All articles tagged with #uconn
After UConn beat Duke in the Elite Eight, Dan Hurley’s postgame moment with referee Roger Ayers was described by Ayers as nothing, with no contact or malice; the Huskies advance to the Final Four to face Illinois, paced by Mullins’ go-ahead three.
A sports outlet updates the top 10 NCAA Tournament buzzer-beaters, placing Braylon Mullins’ 35-foot shot for UConn to beat Duke at No. 3 behind Christian Laettner’s 1992 Elite Eight winner and Kris Jenkins’ 2016 title shot, with context on the clock, stakes and degree of difficulty across the list’s entries from 1983–2019 and 2026.
A Sports Illustrated piece ranks 12 of the NCAA tournament’s most shocking shots, highlighting Braylon Mullins’s 35-foot game-winner against Duke at No. 7 and weighing factors like surprise, impact, and drama; the list spans legendary buzzer-beaters and could shift as the season concludes.
UConn edged Duke on Braylon Mullins’ last-second three to reach the Final Four, a moment amplified by a post-score confrontation as coach Dan Hurley pressed foreheads with a referee. The sequence, captured from multiple angles, revived debate over whether Hurley should have been assessed a technical and echoed his earlier ejection for confrontations with officials. The NCAA highlighted the play with a compilation of angles, while fans and analysts weighed whether the moment marred an iconic finish or showcased Hurley’s signature intensity.
During a break in Elite Eight coverage, Charles Barkley veered from basketball analysis to criticize U.S. immigration policy, calling the border situation a “travesty and a disgrace” and praising “amazing immigrants” while distinguishing them from criminals; the moment followed a segment on UConn and dominated broadcast and social chatter.
The Final Four is set in Indianapolis with Arizona and Michigan widely seen as the frontrunners and UConn and Illinois able to challenge. The Elite Eight produced a Duke collapse and a late Huskies rally, setting up a semifinal pairing of Arizona vs. Michigan and Illinois vs. UConn. Arizona rode a dominant 48-26 second half to beat Purdue, Michigan crushed Tennessee, Illinois weathered Iowa in a slow-paced, efficient win, and UConn erased a big deficit to stun Duke. With no Cinderella story among the four, the weekend promises high‑level basketball and potential rematches en route to a memorable final.
UConn toppled Duke in a dramatic Elite Eight to reach its third Final Four in four years, underscoring a clutch, versatile style under Dan Hurley that sets the Huskies apart from Arizona, Illinois and Michigan. While the other Final Four contenders lean on size and traditional bully-ball, UConn’s brand remains distinctive, and a Michigan–Arizona semifinal would add a marquee contrast before the title is decided.
Braylon Mullins drilled a half-court 3 with 0.4 seconds left to cap a 19-point comeback, lifting UConn to a 73-72 win over Duke and into the Final Four. Tarris Reed Jr. led UConn with 26 points and nine rebounds, while Cameron Boozer had 27 for Duke before the heartbreaking finish. Hurley’s Huskies complete a stunning rally on the way to a third Final Four in four years.
Illinois punched its ticket to the NCAA men’s basketball Final Four for the first time since 2005 by defeating Iowa in Houston, earning a national semifinal in Indianapolis on April 4 against UConn; Arizona and Michigan also advanced to complete the Final Four, and Illinois owns six Final Four appearances with its 2005 title-game run in the program’s history.
The NCAA men’s tournament Final Four is set in Indianapolis with Arizona (No. 1 West), Illinois (No. 3), Michigan (No. 1) and Connecticut (No. 2) advancing after a mostly chalky Elite Eight. Arizona defeated Purdue to reach the Final Four, Illinois knocked off Houston and Iowa, Michigan routed Tennessee, and UConn survived Duke. The semifinals will pit Arizona against Michigan and Illinois against UConn at Lucas Oil Stadium.
UConn erased a 19-point gap and edged Duke 73-72 in the Elite Eight when Braylon Mullins hit a 3 with 0.4 seconds left after a Duke turnover, sending the Huskies to the Final Four for a meeting with Illinois.
The 2026 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament Elite Eight features UConn vs. Notre Dame (Sun, 1 p.m. ET on ABC) and UCLA vs. Duke (Sun, 3 p.m. ET on ABC); on Monday Texas vs. Michigan (7 p.m. ET on ESPN) and South Carolina vs. TCU (9 p.m. ET on ESPN). Games are broadcast on ESPN/ABC, with venues at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth and Golden 1 Center in Sacramento.
ESPN analyst Seth Greenberg says UConn’s path to an Elite Eight upset of Duke hinges on taking care of the ball against Duke’s length and crafting a defensive plan to neutralize Cameron Boozer, Isaiah Evans, and Foster, with Tarris Reed Jr. staying out of foul trouble as a crucial factor.
Four Elite Eight games are set: UConn vs. Notre Dame, UCLA vs. Duke, Texas vs. Michigan, and South Carolina vs. TCU. UConn is the overall favorite across all four panels, while Notre Dame has surged since KK Bransford’s return but faces a Husky squad riding a 53-game win streak. UCLA is predicted to beat Duke by three of four analysts, Texas is favored over Michigan, and South Carolina is expected to advance past TCU. Predictions are split 3-1 in UCLA–Duke (UCLA favored) and Texas–Michigan (Texas favored), with unanimous picks for UConn and South Carolina reaching Phoenix.
Friday's Sweet 16 delivered drama: Duke rallied to edge St. John’s 80-75 behind Caleb Foster’s emotional return; Michigan throttled Alabama 90-77 behind Yaxel Lendeborg to push its title bid forward; Iowa State fell 14 points to Tennessee, hampered by Joshua Jefferson’s injury; UConn extended its second-weekend win streak to 17, cementing its status as a title favorite as the Elite Eight slate is set.