Final Four 2026: UConn stymies Illinois, fends off rally to advance to third NCAA title game in 4 seasons
UConn's inside-out attack and disciplined defense were too much for Illinois to overcome.
Illinois entered the Final Four with the best offense in college basketball. It wasn’t enough on Saturday to overcome UConn’s disciplined defense and inside-out attack. UConn disrupted Illinois’ normally efficient offense and rode its own balanced attack to a 71-62 win in Saturday’s first national semifinal.
When Illinois threated to rally from a 13-point second-half deficit, it looked to a familar face. Braylon Mullins, the hero of UConn’s Elite Eight thriller over Duke , hit a late 3 to help ice the win after previously going scoreless in the second half. BRAYLON MULLINS COME ON 🤯 #MarchMadness @UConnMBB pic.
twitter. com/lsnHa8Sv9p — NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) April 5, 2026 With the win, UConn advances to Monday’s national championship game, where it will seek its third NCAA title in four seasons. It will face the winner of Saturday’s second Final Four game between Arizona and Michigan.
Mullins had a strong first half picked up where he left off with a 3 for the first points of the game. The Indiana native playing close to home at the Indianapolis Final Four hit 3 of his first 5 3-point attempts en route to 12 points before halftime, including a bank shot that extended UConn’s advantage just before the break. Braylon Mullins AGAIN 👌 #MarchMadness @UConnMBB pic.