Takeways: The Greatest UConn–Duke Game Ever

Maybe Ed Cooley was right, UConn fans are spoiled.

We’ve seen back-to-back championships during a challenging new era for roster construction with NIL and the portal, and despite making less money than all of the P4 schools.

On Sunday night, Tarris Reed Jr.’s excellence kept them in the game, and then every starter and rotation player contributed something, whether it was a timely three, a big steal, or diving for a loose ball, to the comeback victory effort.

The play that led to Mullins’ three is one of the most improbable in all of basketball, let alone the NCAA Tournament. Down two with 10 seconds left, UConn was looking to foul, hope that Duke missed a free throw, and get a chance at a three with a few seconds left.

At least that last part ended up happening.

Mullins’ three rang through and with it a lifetime core memory for UConn fans of any age. For those who saw the Laettner shot in 1990, or the George Mason loss in that same building in 2006, surely this felt like redemption.

Our takeaways:

Best UConn-Duke Game Ever

Earvin Adjei: In the history of the men’s NCAA Tournament, #1 seeds were 134-0 when leading by 15 or more points at halftime. That record became 134-1 last night when the UConn Huskies’ men’s basketball team erased a 19-point deficit, culminating in a game-winning three-pointer by Braylon Mullins that stunned the Duke Blue Devils in the Elite Eight. With the season on the line and the clock winding down, Mullins delivered a shot that will live in collegiate basketball history.

It was exactly 27 years to the day that UConn defeated Duke in the National Championship to claim its first NCAA title. Once again, the Huskies showcased their March magic and stamped their spot in the Final Four with this victory over Duke. The two programs have clashed in the tournament before, but where does this game rank among the best between the two in tournament history?

UConn and Duke may not meet often, but when they do, boy, we’re usually in for a treat. The two programs have met in the NCAA tournament a total of five times, with an average margin of victory of four points. From Christian Laettner’s overtime buzzer beater in the 1990 Elite Eight to UConn’s 1999 National Championship win, these matchups have consistently delivered drama and unforgettable moments. Last night’s matchup delivered all that and then some.

The stakes and rarity of Sunday’s game prove that this was the greatest game in this rivalry. #1 seeds were undefeated (134-0) when leading by 15 or more points at halftime in the men’s NCAA Tournament. Not only did we witness a historic comeback from the Huskies, but also a historic collapse from Duke. The extra layer of historical significance in this Elite Eight battle wasn’t just dramatic; it was statistically unheard of.

To put this game in perspective, consider some of the other iconic UConn vs Duke games. The 1990 Elite Eight matchup was an overtime thriller, the 1991 Sweet Sixteen was a Duke rout, the 1999 National Championship was UConn’s first national title, and 1991 Sweet Sixteen was a Duke rout, and 2004 Final Four was a tight game that saw UConn squeak out a win even though Duke was up late. Sunday’s game combined elements from all of these games. High stakes, a large deficit overcome, and a shot that will be remembered for years.

Between the second-largest comeback in Elite Eight history, a historic collapse, and an epic game-winner, this was the greatest UConn–Duke tournament game we’ve ever seen. The 1999 championship game is special, seeing as it was an upset win that ended a 32-game win streak by Duke and gave UConn its first title, but last night’s performance belongs in the conversation for the greatest matchup ever between these two storied programs.

Braylon Mullins last-second three-point shot solidified this game as the pinnacle of this rivalry. An improbable comeback and late-game heroics from an Indiana native who booked his team’s ticket to the Final Four in his home state. This game put the madness in March Madness.

Dawg Alert

Aman: When this time of year hits, you can throw out the KenPom, the regular-season record, and any insecurities because Dan Hurley’s teams are built for the tourney. Their upset of Duke is just another sign of the excellence at play in Storrs, from coaching to culture and the will of the players they develop. Since 2023, they’ve proven that something else matters besides recruiting rankings and conference revenue, and that should be refreshing for any college sports fan, even if it’s especially meaningful to UConn fans.

One can’t help but wonder, if UConn was one of the darlings of sports media, how much more attention Alex Karaban’s season would be getting. He’s one of the greatest winners in college basketball history, and yet has not received the Tyler Hansbrough treatment, or even the Ben Hansbrough treatment. He was just named to the Big East first team this year and still is not nationally covered as much as some five-star at Kentucky or Duke.

Time for all that to change. UConn is one of the elite, blue-blood programs of the sport, and it’s time for its players and coaches to receive that respect. Three Final Fours in four years is INSANE.