UConn Scouting Report: What to know and how Illinois can win

Nov 28, 2025; New York, New York, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini guard Keaton Wagler (23) looks to drive past UConn Huskies guard Solo Ball (1) in the second half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images In the afterglow of super soakers, cowboy hats, and Kylan Boswell teaching David Mirkovic how to cut down a net, the conquering Illini are back in Champaign and preparing for a revenge game against UConn. On Sunday, I was already thinking about what to write about how Illinois can poke holes in Duke’s long, fierce switching defense, until UConn came storming back from 19 points back and stole it just before the buzzer, in perhaps the most stunning tourney comeback since Illinois’ last Elite Eight win.

Now, there is talk about Dan Hurley’s March genius and UConn being a team of destiny, but it just takes remembering how things ended for Illinois against Sean May and his three striped friends to realize that destiny can be taken from you very quickly. We’ll hear all week about 30-0. About how UConn handled Illinois easily in November.

None of that matters now, as both teams have drastically changed since November (and are COMPLETELY different than two years ago). Let’s take a look now at who UConn is, what they do, and how Illinois can come away victorious in this one. Players to Know Tarris Reed, 6-foot-11 senior center In the first matchup against UConn, the Michigan transfer was a shell of himself in his first game back from a sprained ankle, playing just 15 minutes and going 0-3.

Fast forward to March, and Tarris Reed has probably been the second-best player in the tournament, behind Yaxel Lendeborg of Michigan. He is averaging 21. 8 points and 13.