The UConn Huskies are playing for a national championship in men’s basketball for the third time in the last four years, following their 71-62 win over Illinois in the Final Four. After UConn jumped out to an early lead, Illinois battled back to earn a 23-22 advantage midway through the first half. The Huskies went on a run to close the half, taking a 37-29 lead into halftime.
After surviving a scare from 15-seed Furman in the opening round of the tournament, UConn rolled through UCLA in the second round before battling Michigan State to a near draw in the Sweet 16, winning by four in the end. In the Elite Eight, UConn got down against top-seeded Duke by as many as 19 points in the second half before engineering a magical comeback win, punctuated by a last-second logo three-point game-winner from UConn freshman Braylon Mullins.
UConn’s Next Game: Opponent, Game Time & How to Watch
GettyWASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 29: Tarris Reed Jr. #5 celebrates with Malachi Smith #0 of the UConn Huskies during the second half of a game against the Duke Blue Devils in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Capital One Arena on March 29, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
On Monday, UConn will take on the winner of the Michigan vs. Arizona game scheduled for later this evening at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The national championship game will take place at 8:30pm EDT and will be televised on TBS.
UConn will likely be significant underdogs against either Michigan or Arizona. The Wolverines and Wildcats are the top-rated teams in the country analytically, per KenPom, and the Huskies will have an uphill battle no matter who they face.
Of course, the same was true of when they played Duke in the Elite Eight. And we all know how that turned out.
How UConn Knocked Off Illinois
GettyWASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 29: Head coach Dan Hurley of the UConn Huskies cuts down the net after defeating the Duke Blue Devils 73-72 in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Capital One Arena on March 29, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
It was a balanced effort for UConn’s starters, with all five of them chipping in considerable effort. That effort showed up in the box score, as Tarris Reed Jr., Alex Karaban, Silas Demary Jr., Solo Ball, and Mullins all having great games.
In particular, Mullins, Ball, and Reed paced the game for UConn, combining for 45 of the Huskies’ 71 points. Reed had a double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds, and while Demary only scored seven points, he added nine rebounds, seven assists, and two steals.
UConn forced Illinois to play one-on-one basketball and take tough, contested shots all game long. Despite being out-rebounded by the Fighting Illini and shooting sub-40-percent from the floor, the Huskies held Illinois to just 23-percent from behind the three-point arc.
For his part, Illinois freshman Keaton Wagler had a sensational game: 20 points on almost 50-percent shooting with eight rebounds and two assists. The future lottery pick ended his college career with a bang.
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