UConn's Braylon Mullins faces Indiana's Dusty May in national title game

Matchup between Hoosier State natives highlights NCAA championship showdown

Apr. 5, 2026 at 9:18pm

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A fragmented, geometric painting depicting the action of a basketball game, with the players and court broken down into sharp, overlapping planes of color representing the team uniforms of UConn and Indiana.The national championship showdown between UConn's Braylon Mullins and Indiana's Dusty May promises to be a cubist clash of Indiana basketball titans.Indianapolis Today

The 2026 NCAA men's basketball national championship game will feature a matchup between two players with Indiana roots - UConn's Braylon Mullins and Indiana University's Dusty May. Mullins, a former high school star from Greenfield-Central, hit some key shots to help UConn reach the title game, while May, the head coach of the Hoosiers, is looking to lead his team to its first national championship since 1987.

Why it matters

This championship game showdown between Mullins and May is expected to finally put to rest the long-running debate among Indiana basketball fans about which player or program is the true heir to the state's rich hoops legacy. The game will also showcase the continued strength of Indiana-bred talent on the national stage.

The details

Braylon Mullins, a junior guard for UConn, has emerged as a key contributor for the Huskies in their run to the national title game. The former Greenfield-Central high school star has hit several clutch shots, including some in UConn's semifinal win over Illinois. On the other side, Dusty May is in his fifth season as the head coach at Indiana University. May, an Indiana native himself, has the Hoosiers back in the championship game for the first time in nearly 40 years.

  • Braylon Mullins and Dusty May will face off in the 2026 NCAA men's basketball national championship game on April 7, 2026.
  • Mullins helped lead UConn to the title game with his performance in the Huskies' semifinal win over Illinois on April 5, 2026.

The players

Braylon Mullins

A junior guard for the UConn Huskies men's basketball team, Mullins is a former high school star from Greenfield-Central in Indiana who has emerged as a key contributor for the Huskies in their run to the national championship game.

Dusty May

The head coach of the Indiana University men's basketball team, May is an Indiana native looking to lead the Hoosiers to their first national title since 1987.

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What’s next

The national championship game between UConn and Indiana will take place on April 7, 2026 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

The takeaway

This matchup between Braylon Mullins and Dusty May represents the latest chapter in Indiana's rich basketball history, as two Hoosier State natives face off on the biggest stage in college basketball. The game is expected to settle long-running debates among Indiana fans about which program and player best represents the state's proud hoops legacy.