APTOPIX NCAA UConn Duke Basketball

Braylon Mullins sank a desperation 3-pointer with 0.4 seconds left to give UConn an astonishing 73-72 victory over top-seeded Duke, earning the Huskies a spot in the Final Four after they rallied from a 19-point first-half deficit. The Blue Devils led by three before UConn’s Silas Demary Jr. made one of two free throws with 10 seconds left. With Duke playing keep-away to prevent the Huskies from fouling, Cayden Boozer’s pass near midcourt was deflected, and after UConn came up with the ball, Mullins made a shot from well behind the 3-point line. It’s the second straight season to end in a huge collapse for Duke, which was the top overall seed in this year’s tournament.

The men’s NCAA tournament is averaging 10.3 million viewers through the Elite Eight, its best audience since 1993 and a 9% increase over last year. UConn’s last-second 73-72 victory over Duke in the East Region final averaged 13.4 million on CBS. The audience peaked at 18.9 million when Braylon Mullins sank a desperation 3-pointer with 0.4 seconds left. Friday’s early window with Duke-St.John’s on CBS and Michigan-Alabama on TBS/truTV averaged 14.2 million, the most-watched Friday regional early window since 1992. The Final Four and title game will be on TBS, TNT and truTV.