March Madness 2026 just delivered what might be the greatest buzzer-beater in NCAA Tournament history. UConn freshman Braylon Mullins launched a 35-foot three-pointer from the logo with just 0.4 seconds remaining on the clock, lifting the No. 2 Huskies to a jaw-dropping 73-72 victory over top-seeded Duke in the Elite Eight on Sunday night.
The Shot Heard Around the World
With Duke holding a slim lead and seemingly seconds away from punching their Final Four ticket, disaster struck for the Blue Devils. A deflected inbound pass was stolen by UConn’s Silas Demary Jr. with six seconds left. Demary quickly found Mullins, who didn’t hesitate — pulling up from 35 feet and burying the shot that will define March Madness 2026.
Duke’s win probability sat at a staggering 98.7% moments before the steal. In a blink, everything changed. The arena erupted as Mullins was mobbed by teammates, completing one of the most improbable finishes in tournament history.
A Historic 19-Point Comeback
The buzzer-beater was the exclamation point on a comeback for the ages. Duke dominated the first half, building a commanding 44-25 lead that had the Blue Devils looking like they were headed to the Final Four with ease. UConn trailed by 19 at the break — their largest halftime deficit of the entire season.
But the Huskies refused to quit. Led by Tarris Reed Jr.’s monster 26-point performance, UConn clawed back into the game. The rally is now tied for the third-largest comeback in Elite Eight or later history in the NCAA Tournament — a testament to the never-say-die mentality that has defined this UConn program.
Key Performances
Tarris Reed Jr. was the engine behind UConn’s comeback, pouring in 26 points to keep the Huskies within striking distance. A flurry of three-pointers in the final four minutes pushed UConn over the top, even after the team missed 18 of its first 19 attempts from beyond the arc, finishing just 5-for-23 from three.
For Duke, Cameron Boozer’s brilliant college career ended in heartbreaking fashion. The star forward finished with 27 points, eight rebounds, and four assists in what was his final college game — a performance that deserved a better ending.
UConn Heads to the Final Four — Again
With the win, UConn advances to the Final Four for the third time in four years, continuing one of the most dominant runs in modern college basketball. The Huskies will face No. 3 Illinois on Saturday, April 4, at 6:09 p.m. ET in what promises to be another epic matchup.
This UConn team has shown time and again that no deficit is too large and no moment is too big. If March Madness is about the impossible becoming possible, Braylon Mullins just wrote himself into the tournament’s history books forever.
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