UConn clinches Final Four berth with stunning long-range winner

UConn players celebrate after their win against Duke in the Elite Eight of the NCAA college basketball tournament in Washington. (AP)

WASHINGTON, March 30 (AP): Braylon Mullins retrieved a loose ball near midcourt and suddenly, improbably, UConn had a chance to win.

As the frantic final seconds unfolded, Dan Hurley figured a timeout would do little good.

"It just felt like the window where you’ve just got to let March Madness take over,” Hurley said. "March magic.”

The Huskies have enjoyed plenty of that through the years, and this may have been their most astonishing win yet. Mullins sank a desperation 3-pointer with 0.4 seconds left to give UConn a 73-72 victory over top-seeded Duke on Sunday, earning the Huskies a spot in the Final Four after they rallied from a 19-point first-half deficit.

The Blue Devils (35-3) 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 by Demary, and after UConn came up with the ball, Mullins swished a 3 from 35 feet away.

UConn (33-5) went just 5 of 23 from 3-point range. The fifth will be remembered in Connecticut for generations.

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.

Hurley is trying to coach the Huskies to a national title for the third time in four seasons, a feat that hasn’t been accomplished since UCLA in the 1970s. UConn now faces third-seeded Illinois in Saturday’s semifinal in Indianapolis.

To get there, the Huskies needed one of the biggest comebacks in regional final history. Only Louisville, which came from 20 down to beat West Virginia in 2005, had a bigger one. Duke led 44-25 late in the first half and 44-29 at the break. That’s now the largest halftime lead in tournament history blown by a No. 1 seed.

Cameron Boozer, who had 27 points for the Blue Devils, fought his way to a basket inside with 28.9 seconds to play, and the next UConn possession used precious time before Demary was fouled.

After he made one of two, the inbound came to Cameron Boozer, who passed out of a double team to Dame Sarr, who then found Cameron’s twin brother, Cayden Boozer, in the middle of the court. Instead of waiting to be fouled, Cayden Boozer - who shoots about 81% from the line - tried for one more pass as Mullins and Demary closed in on him.

There were two Duke players alone deep, but the ball never got there. Demary was able to deflect it, and Mullins picked it up near midcourt. He passed to Alex Karaban, who gave it back to Mullins. The freshman was in rhythm, but about halfway between the 3-point arc and the half-court line.