four.