Chip Alexander: Last-second loss to UConn leaves Duke trying to put season in perspective

Chip Alexander, The News & Observer on Mar 30, 2026

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WASHINGTON — Any NCAA Tournament loss is cruel.

Regardless of the score, losing is cruel and can be crushing. A team goes through so much together for months, and then a wonderful season comes to a sudden end in a matter of hours. Time to put away the balls and go home.

That’s what happened to Duke on Sunday. Seconds away from a victory over Connecticut, of a second straight trip to the Final Four, the Blue Devils had it all slip away late in the East Region final at Capital One Arena.

A 30-foot jumper by UConn freshman Braylon Mullins, after a Duke turnover near midcourt, gave the Huskies a 73-72 victory. His 3-pointer in the final second of regulation was the final dagger, ending Duke’s season. Just like that, over.

Duke won 35 games. The Blue Devils were the ACC regular-season and tournament champions. They were ranked No. 1 in the AP poll and the first overall seed in the 2026 NCAA Tournament.

The Blue Devils lost just two games in the regular season, to Texas Tech and at North Carolina, and both came down to the final possession. They also had 13 wins over Top-25 opponents, beating Michigan, Florida, Michigan State, Kansas and Arkansas along the way. There was so much good to the season.

Duke coach Jon Scheyer was quick to mention that to his team after the game.

“He said one game would not define our season,” sophomore guard Isaiah Evans said.

A sad ending

But the loss to UConn left a somber locker room of players crestfallen, some blinking back tears, some staring into space.

Evans, asked about the season, about what it meant to him, leaned back into his locker stall. He closed his eyes and did not respond for several seconds.

“What the season meant to me was redemption,” he said. “I knew I was going to be in a position to help Duke win a national championship, and we had the team to do it. It was my try at doing what everybody wants to do.

“I hate to lose this way. But it’s basketball.”

Cameron and Cayden Boozer have won so many basketball games and championships growing up and playing together. The twin brothers followed their father, former All-American Carlos Boozer, to Duke and wanted to put up another championship banner in Cameron Indoor Stadium.

Duke fell short a year ago, reaching the Final Four but losing a tough, close game to Houston in the national semifinal. The Boozers wanted to do as freshmen what Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel and the Blue Devils could not: finish the job, cut down the nets.

Boozer accomplishes plenty, but not the ultimate

Cameron was the ACC player of the year and should be named national player of the year. Like Flagg last year, he won’t leave Duke with a national championship ring. Any accolades will be just that – accolades. But he said he would cherish the season he had with his brother, with his teammates and all around him.

“It was an incredible year, not just playing with my brother but with this team,” Cameron said. “It’s a special group, a special group of people. I’m so grateful I was blessed with this opportunity. All the players, all the coaches, man, I love these guys. I’m so thankful ...”

Cayden sat and patiently answered all questions after the game, not dodging any about his turnover at the end that led to the Mullins game-winner for UConn.

“I feel like I let them down,” he said.

But Boozer, despite the disappointment, was able to put the season into perspective.

“The biggest takeaway was how our group was connected the whole year,” he said. “Obviously we didn’t get the job done and that’s going to be tough for all of us. But the relationships I had this year, everything I was able to deal with, the highs and the lows, it was just a great year and I learned a lot.”

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