UConn beats Illinois to reach third men's national title game in four seasons
Posted on : 05 Apr 2026 | By : Michael Marot Associated
UConn beats Illinois to reach third men's national title game...
Mullins, whose buzzer-beating 3-pointer sent the Huskies past Duke and into the Final Four, hit a catch-and-shoot 3 with 52 seconds left — his only basket of the second half — to give UConn a 66-59 lead. Freshman Keaton Wagler had 20 points and eight rebounds to lead the Fighting Illini (28-9), who reached their first Final Four since losing the championship game to North Carolina in 2005. Wagler and Mullins became the first pair of freshmen to top 15 points in a Final Four game since Michael Jordan (North Carolina) and Patrick Ewing (Georgetown) in 1982. UConn’s Alex Karaban of Southborough had 9 points on 1-of-8 shooting while adding four rebounds and four assists. He’s trying to become the first player since John Wooden’s dominant UCLA teams in the 1960s and 1970s to finish his career as a three-time champion. He also tied Hurley’s brother, Bobby, for second on the career list with 18 March Madness victories. The Huskies haven’t lost a tournament game played past the opening weekend since 2009, when they fell in the national semifinals to Michigan State. With one more victory, they would break a tie with North Carolina and move into third place alone in national titles, trailing only UCLA (11) and Kentucky (eight).