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Epic UConn-Braylon Mullins shot clinches March Madness history for East Region
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- Epic UConn-Braylon Mullins shot clinches March Madness history for East Region
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Riveting underdog stories transformed the NCAA Tournament from a sporting competition to the cultural phenomenon known as March Madness . The absence of "Cinderellas" has caused many Americans to lose interest, but diehard college basketball fans were treated to big-brand, high-quality hoops in the East Region. Braylon Mullins' jaw-dropping 3-pointer versus Duke in the Elite Eight on Sunday capped off a historic four-day run in Washington D.C.
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While a couple of Marquee matchups fizzled or underwhelmed — Arizona trounced Arkansas and then dominated Purdue in the second half — the action that took place inside Capital One Arena matched and arguably exceeded the hype. The thrills started with Friday's Sweet Sixteen showdowns.
Duke denied St. John's its biggest triumph in 27 years and pulled out an 80-75 win, while UConn flourished in crunch time versus Michigan State en route to a 67-63 victory. Those two exciting contests were only appetizers, however. The Huskies and Blue Devils collided in the East Region Final, with history and freshmen star power bursting through the roof. What began as a landslide concluded with one of the most legendary moments in NCAA Tournament history.
Trailing by as many as 19 points, UConn increased its defensive intensity and caused top-seeded Duke to get careless with the ball. The Blue Devils' 13th turnover, which was committed by Cayden Boozer late, resulted in an instantly-iconic finish. Alex Karaban found Mullins, who nailed a 35-foot shot with just 0.3 seconds left on the clock. Facing certain elimination, a brutal blunder and supreme clutch heroics vaulted the Huskies to Indianapolis with a 73-72 win.
Matt Norlander of CBS Sports put an exclamation point on these three suspenseful matchups. "The D.C. East Regional was history-making and surely the best regional ever," he posted on X. "Get this: It's the only regional to ever have three games decided by 5 pts or fewer AND include a game-winning shot in the last second."
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The Final Four has much to live up to, but it certainly boasts the necessary talent to deliver a rip-roaring ending to the 2025-26 campaign. Braylon Mullins and UConn basketball clash with Illinois , while Arizona and Michigan do battle on the other side of the bracket. March Madness may not feature the fairy-tale element it once did, but Cinderella is not always needed to produce an unforgettable Big Dance.
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