Illinois, UConn Meet in Highly Anticipated Final Four Matchup

No. 2 seed UConn and No. 3 seed Illinois face off in the NCAA Tournament's national semifinal

Apr. 1, 2026 at 12:03pm

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The 2026 NCAA Tournament Final Four gets underway on Saturday, April 4, with a highly anticipated matchup between the No. 2 seed Connecticut Huskies and the No. 3 seed Illinois Fighting Illini at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Neither team was considered a top contender at the start of the season, but both have proven their mettle by advancing to the national semifinals.

Why it matters

This is the third time since the field expanded to 64 teams in 1985 that Illinois has made the Final Four, while UConn is making its eighth trip. The winner will advance to face either Michigan or Arizona in the national championship game.

The details

Illinois has won every NCAA Tournament game by double digits so far, while UConn had to overcome a 15-point halftime deficit against Duke in the Elite Eight. The Illini will try to push the pace and force the Huskies to play faster than they want, while UConn will look to slow the game down, win the rebound battle, and force Illinois to take shots it doesn't want to take.

  • The Final Four game between Illinois and UConn tips off at 6:09 p.m. EST on Saturday, April 4.
  • Illinois and UConn previously met earlier in the regular season, with the Huskies winning 74-61.

The players

Keaton Wagler

Illinois freshman guard who is fifth in scoring among the teams left in the tournament, averaging 17.5 points per game.

Tarris Reed

UConn senior who has led the Huskies in scoring (21.8 points per game) and rebounding (13.5 rebounds per game) during the tournament.

Andrej Stojakovic

Illinois junior guard who has averaged 15 points per game in the tournament.

Alex Karraban

UConn player who has averaged 17.8 points per game in the tournament.

David Mirkovic

Illinois player who has averaged 14.8 points per game in the tournament.

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What they’re saying

“We've come a long way since that first meeting, and I think we'll be ready for whatever UConn throws at us this time around.”

— Keaton Wagler, Illinois Freshman Guard

“It's not luck, it's excellent coaching from a two-time national champion head coach and talented players making the necessary plays when they mattered most.”

— Danny Hurley, UConn Head Coach

What’s next

The winner of the Illinois-UConn matchup will advance to face either Michigan or Arizona in the national championship game on Monday, April 6.

The takeaway

This Final Four showdown between Illinois and UConn promises to be a hard-fought, closely contested game between two teams that have proven their mettle throughout the tournament. The outcome could come down to which team is able to impose its preferred style of play and make the key plays in the closing minutes.