Freshman Braylon Mullins hit the game-winning, 35-foot three-pointer with 0.4 seconds left to lift UConn over Duke 73-72.

Texas guard, Rori Harmon, scores over Michigan’s Olivia Olson. The Longhorns are headed for a rematch with UCLA.

And now we are down to the Final 4 in the race for the Division I national championships of men’s and women’s college basketball.

For the brave among you who have watched the multitude of games in this March Madness extravaganza, you have been rewarded. In the men’s competition, Arizona, Michigan, Connecticut and Illinois advanced to their respective regional championship games. Number 1 seeds Arizona (36-2) and Michigan (35-3), two of the top teams in the national rankings this entire season, lived up to their pre-tournament billing with dominant performances. Arizona’s crucial win came as the Wildcats, led by freshman forward Koa Peat, freshman guard Brayden Burries and junior guard (Captain) Jaden Bradley, overpowered Purdue 79-64 to take the West Regional title.

Notably, Arizona’s big men controlled the paint throughout the game. Similarly, Michigan, led by Yaxel Lendeborg (27 points, seven rebounds), secured its spot by blasting past sixth-seeded Tennessee (95-62) in the Midwest Regional. Their consistent offensive surges left little room for an upset. The highly anticipated Final 4 semifinal will feature these two number-one seeds in a premiere matchup. In the other half of the bracket, second-seeded Connecticut emerged from a dramatic comeback against the overall number one-seeded Blue Devils.

UConn trailed by as much as 19 points in the second half and by 10 with eight minutes left but rallied, capped off by freshman Braylon Mullins’ game-winning three-pointer with 0.4 seconds left. This marked the first time a number one seed lost after holding such a large lead (previously 134-0). The defeat hinged on a late Duke turnover, which allowed Mullins the shot. Connecticut now faces third-seeded Illinois, who advanced by controlling key moments to defeat the Iowa Hawkeyes.

Instead of taking a tough three-pointer, Karaban passed to the trailing Mullins with 5 seconds left. Mullins rose for a deep shot from the logo, making the go-ahead basket with 0.4 seconds remaining. His quote captured the moment: “I saw the clock with 5 seconds left and let it fly. It felt good coming out of my hand. This is what you dream of as a kid, and I got to live it out in real life.”

This dramatic shot punctuated the excitement of March Madness and put Mullins into Connecticut history. For Duke, the loss was crushing; star Cameron Boozer, who scored 27 points and eight rebounds, quickly consoled his brother Cayden after the pivotal turnover that gave UConn their chance. Boozer reflected, “I think we fought hard. We gave a lot, but... we could have given a lot more in the second half. We came out a little flat and gave them a little bit of life. When you’re playing a team as good as UConn, that’s all they really need.”

For Duke, it was their third loss of the year after leading by double digits. Cayden accepted the blame: “I should’ve been stronger with the ball. My turnover cost my team the game. I’ve got to live with that. This was a crushing defeat.”

The Connecticut Huskies (back-to-back NCAA Champions in 2023 and 2024) will play the number 3-seeded Fighting Illini in the second half of the Final 4 bracket. Illinois defeated the Iowa Hawkeyes 71-59 in the Elite Eight, reaching its first Final 4 appearance since 2005. Freshman guard Keaton Wagler had 25 points for the victors. This is the second meeting between the two teams this year.

UConn defeated the Illini 74-61 in New York this past November.

The Lady Huskies of Connecticut, the number one overall seed in the women’s competition, continued their quest for a 13th national title with a 70-52 win over Notre Dame. Sarah Strong led with 21 points, seven rebounds and five steals as the undefeated Huskies earned their 54th straight win. It is the fourth-longest winning streak in NCAA Division I history and 25th Final Four appearance in school history.

In the other Elite 8 clashes, the number one-seeded UCLA Bruins (33-1) captured the Region 2 championship with a 70-58 triumph over number three-seeded Duke, but not without a major struggle. The Lady Bruins had to rally from an eight-point halftime deficit to record their 29th straight victory of the season. All-American center Lauren Betts (23 points, 10 rebounds, five blocked shots) played the main starring role for her team.

After the game, Bruins coach Cori Close talked about her squad: “I think it’s the hardest working team that I’ve ever been a part of. ... I’ve never had a roster this star-studded [that is] willing to give up individual things for a more powerful, collective thing.”

In Region 3 in Fort Worth, Texas, the number one-seeded Texas Longhorns (35-3) defeated Michigan 77-41 to reach the Final Four. Madison Booker led Texas with 19 points and Rori Harmon contributed 13 assists. Coach Vic Schaefer highlighted the toughness and focus of his team.

“It doesn’t feel [ordinary] because of all the work that it requires to get to this place. It’s a lot,” said coach Dawn Staley on her Final Four appearance. “People don’t see what actually happens to get a team and a program up for the challenges of a season and get to the Final Four.” Her team, the South Carolina Gamecocks, also a number one seed, won the Region 4 championship in Sacramento, California, over Texas Christian Horned Frogs seeded third by 16 points, 78-52, to advance to their sixth straight Final 4 appearance under the Philadelphia antves tuteledge. Joyce Edwards (24 points, 12 rebounds) and freshman Agot Makeer (18 points off the bench) led the Lady Gamecocks back from an early eight-point deficit to their blowout victory.

The Women’s Final 4 from Phoenix, Arizona will be:

Overall number one seed UConn (38-0-vs (#1 seed) South Carolina (35-3) in a rematch of last year’s NCAA Women’s Championship Game, which Connecticut won in dominant fashion.

The UCLA Bruins will try to avenge their only loss of the season, 76-75 loss to Texas. “I wouldn’t say extra pressure, but we know there’s definitely a standard that needs to be held,” said UCLA’s Skyy Clark, talking about the team’s history and.