UConn men's basketball pulls off historic comeback against Duke

Braylon Mullins' 40-foot buzzer-beater caps off improbable rally from 19-point deficit

Apr. 1, 2026 at 1:54pm

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The UConn men's basketball team overcame a 19-point deficit in the first half to defeat the top-seeded Duke Blue Devils and advance to the Final Four. Braylon Mullins hit a game-winning 40-foot shot at the buzzer to complete the historic comeback, which was the largest in program history. The win came on the 27th anniversary of UConn's first national championship in 1999, adding to the significance of the victory.

Why it matters

UConn's men's basketball program is one of the most successful in the country, with six national titles and eight Final Four appearances. This comeback win over a dominant Duke team further cements the Huskies' status as an elite program and shows their ability to win big games against top-ranked opponents, even when facing large deficits.

The details

UConn trailed Duke 44-25 with just over 2 minutes left in the first half, giving the Blue Devils a 97.3% chance of winning the game. But the Huskies slowly chipped away at the lead in the second half, getting key contributions from players like Tarris Reed Jr., Alex Karaban, Solo Ball, and Silas Demary Jr. A pair of 3-pointers from Demary Jr. cut the deficit to 7 with 6 minutes left, and a Ball and-one in transition made it a 3-point game. After Duke stretched the lead back to 5, Karaban hit a huge 3-pointer to make it a 1-point game. With 10 seconds left and Duke up 3, Mullins stole the inbounds pass and hit the game-winning 40-footer at the buzzer to complete the comeback.

  • UConn trailed Duke 44-25 with 2:02 left in the first half.
  • UConn cut the deficit to 15 at halftime.
  • Silas Demary Jr. hit two 3-pointers to make it a 7-point game with 6:07 left.
  • Alex Karaban hit a 3-pointer to make it a 1-point game with under 2 minutes left.
  • Braylon Mullins hit the game-winning 40-foot shot at the buzzer.

The players

Braylon Mullins

A sophomore guard who hit the game-winning 40-foot shot to complete UConn's historic comeback against Duke.

Tarris Reed Jr.

A key contributor for UConn off the bench during their second-half comeback.

Alex Karaban

A sophomore forward who hit a crucial 3-pointer late in the game to cut Duke's lead to 1 point.

Solo Ball

A junior guard who made an and-one play in transition to help UConn get back in the game.

Silas Demary Jr.

A sophomore guard who hit two 3-pointers to spark UConn's second-half comeback.

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What’s next

UConn will face the winner of the other Elite Eight matchup in the Final Four in Indianapolis.

The takeaway

This historic comeback win over a dominant Duke team further cements UConn's status as one of the elite men's basketball programs in the country. The Huskies' ability to rally from a large deficit and hit a game-winning shot at the buzzer shows their resilience and clutch performance under pressure.