Fighting Illini Embrace Final Four Moment in Indianapolis

Illinois basketball team prepares for semifinal matchup against Connecticut at Lucas Oil Stadium

Apr. 3, 2026 at 12:10am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting fragmented, overlapping images of basketball players from Illinois and Connecticut engaged in an intense game, conveying the high-stakes drama of the Final Four matchup.The Fighting Illini embrace the grandeur of the Final Four stage as they prepare to take on the powerhouse Connecticut Huskies in a battle for college basketball supremacy.Indianapolis Today

The Fighting Illini basketball team hit the court in Indianapolis on Thursday for their first practice ahead of this weekend's Final Four matchup against the Connecticut Huskies. The wide-eyed Illinois players were in awe of the massive Lucas Oil Stadium, where they'll take on UConn with a chance to claim the program's first national championship.

Why it matters

This is Illinois' first Final Four appearance since 2005, while Connecticut is making its third trip in four years, having won back-to-back titles in 2023 and 2024. The Illini have a chance to end the Huskies' dominant run and reach the national championship game for the first time in school history.

The details

Illinois and the other Final Four teams - Connecticut, Michigan, and Arizona - had closed practices on Thursday in Indianapolis and went through media obligations and video sessions. The Illini players were in disbelief at the size of Lucas Oil Stadium, but quickly settled in and had a great practice. Head coach Brad Underwood said it was fun to see his players' excitement, but they know they're there to 'take care of business' on the court.

  • The Fighting Illini had their first practice in Indianapolis on Thursday, April 3, 2026.
  • The Final Four semifinals are scheduled for Saturday, April 5, 2026.

The players

Andrej Stojakovic

An Illinois guard who expressed awe at the size of Lucas Oil Stadium, but said the team felt like they belonged there after a great practice.

Kylan Boswell

An Illinois guard who said the Final Four experience is a 'great distraction in a good way,' but the team remains focused on winning basketball games.

Keaton Wagler

An Illinois guard who joked about wanting to take some of the Final Four decorations featuring his face back home with him.

Brad Underwood

The head coach of the Illinois Fighting Illini, who said it was fun to see his players' excitement but they know they're there to 'take care of business' on the court.

Connecticut Huskies

The opponent for Illinois in the Final Four semifinals, making their third appearance in four years and looking to win their third straight national championship.

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What they’re saying

“All of us, we were like, 'Holy crap.' Like, this is huge. It's going to be insane, but we started soaking it in as practice started, and we had a great practice today. So we felt like we belonged here.”

— Andrej Stojakovic, Illinois Guard

“It is nice to get a couple days to just enjoy it, experience it, but at the end of the day we came here to win basketball games, and for all of us, this is great distractions in a good way, but nothing is going to distract us from what we came here to take care of business.”

— Kylan Boswell, Illinois Guard

“You've got to take this all in, but we can't lose focus on the goal.”

— Keaton Wagler, Illinois Guard

“But, yeah, it helps having a day today and you kind of knock it all out and get a feel for it, and understanding that it is a little bit different, but it's still business as usual.”

— Brad Underwood, Illinois Head Coach

What’s next

The Fighting Illini will take on the Connecticut Huskies in the Final Four semifinals on Saturday, April 5, 2026 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The winner will advance to the national championship game on Monday, April 7, 2026.

The takeaway

This Final Four appearance is a landmark moment for the Illinois basketball program, which is seeking its first national championship. While the players are embracing the once-in-a-lifetime experience, they remain laser-focused on the task at hand - defeating the dominant Connecticut Huskies and continuing their historic run.