Dan Hurley, UConn Beat Illinois in March Madness Final Four, Eye 3rd NCAA Title Since 2023

UConn avoided a second-half collapse to defeat Illinois by the final score of 71-62 in the Final Four of the 2026 NCAA tournament on Saturday.

The Huskies' double-digit lead was cut to four points with just over one minute remaining in the game, but they were still able to hold on for the win following a three-pointer from freshman Braylon Mullins.

After advancing to the national championship game, head coach Dan Hurley's squad is now on the verge of capturing a third national title in four seasons.

UConn opened Saturday's contest with an 8-2 lead, although Illinois quickly cut the deficit to 8-7.

The Huskies pushed their lead back to six points shortly after and eventually held an 18-9 advantage, but the Fighting Illini responded once again. Illinois went on a 13-3 run, taking its first lead of the game.

Still, Hurley's team quickly regained momentum and held a 10-point edge with roughly two minutes left in the first half.

UConn led 37-29 at halftime.

The Fighting Illini continued to struggle offensively to begin the second half, as they trailed the Huskies by 14 points with just under 10 minutes remaining in the game.

Illinois finally pulled within striking distance by drawing contact and connecting on free throws before a layup from junior guard Andrej Stojaković trimmed UConn's lead to 57-53.

A layup from Huskies senior Tarris Reed Jr. and a dunk by junior Solo Ball gave them some more breathing room, although the Fighting Illini responded with a triple from Ben Humrichous.

With UConn still leading 63-57 following free throws by both teams, Illinois guard Keaton Wagler converted on a layup that brought his team within four points.

Mullins, who was coming off a game-winning three over Duke in the Elite Eight, was able to connect on another long-range jumper to give the Huskies some more breathing room.

While Wagler responded with a triple of his own, UConn's Silas Demary Jr. and Jayden Ross hit free throws to seal the win.

Reed finished with a double-double in the victory, scoring 17 points and grabbing 11 rebounds while shooting 6-of-12 from the field.

Mullins chipped in with 15 points on 5-of-14 shooting, but went 4-of-7 from three-point territory.

The Huskies were stellar defensively, as Illinois shot just 33.9 percent on field goals and 23.1 percent on threes. The Fighting Illini also committed eight turnovers compared to a mere three assists as a team.

As for UConn, it'll now await the winner of Saturday night's clash between Arizona and Michigan in the national championship game.