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INDIANAPOLIS — The ultimate hero of UConn’s<\/a> game-clinching sequence in its 71-62 Final Four victory over Illinois<\/a> on Saturday night inside Lucas Oil Stadium was a familiar one, as freshman phenom Braylon Mullins<\/a> drilled a 3-pointer from the left wing with 52 seconds left that cemented the outcome.<\/p>\n But the defining shot of a tight late-game situation required something from all five starters who were on the floor with just over a minute to play as the Huskies surged to the national title game for the third time in the past four seasons.<\/p>\n “If that moment is going to be set up for me, absolutely,” said Mullins, who was 0 for 5 in the second half. “You’ve got to shoot it with confidence, and if that moment arises, then we’re going to hit it.”<\/p>\n Therein lies the beauty of Mullins’ place on the UConn roster. He’s played the role of hero lately, and it’s because the entirety of the Huskies’ machine of a program sets him up<\/em> perfectly to nail the role.<\/p>\n Illinois had roared back from a 14-point deficit to cut the UConn edge to just 63-59, and the Illini were one defensive stop away from potentially trimming the Huskies’ lead down to one possession for the first time since late in the first half.<\/p>\n Before Mullins planted his feet and sank a memorable sequel to his heroic Elite Eight game-winner against Duke<\/a>, four other players did their part.<\/p>\n First, senior forward Alex Karaban<\/a> hit Illinois’ Kylan Boswell<\/a> with a sinister pump fake that created an opportunity for a clean 3-point look at the 1:13 mark. It clanged off the iron, but point guard Silas Demary Jr<\/a>. fought for the offensive rebound over two taller Illinois players.<\/p>\n Demary, who has been gutting through an ankle injury, then passed the ball to the safety in the hands of Solomon Ball, who had the presence of mind to pass up a wide open 2-point look, instead opting to pull the ball out and run more clock.<\/p>\n