UConn's Dan Hurley and Duke's Isaiah Evans Share Tense Postgame Handshake After Elite 8 Thriller

Story by

Will Chesanek

Mon, Mar 30, 2026 ·

2 min read

Guard Braylon Mullins hit one of the biggest shots in March Madness history as the No. 2 seed Connecticut Huskies survived Cameron Boozer and the No. 1 overall seed Duke Blue Devils 73-72 in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Tournament.

UConn was led by center Tarris Reed Jr. in the game, with the senior having team highs with 26 points, nine rebounds and three assists. Duke guard Isaiah Evans , who averaged 15 points per game on the season, was held to just seven points.

With Duke leading 72-70, Mullins and fellow guard Silas Demary Jr. deflected an errant pass from Blue Devils guard Cayden Boozer as the final seconds ticked down. Mullins corralled the ball, dishing it to senior forward Alex Karaban . As Karaban drew attention from Duke defenders, he passed the ball back to Mullins, who hit the iconic shot over Evans with 0.4 seconds left on the clock.

UConn Huskies head coach Dan Hurley speaks to an official during an Elite Eight NCAA Tournament game against the Duke Blue Devils.Amber Searls-Imagn Images
(Amber Searls-Imagn Images)

This is UConn coach Dan Hurley's third Final Four, with the prior two appearances coming in his back-to-back championship-winning seasons of 2023 and 2024. The Huskies will face Keaton Wagler and the No. 3 Illinois Fighting Illini on April 4 for a berth in the national championship game. On the other side of the bracket, Brayden Burries and the Arizona Wildcats will face Yaxel Lendeborg and the Michigan Wolverines in a battle between No. 1 seeds.

Following the dramatic win, Hurley composed himself and focused on the postgame handshake. The video below shows Hurley shaking hands with Evans. The college basketball world took notice of the UConn coach's interaction with Evans, taking to social media to leave their thoughts.

"Dan Hurley was stoic after beating Duke," one user said.

"Dan Hurley started (expletive) walking to the handshake line," added another.

"You got to after that ending haha," another user added.

"Internet material is pristine this morning but this one might take the prize," a user posted .

"😭," a user reacted .

"i love u," a passionate user posted .

UConn has made the most of its previous Final Four appearances, going 6-1 in the national semifinals. It is 6-0 in NCAA championship games.

This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Mar 30, 2026, where it first appeared in the College section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.