WASHINGTON — Cayden Boozer attempted a final pass, hoping to secure victory for Duke.
This action, however, proved to be an error that concluded the Blue Devils’ championship pursuit.
In the concluding moments, Boozer’s miscue resulted in Braylon Mullins converting a three-point shot, clinching a 73-72 triumph for UConn against the top-seeded Blue Devils in Sunday’s Elite Eight clash. Despite Duke holding a 19-point advantage near the end of the initial half, the outcome was yet another agonizing defeat. The previous year, the Blue Devils suffered a Final Four loss to Houston, having been ahead by 14 points in the second half and by six with just 1 minute and 14 seconds remaining.
Duke coach Jon Scheyer stated, “Focusing solely on that particular moment is tempting. My attention is drawn to every single play that unfolded, particularly in the latter half. This isn’t solely attributable to a single action; rather, it encompasses every action that positioned us in this predicament, and that’s the scenario you aim to avoid, where a solitary play can dictate everything.”
Duke concluded the current campaign with a 35-3 record, narrowly missing an unblemished season. Their trio of defeats amounted to a cumulative margin of only five points. Other setbacks included an 82-81 score against Texas Tech at Madison Square Garden on December 20, a game where the Blue Devils had a 17-point lead in the second half, and a 71-68 defeat to North Carolina on February 7, sealed by Seth Trimble’s three-point shot with 0.4 seconds remaining.
The clock displayed an identical remaining duration following Mullins’ successful attempt on Sunday.
Duke held a two-point advantage when Boozer, facing defensive pressure near the midcourt line, attempted to deliver the ball to one of two unguarded teammates further up the court. The pass was intercepted, and Mullins recovered possession just moments prior to sinking the decisive basket.
Prior to Sunday, top-seeded teams boasted a 134-0 record when holding a lead of at least 15 points at halftime. That statistic now stands at 134-1, following Duke’s 44-29 lead at intermission.
Scheyer, whose record stands at 124-25 across four seasons since taking over for Mike Krzyzewski, seems to have a pattern where his team’s defeats become increasingly indelible with each passing year. The former Duke guard, a national champion player in 2010, appeared somewhat speechless after this particular loss.
Scheyer articulated, “Nobody present here, myself included, avoids re-evaluating every action and considering how they could have contributed more. It’s an inherent aspect of holding this position, of being in this role. Ultimately, it’s incumbent upon us to see things through. We will deliberate and acquire knowledge from this experience.”
Expectations are now that Duke will likely see its prominent player, Cameron Boozer, who is Cayden’s twin, transition to the NBA.
Cameron Boozer, with a visibly swollen right eye, sat somberly at the postgame podium, having concluded the game as the leading scorer with 27 points.
He conveyed, “I am currently in pain. We are all experiencing distress.”
