A last-second shot for the University of Connecticut Huskies to win over the Duke University Blue Devils to go to the Final Four on Sunday (March 29) stunned CBS announcer Bill Raftery so much, his reaction went viral through social media.
The Huskies were down with ten seconds to go, down two after Silas Demary Jr. hit free throws. Duke’s Dame Sarr and Cayden Boozer exchanged a pass as they crossed half-court, and as Booker looked to pass again Demary and Huskies freshman Braylon Mullins closed in to steal the ball. After a pass to teammate Alex Karaban, Mullins got the ball back and let off a 35-foot shot by half-court, which went in and won the game.
“I think we were all just trying to get the ball out of whoever had the ball in their hands and trying to make a play on the ball,” Mullins said at the postgame conference. “Silas made an incredible, incredible play, and everything else just happened as it is.” UConn was down 19 points earlier in the game before their stunning comeback.
The shot surprised everyone, and CBS’ lead announcer Ian Eagle leapt to his feet to make the call as Raftery sat stunned and silent – a reaction shared by fellow announcer (and Duke superstar) Grant Hill. The 82-year-old spoke up after a 13-second pause. “Utterly impossible,” he began, letting Eagle interject briefly. “The deflection. The reaction. And then the MAJOR ONIONS out of Indiana.”
Raftery continued, “They all can shoot…NYLON! From deep, astounding,” as Hill finally spoke, remarking on Mullins’ improbable shot and how Duke didn’t need to make a play as they were in command with a few seconds left in the game.
The reaction by Raftery spread on social media, with many joking about how the veteran announcer seemed on the verge of passing out at courtside at the Capital One Arena in Washington D.C. The entire crew will be on hand in Indianapolis, Indiana to call the Final Four, where there could be another moment to rival what UConn accomplished.
1. The Field of 68
