Where Duke’s loss to UConn ranks among sports’ biggest choke jobs of the century

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We’re not even a week removed from the final moments of Duke’s Elite Eight loss to UConn and the defeat has already made one of the worst lists in sports history.

According to Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter, the Blue Devils improbable loss to the Huskies is No. 15 on the “20 Biggest Choke Jobs of the Century Across All Sports.” While this feels premature, squandering a 19-point lead and the way it happened in the final five minutes is noteworthy.

Braylon Mullins near-logo 3-pointer was the icing on the cake and will go down in history as a top highlight at Duke’s expense.

Duke came into the game riding the nation’s longest win streak and top-overall seed at 32-2. Jon Scheyer even ran his team through the exact setup they faced against UConn, but it didn’t change the result on the floor.

Was this the top college basketball choke job? No.

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However, it’s the one that’s most fresh in our minds and won’t go away. So what is the top blunder in men’s hoops over the past 26 years? The 2017-18 Virginia Cavaliers came in at No. 5 overall.

Who can forget UMBC becoming the first No. 16 seed to knock off a No. 1? The Retrievers came into Charlotte as stark underdogs, no pun intended. They quickly shocked the world by upsetting the Cavaliers to make NCAA history. Up to that point, No. 1 seeds had a 135-0 record all-time against No. 16 seeds.

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While Duke goes home to Durham, UConn will try to win a third title in four years under Dan Hurley. A feat which seemed impossible midway through the second half of Sunday’s game.

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Publish date : 2026-04-01 18:18:00

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