WASHINGTON (Interstat) — In a heavyweight clash that lived up to its billing, the Connecticut Huskies authored a second-half masterpiece to overcome a 15-point deficit and stun the Duke Blue Devils 73-72 in a men’s NCAA Division I playoff game Sunday at a sold-out Capital One Arena.

A crowd of 19,502 witnessed a dramatic reversal of fortune, as the Huskies, who trailed 44-29 at halftime, outscored the Blue Devils 44-28 after the break to snatch a victory that seemed improbable for much of the evening. The win improved Connecticut’s season record to 33-5, while Duke fell to 35-3.

The game’s defining sequence, and its most important part, unfolded in the final frantic seconds. With Duke clinging to a 72-70 lead after a Cameron Boozer pull-up jumper with 28 seconds remaining, Connecticut’s Silas Demary Jr. was fouled on a drive with 10 seconds left. The Raleigh, North Carolina, native missed the first free throw but calmly sank the second to cut the deficit to one.

On the ensuing inbound play, Connecticut’s pressure defense forced a critical turnover. Demary stole the pass from Duke’s Cayden Boozer near midcourt with six seconds left, giving the Huskies a final chance. Following a timeout, the ball found its way to Braylon Mullins on the left wing. The guard, who had struggled from deep all night, rose and connected on a 3-pointer with three seconds remaining, putting Connecticut ahead 73-72.

Duke’s last-gasp attempt, a long heave, was off the mark, sealing a remarkable comeback for the Huskies.

The contest was a tale of two halves, dictated by the interior dominance of Connecticut’s Tarris Reed. The 6-foot-10, 265-pound junior from St. Louis was unstoppable, finishing with a game-high 26 points to go with four blocked shots and three assists in 32 minutes. His physical presence in the paint, both as a scorer and a rim protector, was the catalyst for Connecticut’s resurgence. He scored 18 of his points in the second half, consistently finishing through contact and altering Duke’s offensive approach.

Duke controlled the first half with efficient offense and disruptive defense. The Blue Devils shot well from the field and built their large lead behind the play of Cameron Boozer, who finished with 27 points, four assists and two blocks. His brother, Cayden Boozer, added 15 points and six assists, while Dame Sarr chipped in 10 points. Duke’s ball movement and transition game had Connecticut on its heels, leading by as many as 15 before taking the 44-29 advantage into the locker room.

The second half belonged entirely to Connecticut. The Huskies tightened their defense, dramatically reducing Duke’s open looks and forcing 10 turnovers after halftime. Offensively, they pounded the ball inside to Reed and found timely contributions from their guards. Solo Ball scored all 10 of his points in the second half, including a crucial three-point play. Demary added 11 points, and Malachi Smith provided a spark off the bench with nine points.

Connecticut methodically chipped away at the lead, finally drawing even midway through the second half. The game then became a tense, possession-by-possession battle, setting the stage for the last-minute heroics.

The victory extends Connecticut’s winning streak and advances them in the postseason, while Duke’s remarkable season ends in heartbreaking fashion. According to Interstat’s ELO system, Duke had entered the game with a 70.2 percent probability to win and had been installed as a 5.5-point pregame favorite. The total score of 145 points went over the betting line of 134.5.