When is the pain going to end?
That's surely what Duke fans have on their mind after the Blue Devils, somehow, someway, blew a 19-point lead to UConn and Dan Hurley in the Elite Eight. This game ended in the most improbable way possible, and it turns out Hurley himself had other ideas for how things were going to go down.
Duke's biggest roster weakness was exposed in late collapse vs. UConn
As you'll be able to see in the video below, Hurley, with his team down two points, urged his players to foul either freshman Dame Sarr or big man Patrick Ngongba. With 10 seconds left on the clock, the Huskies had to act fast. Things didn't go down the way Hurley envisioned, which ended up being incredibly lucky for him:
Dan Hurley to his team right before Mullins game winner:
— SM Highlights (@SMHighlights1) March 29, 2026
“We’re gonna foul Dame Sarr or Patrick (Ngongba)”
Good thing they didn’t 😂 pic.twitter.com/fRckDNeYT9
Even Dan Hurley must know how lucky he is UConn was able to stun Duke
Yup, that changed everything. Imagine UConn fouled either Sarr or Ngongba - two free throws and the game is over. Even making one of two and taking time off the clock would complicate things. Instead, Hurley got lucky, as Duke temporarily evaded the UConn pressure, but a Cayden Boozer turnover will haunt him for the rest of his life.
The Huskies stayed composed after getting the rock back and the ball ended up in the hands of Braylon Mullins. Without hesitation, the youngster fired off a deep 3-pointer, as Isaiah Evans looked on without putting a hand up.
The prayer went in and Hurley lost his mind close to the bench. There was one last-second heave by Duke to try and win it, but that play never had a shot. For the second year in a row, Duke choked. We hate to admit it, but Jon Scheyer and Co. had no business losing this game.
Up 15 points at half as a No. 1 seed always meant you were safe, but Duke became the first program in NCAAT history to lose in such a way. Come on. Next up for Hurley and UConn is a Final Four dance against Illinois, with the Huskies of course entering that game with a ton of confidence. As for the Blue Devils? Another long offseason awaits.