This past March wasn't filled with as much madness as in past NCAA Tournaments, though there were a fair share of memorable games that certainly stood out. Before looking at the most memorable and disappointing games of the 2026 NCAA Tournament (coming tomorrow), let's review each round of games by The College Basketball Nostalgic's Stud, Mud, Dud and Crud System. A Stud round is one that has plenty of upsets and compelling games. A Mud round is one that has some exciting moments but doesn't quite get to the Stud level, maybe due to a lack of upsets. A Dud round is one that ultimately disappoints while a Crud round is one that is unwatchable, usually due to noncompetitive games. Make the jump to review my round-by-round rankings of the 2026 NCAA Tournament. 

While UCONN and Michigan was not the prettiest game to watch, it was much closer than expected as the Huskies did a great job of controlling pace, winning the glass and hitting some timely threes to stay within striking distance. Michigan had an off-shooting night from three but capitalized at the free throw line. Ultimately, to be a Stud, this game would have probably needed UCONN to pull of the upset. Still, the title game was interesting and not disappointing. It was better than expected as Michigan did not blow out the Wolverines. Still, it wasn't an all-timer, thus the Mud ranking. 

Ultimately, the Illinois-UConn game was competitive, though it felt like the Illini never found its offensive footing. As an Illini fan, it just wasn't our night, during a game when so many shots hung on the rim and fell off. To wait 21 years to get to the Final Four and lose a winnable game was very disappointing, though the Illini had a tremendous tourney run. As for Arizona versus Michigan, this game was extremely disappointing. Billed as the "De Facto National Championship Game," it was never close as Michigan took it to the Wildcats. After the Illinois loss, I was at least hoping Arizona and Michigan would provide a fun game to watch. That was not the case as Michigan totally dominated, leading by 30 points at one point in the second half. 

Honestly, by halftime of the UCONN and Duke game, the Elite Eight felt like a Dud to me, with the Blue Devils leading by 15 points following Michigan's annihilation of Tennessee. However, the second half of the UCONN - Duke game saved this set of Elite Eight games, with the Huskies gradually chipping away before forcing a miracle turnover and hitting an insane three to steal the victory. Braylon Mullins' three will go down as one of the all-time moments in NCAA Tournament history. While the Big Ten battle between Iowa and Illinois was not always pretty, it was still a close game that the Illini pulled out, thus personally becoming a Stud to me after waiting 21 years to return to the Final Four. A tale of two halves, with Purdue winning the first 20 minutes and Arizona dominating the last 20, the Boilermakers-Wildcats game was pretty entertaining. Tennessee and Michigan was disappointing as the game was basically over at the under-12 timeout of the first half. While Mullins' shot was an all-time Stud moment, the rest of the Elite Eight kind of felt like a formality. 

Overall, the Sweet Sixteen was pretty decent, with most of the games being competitive but lacking a true upset. While Iowa beat Nebraska, that was not a shocker given each team's familiarity with each other as Big Ten opponents. Texas nearly upset Purdue during a game that was much closer than anticipated. Arizona handled Arkansas during a game that felt like a potentially sneaky upset but was far from that. Illinois beat Houston at its own game. 

On Friday night, Duke rallied from a double-digit deficit against St. John's in the second half while Michigan put away Alabama after trailing by two at halftime. Michigan State and UCONN was a game that went down to the wire while Tennessee and Iowa State was a bit of an ugly game as the Cyclones ran out of gas without star Joshua Jefferson. 

Don't get me wrong. There were some excellent second round games, including St. John's buzzer-beating defeat of Kansas, the final seconds of Vandy and Nebraska, the high-scoring High Point - Arkansas affair, Iowa's stunning upset of Florida and Texas defeating Gonzaga. However, when the lowest remaining seed entering the Sweet Sixteen is #11 Texas, one of, if not, the most powerful programs in all of collegiate sports, this round didn't quite reach the level of Stud. A High Point upset of Arkansas would have pushed this round to the next level, though the second round games were mostly enjoyable. 

After the the opening day of the tournament, the first round was heading toward the Stud direction, with High Point shocking Wisconsin and VCU coming back to upset North Carolina in overtime. If Santa Clara could have pulled out a victory against Kentucky in the first set of Friday games, that would have helped the cause. Ultimately, the first round was good but not great, with no #13 seed beating a #4 seed and just one #12 seed beating a #5 seed. 

The First Four games can be quite hard to watch, though this year's games were quite entertaining in my opinion, I think, due to Miami (OH) being in Dayton with a large fan base. The opening game between UMBC and Howard was close, with the Retrievers coming back late, while N.C. State-Texas was a rock fight with an entertaining final two minutes. Prairie View A & M controlled Lehigh while the Miami Ohio-SMU game was exciting with the Redhawks bombing threes in front of its raucous crowd. Overall, the First Four kept my attention, with four competitive games that left me hungry for the first round. 

On a personal level, this was a Stud tournament as Illinois made the Final Four. Bigger picture wise, it was a Mud tournament that was good but not great. With NIL out of control, and mid-majors getting raided by Power Conferences, the NCAA Tournament is starting to feel like the Cinderellas of years past will be few and far between. Each year it seems like the #1 seeds are guaranteed at least three of the four Final Four spots, which would have been the case if Duke had not choked against UCONN. Still, there seems to be clear separation between the #1 seeds, with Arizona not on Michigan's level. Future tournaments are going to need much better Elite Eight and Final Four games if Cinderellas are no longer dancing. With all that said, I will always watch the NCAA Tournament, be captivated by the games and feel a sense of sadness when it comes to an end. :-)  

After 63 games being played, with Michigan claiming the championship, the 2026 NCAA Tournament has come to an end. Now is the time to reflect upon the last three weeks, beginning with the first, second and third teams for the four schools that made the Final Four. Note: These selections are based upon my observations of these teams. They reflect how the players played not only in the Final Four but the entire NCAA Tournament. Make the jump to see my first, second and third-teams for the 2026 NCAA Tournament Final Four participants. 

Even on an injured knee in the Final Four, Lendeborg had a tremendous impact in Michigan winning the title game, gutting out 36 minutes in the final against UCONN. Prior to his injury, Lendeborg was the most unstoppable player in the entire tournament and is my MOP of the 2026 NCAA Tournament. Named the MOP of the Final Four, Cadeau played with a chip all tourney long. Joining him in the backcourt is Illinois' super freshman Wagler, who managed 20 points against UCONN despite not having his most efficient game and keyed the Illini's run to the Final Four. Rounding out the starting five are UCONN's Karaban and Reed. Karaban was the emotional leader of UCONN while Reed was the Huskies' best player all tourney long. McKenney gets the nod as the sixth man as he was phenomenal from the Sweet Sixteen on. May coaches this squad as he not only masterfully constructed but managed a dominant Michigan roster. 

While having a rough showing against Michigan in the Final Four, Burries was Arizona's best player throughout the Wildcats' first four games, closely followed by his fellow freshman battering ram Peat. Mullins shocked the world with his three to beat Duke in the Elite Eight and played with so much toughness during the Final Four. He is a star in the making. After a dominant first-round game, Johnson was a bit uneven in his play; however, his motor in the National Championship Game was huge with Lendeborg limited. Mara shined in the Final Four victory against Arizona and picked his spots in other games. Stojakovic was instant offense and defense during the Illini's run to the Final Four, not only accepting but flourishing in his bench role. Hurley did his best coaching job yet at UCONN, taking a flawed team to the title game, where it gave Michigan all the Wolverines could handle. 

The senior Bradley saved Arizona against a surging Utah State team in the second round and was a steadying leader throughout the Wildcats' run, which was bolstered by Kharchenkov's fearless play. While struggling with his shooting until the Final Four, Ball impacted the game in many areas for UCONN. With his fellow freshman Wagler, Mirkovic led the Illini to the Final Four with his all-around game while Ivisic stepped up big with five great tourney games. Gayle Jr. was an offensive and defensive force off the bench for the Wolverines and stepped up big time with L.J. Cason out. Ross deserved mentioning as he provided great defense and positional versatility off the bench for the Huskies. Underwood gets the nod before Arizona's Tommy Lloyd as his Illini were more competitive in the Final Four. 

While last night's National Championship Game will not go down in the annals of college basketball history as an all-time classic, it did leave some lasting impressions. Ultimately, Michigan was the better team and won, though Connecticut has nothing to be ashamed of as the Huskies did a lot of things well and were right there to the very end. While other teams folded against the overwhelming Wolverines during similar situations this tournament, Connecticut did not blink and played the game at its pace and style, holding a Michigan team to just 69 points when it was scoring in the 90s all tournament long. Even in defeat, UCONN made it clear that a national championship must go through the Huskies, a testament to the coaching and culture of Head Coach Dan Hurley. For Michigan, this title was the result of Head Coach Dusty May not only constructing but properly utilizing one of the most impressive and imposing rosters, especially in the frontcourt, during this transfer portal era. Michigan looked the part all season and came through when it mattered most in March. Give credit to the Wolverines for fulfilling its promise, winning its first title since 1989 and bringing the championship back to the Big Ten for the first time since 2000. Make the jump to read my ten reactions to last night's national championship game between the Michigan Wolverines and the Connecticut Huskies. 

In my preview of the championship game, I wrote that a lot of things would have to go wrong for Michigan to lose to UCONN, which would have to do a lot of things right to win. Well, Michigan had a lot of things go wrong last night, a testament to Connecticut's defense and toughness. First, the Wolverines were just 2 for 15 from three, not even hitting one until nearly midway through the second half. Next, Michigan got outrebounded 46 to 39 on the boards, including 22 to 12 on the offensive boards, which is shocking given the Wolverines' size. Third, Michigan star Yaxel Lendeborg was clearly limited with his knee sprain. Somehow he played 36 minutes and finished with 13 points, even though he looked like he had no business being on the court. And yet, despite all of these problems, Michigan connected on 25 of 28 free throws, an amazing 89%, as the Wolverines were just too big and physical. In contrast, UCONN was 12 for 16 from the stripe. Having a +11 advantage in free throw makes proved to be a big difference.

Ultimately, for as talented and explosive Michigan is, the Wolverines are champions because of their defense. At the start of the second half, the Wolverines were like a pack of dogs at the rim, swarming for blocks and  pushing the ball off UCONN misses. The Wolverines made things tough on UCONN star center Tarris Reed Jr. ,who battled and played hard but was clearly affected by Michigan's size. The Wolverines really made UCONN extend its wonderful offense well beyond the three-point line. During this championship run, Michigan was ultimately powered by an overwhelming defense propelling a throttling offense. When the Wolverines put the clamps down, they were pretty much unbeatable. For as talented as this team was offensively, Michigan understood and committed to the mantra, "Defense wins championships." 

Last season, May constructed a wonderful front line of Danny Wolf and Vladislav Golden. Wolf was an excellent passer who could facilitate offense while Golden could post up or hit from the mid range.When Michigan got Yaxel Lendeborg from UAB, Morez Johnson from Illinois and Aday Mara from UCLA during last season's transfer portal, it was an even more impressive haul that left me wondering which player, Johnson or Mara, would come off the bench. May had other intentions moving Lendeborg to small forward, where he was too big for his opponents, starting Johnson at power forward, where he could bang, impose his muscle and do a lot of dirty work, and having the 7'3'' Mara naturally at center, where he was just too tall and skilled.  Ultimately, this killer frontline was just too imposing all season long.

When things weren't going well last night, Michigan was able to use all three of these players in a high low game resulting in easy baskets. Michigan was clearly unstoppable when it got pressure on the rim, either from post touches or penetration.  Last night, Michigan's even more diverse frontline was just too much for a UCONN team that battled its heart out in the paint. Johnson had his best game of the tournament, in my opinion, playing with a high motor, running all over the court on defense, and finishing with 12 points and 10 rebounds. While not playing as much in the second half, Mara had a stretch in the first half where he got Michigan going with two quick baskets and some nice passing. During a game he went 0-for-5 from three, Lendeborg took the ball to the hole and posted up when it mattered in the second half.

As all of college basketball figured out, there was just no answer against Michigan's frontcourt this season. It will be interesting to see what May will put together down low for the Wolverines next season. 

All season long, Michigan got acclaim for its frontline while it's backcourt was too often forgotten. It was clear during the tournament that Most Outstanding Player (MOP) Eliot Cadeau was the key to this team, with his ability to get to the lane, pick up fouls on opponents and hit timely threes. Cadeau played with a sociopathic chip on his shoulder that was borderline dirty at times yet unrelenting in not letting Michigan let up. 

Michigan does not win the title without the outstanding bench play of Trey McKenney and Roddy Gayle Jr. the past four games. While both struggled shooting last night, McKenney had a huge three and jumper late, as well as two free throws. Gayle was outstanding on defense and made a heady play at the end of the game, securing a rebound and flinging the ball down court to let time expire. McKenney and Gayle really stepped up in March after Michigan lost LJ Cason near the end of the season. They were two physical junkyard dogs who would start for most college basketball teams, a testament to Michigan's depth and versatility.

While Michigan needed to and did have a lot of things go wrong, UCONN was the reason for the Wolverines' off game, doing a lot of things correct. For UCONN to have a chance, the Huskies needed to control pace, hit threes, get a big game from Alex Karaban and compete on the boards. UCONN was able to run clock and hit threes early, with Solo Ball finding his outside shot before being saddled with two early fouls and Karaban hitting his first two threes. After two rough offensive games in the Elite Eight and Final Four, Karaban left it all on the floor Monday night, finishing with 17 points and 11 rebounds while playing all 40 minutes. The Huskies more than competed on the boards and actually outrebounded Michigan for the game. Unfortunately for UCONN, the three-point shot was missing for much of the second half, and foul trouble was too much. 

The past two seasons have exposed some of Karaban's weaknesses as he was forced to have a greater offensive role. In reality, Karaban is the ultimate role player, as seen on UCONN's 2023 and 2024 title teams. Last night, Karaban stepped up when his team needed him and played with such heart, toughness and steadiness. The kid would not let his team die, whether it was stripping Johnson of the ball in the second half, driving for a difficult layup, getting an offensive board and stick back, hitting a tough three late, etc. Even though Karaban missed a difficult three with UCONN down four with under 20 seconds to go, he left it all on the court. Karaban leaves UCONN as not the greatest player in the program's storied history but its greatest winner and teammate, a warrior on the court, an extension of Hurley on the floor. Karaban is going to have a long career at the next level because he is a consummate professional. He has Oklahoma City Thunder written all over him. 

As much as I respect Hurley as an Xs and Os coach, I just thought that UCONN would not be able to last with this dominant Michigan team. That was looking to be the case early in the second half when Michigan pulled out to an 11-point lead on a Cadeau three. While other programs have collapsed all season and tourney during such Michigan onslaughts, UCONN hardly blinked. The Huskies just kept battling and hanging in. That is a reflection of Hurley, who as unlikable as he is with his boorish behavior and sideline antics, takes all the pressure off his team, which plays so damn tough. As has been the case the past four seasons, the national title must go through UCONN, and that is not going to change with Hurley in charge. 

With Karaban gone, Ball and Mullins are next in line to carry the leadership mantle at UCONN. Mullins was truly impressive last night, even when his shot wasn't falling. He crashed the boards with fearlessness, displayed deft passing and did not blink against Michigan's bullying physicality. Mullins really understands how to play basketball and has no quit in him. Mullins should stay one more year at UCONN. If he does, he will be one of the best players in college basketball, and UCONN will be contenders once again. 

By no means did the officiating cost any team the game. Last night, the refs kept a struggling Michigan offense in the game in the first half. While Michigan was the better team, deserved to win and knocked down free throws, there was no flow to the game.   With that said, it was frustrating to watch as Ball and Silas Demary Jr. picked up two quick fouls in the first half. Demary fouled out in the second half on a couple of calls against Cadeau, who hooked him on one and swung through and flopped on another. Cadeau was also allowed to initiate so much contact on drives. In the first half, the refs called Karaban for a questionable hook and hold, a rule that I really do not like, that led to a 6-0 Michigan run. It was good to see the refs not fall for Cadeau plowing through Eric Reibe at the end of the first half, trying to draw a foul on a three-pointer from half court. It was amazing UCONN was only down four at the break given that Ball and Demary sat for so much of the half. 

Now don't get me wrong, UCONN was doing plenty of grabbing and holding as well. Michigan was whistled for several calls at the rim in the second half were more anticipatory than anything else.  All in all, college basketball is way too physical, leading to choppy games where whistles have more of a say than players. As is the case too often in NCAA Tournaments, officials swing games with foul calls being unbalanced in halves. As a whole, basketball has become too much like football, affecting what was supposed to be a beautiful game of precision and skill and leaving an, at times, hard product to watch. It is always frustrating to go into college basketball games with the following caveat: "How are the officials going to call the game?" 

Even though May is going to lose four-fifths of his starting lineup to the NBA and/or graduation, he has the NIL budget to rebuild Michigan into a juggernaut again next year. Hurley has the best program in the country and will retool as well. It feels like these two schools will be seeing each other deep in future NCAA Tournaments for years to come. Both coaches are too good at constructing and coaching their rosters. 

When my Fighting Illini lost to UCONN on Saturday during the Final Four, I felt like Illinois was a better team and missed a golden opportunity to advance to the title game. After getting over my emotions and seeing last night's game, specifically just how difficult UCONN made it for an all-time Michigan squad, I needed to give UCONN more credit for the defensive effort it had against the Illini. While Illinois did not have its best night, and had some unfortunate breaks, UCONN took us out of our game, just like they did to Michigan in the title game. There is never shame losing to UCONN. As frustrating as Hurley's antics are, his teams are so well-prepared and well-coached. Last night once again proved to never doubt a Hurley team, even when it seems to be a heavy underdog. UCONN will always impose its style, and Hurley will always give his teams a chance to succeed and win. 

Michigan wins the national championship in an ugly game. UCONN did not quit, but Michigan was just too big and physical. The Wolverines only made two threes tonight but were 25/28 from the free throw line. UCONN was 12/16 from the line. At the end of the day Michigan could score more easily in the paint, where it had a 36 to 22 advantage.  UCONN literally has to be killed to be eliminated during the NCAA Tournament. The Huskies showed great heart and culture, outrebounding Michigan 43 to 36.  There is a lot to break down from this game tomorrow. Make the jump to see the final stats of Michigan's title-clinching win against the Connecticut Huskies. 

Michigan leads 67-63 with 13 seconds left. The refs are reviewing if McKenney threw an elbow before getting fouled. Roddy Gayle missed two free throws, but Karaban missed a three. McKenney got the rebound and was fouled. 

Michigan leads 67-63 with 37 seconds left. Timeout UCONN. Ball just banked in a three after Michigan turned the ball over against the press. Michigan is looking shaky against the press. 

Michigan leads 67-60 with 48.8 seconds remaining. There has been some poor officiating. Demary fouled out on a tacky foul as Cadeau initiated minimal contact. McKenney just got away with two travels. 

Michigan leads 65-56 with 1:49 remaining. Timeout Michigan. That might have just been the game. Karaban hit a ridiculous three to cut the game to six. UCONN then forced a turnover with Reed feeding Ball, who missed a contested layup. Michigan's McKenney then hit a three on a broken play. That's just Michigan's second three. Cadeau got away with a flop and hold on consecutive plays. 

Michigan leads 60-51 with 3:48 remaining. Lendeborg is starting to attack the rim, even though he is on one leg. He has Michigan's last six points. He missed a floater but got a tip in. He then drew a foul on a drive and hit two free throws. Mullins hit a big three and then just found Reed at the rim. Reed was fouled and will be shooting two free throws. Michigan is 19/20 from the free throw line. UCONN is 6/10. Michigan has 6 blocks and 6 steals tonight. It's been ugly offensive game for both teams, which have played great defense. 

Michigan leads 56-48 with 5:48 remaining. Timeout UCONN. Mullins just hit UCONN's first three of the half after a Lendeborg layup put Michigan up 11. 

Michigan leads 52-45 with 7:16 remaining. Karaban is playing his heart out there, stripping Johnson on one end and then driving for a layup. He then grabbed a tough rebound. UCONN seemed to be coming but Michigan was able to get Mara a lob dunk in transition. UCONN is 0-for-9 from three this half. Michigan is swarming UCONN at the rim. The Huskies are actually +6 on the boards, with a 36 to 30 advantage. UCONN just doesn't have the athletes to hit the shots. 

Michigan leads 48-38 with 11:33 remaining. Morez Johnson has been playing great tonight, with a high motor. He just blocked a Mullins layup out of bounds. This might be his best game of the tournament, given the stage and competition. He has 10 points, 5 rebounds, 1 steal and 1 block. He has been moving his feet and chasing his defenders quite well tonight. Cadeau leads the Wolverines with 15 points. Hurley cannot keep Solo Ball out much longer, despite the four fouls. 

Michigan leads 48-37 with 12:47 remaining. Timeout UCONN. Cadeau has scored 5 straight points, a layup and Michigan's first three of the game. The pace has swung this game to Michigan, which is getting the ball up court quickly. Michigan just has superior athletes. UCONN has to work so hard. Reed is really struggling close at the basket. Michigan has ratcheted up the defense. 

Michigan leads 40-33 with 15:16 remaining. UCONN is in trouble. The Huskies can't hit shots as Michigan is turning up the defense. Michigan is starting to pick up the pace and could be up more as Johnson couldn't convert an alley oop and missed a tip in on a miss. The Huskies have seen Ball pick up his third and fourth fouls, and Demary pick up his third. It has been a sloppy start to the half. UCONN had 3 turnovers in the first half; they already have 5 this half. Michigan has 3 turnovers as well. The Wolverines still haven't hit a three. It's been an ugly game for the Wolverines, which is starting to overwhelm UCONN with its size and physicality. 

Michigan may be 0-8 from three, but needs to keep pounding the ball inside, especially feeding Mara and Johnson. The goal should be to open some outside shots with inside touches. Defensively, Michigan is starting to wear down UCONN, which is having to work so hard, and getting a rhythm. The Wolverines should try to push off misses and get this game to a quicker pace. The high low game seemed to be effective late in the half. Michigan has a 22 to 8 advantage with points in the paint. Michigan is 11/14 with shots in the paint, 0/16 with shots outside the paint. UCONN is going to keep running its offense and has to hope Ball can keep hitting, and Karaban and Mullins can get a few more to drop. UCONN is going to need Ball and Demary on the court the entire half. Reed struggled with Michigan's size in the first half and needs to finish at the rim. Ultimately, it feels like Michigan will be too explosive, and that UCONN is going to wear out. We shall see as Hurley cannot be discounted. 

Michigan was starting to get some flow at the end of the half. Gayle Jr. had a nice put-back dunk on a missed Lendeborg layup in transition and Mara scored another basket inside. Ball came back in and hit a huge three. UCONN was able to hang in. Here are the halftime stats. 

Michigan leads 29-25 with 2:44 remaining. Timeout UCONN. Michigan is on a 6-0 run. Johnson hit two frees after a hook and hold call on Karaban. Michigan then posted Lendeborg, with a high low pass from Mara leading to an easy basket. Lendeborg is finally on the board. Mara just posted and scored on Reibe with a nice lefty hook. Michigan had missed 8 of 9 field goals. UCONN is in another offensive drought and needs to survive this half. Karaban has missed his last two threes and hitting his first two. Both teams are 9/26 from the field. 

UCONN leads 25-23 with 3:58 remaining. UCONN is playing harder than Michigan, which is staying in the game at the foul line as UCONN fouls are piling up. Reed just picked up his second foul. Ball and Demary have been on the bench for a long time with two. Cadeau has two for Michigan. Dusty May has tried to change tempo with a press, but UCONN is breaking it. Smith is a little scary with the ball in his hand, but he did find Mullins for a three off the press. UCONN is limiting Michigan to one shot and beating the Wolverines on the offensive glass, with a 6 to 4 advantage. Michigan still hasn't hit a three. The Wolverines are 0/7 from deep. They are 9/10 from the foul line while UCONN is 3/4. Braylon Mullins is bringing a lot of energy for UCONN, flying in for a nice offensive board. Michigan looks a half-step slow. 

UCONN leads 18 to 17 with 7:00 remaining. This is a UCONN game right now, a halfcourt grinder. Karaban had another three and is 2-for-2 from deep after a rough shooting game on Saturday. Malachi Smith has been big off the bench with four points. Michigan finally got someone other than Johnson (8 points) and Cadeau (7 points) to score with a nice feed to Mara on a screen and slip. Michigan is 0/5 from three. UCONN is 3/8. Michigan has a 14 to 4 advantage with points in the paint. The Wolverines look a bit frazzled and tight. UCONN has 6 fouls, Michigan has 3. 

Michigan leads 11-10 with 11:57 remaining. UCONN got two big threes from Ball and Alex Karaban during this stretch. The Huskies have been doing a better job limiting Michigan to one shot. UCONN now leads the boards 7 to 6. Unfortunately, for UCONN, both Ball and Silas Demary Jr. have two fouls. Cadeau leads Michigan with 7 points on 2-for-4 from the field, including a nice right hand reverse layup. Lendeborg hasn't taken a shot yet and Aday Mara is 0-for-3. Michigan does not have a three (0-for-3.. This is the recipe for UCONN, hang in and hope Michigan misses shots. Reed has looked bothered by Mara's size. He is 1-for-4 from the field, has a turnover down low and a foul pushing off on an offensive board. 

Michigan leads 9-4 with 15:41 remaining. Post touches have been the priorities for both teams. Morez Johnson has four points on 2-for-3 from the field, including an offensive tip in. Tarris Reed Jr. has three shots and two points, hitting just one field goal. Michigan has a 6 to 1 advantage on the boards. Yaxel Lendeborg looks very limited for Michigan. Solo Ball had a nice baseline jumper off some nice action, indicating that his foot looks okay. Roddy Gayle Jr. just had a nasty block of a driving Silas Demary. Michigan is really pushing UCONN out on the perimeter. No one has hit a three yet. Braylon Mullins badly missed one, Eliot Cadeau missed his. 

To be the best you have to beat the best. Michigan has certainly looked like the best team all tourney long. With its incredible front court, explosive offensive and overwhelming defense, Michigan is ready to beat the best program in college basketball the last four NCAA Tournaments and this entire century, Connecticut. While UCONN Head Coach Dan Hurley has done wonders getting this Huskies team to the title game, and should never be discounted, Michigan is a whole different animal, even with a hobbled Yaxel Lendeborg. Michigan's focused defense will be able to hold down a UCONN offense that shoots the ball too erratically, and the Wolverines will be able to overwhelm with its offensive diversity, scoring bursts and overwhelming size. Despite Hurley's tactical brilliance and UCONN's championship culture/pedgiree, it's hard seeing the Huskies beating a Michigan team that is not only constructed wonderfully but coached incredibly by Dusty May. Tonight's games features the two best head coaches in college basketball, and it wouldn't be surprising to see these two meet up again in future Final Fours. While UCONN should be commended for getting this far, Michigan should be commended for not only looking but playing the part of the most dominant team in college basketball all season long. For the second time in school history, Michigan will be national champions in men's basketball. For the first time in school history, UCONN will lose in the title game. For more on tonight's game, including a position-by-position, bench and coaching breakdown, click here.  

"This is the end, my only friend, the end." There is always a sense of anticipation and sadness the morning of the National Championship Game of college basketball, as a new team is soon crowned champion while the last three weeks of basketball madness and bliss come to an end. Tonight the 2026 NCAA Tournament reaches it resolution, with the #2 Connecticut Huskies facing the #1 Michigan Wolverines. UCONN is seeking its third national title in four seasons while Michigan is shooting for its first championship since 1989. Which team will earn its sixth and final victory in the tournament, culminating with a well-earned championship? Make the jump to read my position-by-position breakdown and prediction for tonight's National Championship Game between the UCONN Huskies and the Michigan Wolverines. 

While not playing its best basketball entering the NCAA Tournament, the Connecticut Huskies have displayed its championship mettle these past three weeks, with three of its five victories coming against Big Ten teams, defeating:

• #15 Furman, 82-71. Read my live running reactions here. 
• #7 UCLA, 73-57. 
• #3 Michigan State, 67-63. Read my live running reactions here. 
• #1 Duke, 73-72. Read my updates here. 
• #3 Illinois, 71-62. Read my updates here. 

Will UCONN beat a fourth Big Ten opponent to earn its seventh championship in men's college basketball tonight? 

Michigan has been the most dominant team all tournament, winning every game by double digits and seeming to be a team of destiny, defeating: 

• #16 Howard, 101-80. 
  
• #9 St. Louis, 95-72. Read my live running reactions here. 
• #4 Alabama, 90-77. Read my live running reactions here. 
  
• #6 Tennessee, 95-62. Read my game updates here. 
• #1 Arizona, 91-73. Read my game updates here. 
  

Can Michigan finish what has seemed inevitable since the end of November? 

Prior to 1999, UCONN had never reached a Final Four. Since then, the Huskies have reached eight Final Fours. With the exception of 2009, UCONN has advanced to the National Championship during each Final Four appearance. The Huskies are an amazing 6-0 in title games, with Head Coach Jim Calhoun having three victories, Kevin Ollie one victory, and Dan Hurley earning two victories. Below are highlights of UCONN's championship game victories in 1999, 2004, 2011, 2014, 2023 and 2024. 

Michigan is playing in its eighth National Championship Game, its first since 2018. The Wolverines are 1-6 in championship games, with the school's lone victory occurring in 1989 with an overtime victory against Seton Hall. That Wolverines team was coached by Interim Head Coach Steve Fisher and led by a slew of future NBA players in Glen Rice, Rumeal Robinson, Loy Vaught, Terry Mills and Sean Higgins. Fischer reached two more title games in 1992 and 1993, with his Fab Five teams of Chris Webber, Juwan Howard, Jalen Rose, Jimmy King and Ray Jackson losing to Duke and North Carolina, respectively. Under former Head Coach John Beilein, Michigan made two title games, a close loss to Louisville in 2013 and a demolition at the hands of an all-time Villanova team in 2018. 

Michigan is favored by 7.5 points tonight, though it will be shocking if UCONN can keep the game in single digits given the Wolverines' average margin of victory being 21.6 points so far this tournament. The Wolverines looked like an absolute machine on Saturday night against #1 Arizona, controlling the game from the tip and leading by as many as 30 points in the second half. UCONN had a stellar defensive effort against Illinois, trailing only once and leading by as many as 14 points in the second half before Illinois rallied to cut the deficit to no less than 4 points. 

Demary seemingly had a quiet game against Illinois on Saturday, but his stats tell a different story. While scoring just 7 points on 2-for-8 shooting (1-for-7 from three), Demary had 9 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals and 1 turnover while doing a commendable job guarding Illinois star freshman Keaton Wagler, who had 20 points but was just 2-for-10 from three. Coming off a serious ankle injury in the final of the Big East Tournament, Demary played 31 minutes on Saturday, which is a good sign of his improving health. For Michigan, Cadeau sparked with his defense on Saturday night, making things miserable for Arizona's back court of Brayden Burries and Jaden Bradley. While Cadeau was just 2-for-14 from the field in the first half, he was 3-for-3 in the second half, with all of his makes being from beyond the arc. Cadeau finished with 13 points and a dazzling 10 assists, 5 rebounds and 4 assists, though he did have 6 turnovers. Often overshadowed by Michigan's imposing front line, Cadeau plays the game with a real edge and never lacks confidence or aggression. Expect that to continue tonight, especially if  Wolverines' star forward Yaxel Lendeborg is limited by injury. Edge: Michigan. 

Against Illinois Mullins continued his momentum from his miracle three against Duke in the Elite Eight, scoring 15 points on 5-for-14 from the field. Mullins was most dangerous from three, going 4-for-7 and hitting a dagger with just under a minute left to give UCONN a seven-point advantage. Mullins was very aggressive and confident against the Fighting Illini, with his ability to move off the ball and curl off screens causing a lot of problems. The Huskies are going to need Mullins to keep his rediscovered shooting stroke to pull of the upset. An underrated fifth starter for Michigan, the veteran Burnett ganged up with Cadeau to speed things up for Arizona's Burries and Bradley. Burnett chipped in 6 points, 4 rebounds and 1 steal on Saturday. Burnett does a great job of just doing his job, which is to defend and hit an occasional three or fast-break bucket. Tonight Burnett's goal will be to hang with the moving Mullins and bring physicality on the defensive end. Edge: UCONN. 

Consider this the injured portion of tonight's title game. Ball, who is more of a point and off guard than a small forward, missed practice yesterday due to a foot issue. He was reportedly wearing a walking boot but is expected to play. Against Illinois Ball rediscovered his three-point shooting stroke that had been missing so far in March. He had 13 points on 3-for-7 from three and 5-for-11 from the field. Ball was very aggressive looking for his offense, which was a good sign. It will be interesting to see how Ball is able to move around the court as he is a focal point for the Huskies' offense and brings great energy on defense. For Lendeborg, Saturday was a nightmare day, with the exception of his team's victory. Lendeborg picked up two quick fouls in the game's first 1:30 and then injured his left knee with about nine minutes left in the first half. Lendeborg returned in the second half, though he was clearly hobbled. He still finished with 11 points (3-for-3 from three) in 15 minutes. Lendeborg is expected to play tonight, and whether he is 50-75% on the floor, he is still very dangerous. Michigan has more than enough options to cover for Lendeborg, who has been the team's best player all season and tourney long. Lendeborg has been a man on a mission this March, and just his presence on the court and ability to hit the three will be uplifting for an already laser-focused Wolverines' team. Edge: Michigan. 

For the second straight tournament game, Karaban struggled with his outside shooting on Saturday evening, hitting just 1-for-8 from the field, including six out of seven misses from three, and finishing with 9 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 steal in 35 minutes. Of course, Karaban's impact is not always seen in the box score as the veteran impacts winning with his defense, steadiness and experience. With that said, UCONN needs Karaban to have a better shooting and scoring night if it hopes to upset the Wolverines. Karaban's ability to move off the ball could be problematic for Michigan's Johnson, who does not have to do a lot of chasing, though he is capable of moving his feet and hedging screens. While not having as impactful of a tournament as expected, Johnson was solid against Arizona, finishing with 10 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists in 23 minutes. Michigan is going to need Johnson to pound the glass tonight as Karaban will struggle with his size and physicality. On championship game experience alone, Karaban gets the edge. However, he has been struggling offensively, and Johnson poses some major problems with his size. Edge: Even. 

Reed began his career at Michigan before transferring to UCONN, where he has developed into a great center. Against Illinois Reed had a team-leading 17 points and 11 rebounds, with a strong start to the game but a much more quiet second half. Reed has been UCONN's best player all tourney, and the Huskies will need another strong game from him tonight against the Wolverines. At 6'11, Reed must stay out of foul trouble while guarding Michigan's super talented 7'3'' center Aday Mara, who had a dazzling 26 points on 11-for-16 from the field and 9 rebounds against Arizona. With Lendeborg out, Michigan made post touches to Mara a priority. Expect the Wolverines to do the same tonight. Mara has been known to pick up fouls as well so pay attention to the whistles early between these two big men. UCONN will try to space out Reed a bit on offense and see if he can use his dribbling and beautiful footwork to attack Mara. Expect Johnson to guard Reed as well. The battle between Reed and Mara is the most intriguing position battle in this game. Edge: Even. 

Michigan has been uplifted by the play of McKenney and Gayle Jr. who have had three straight tournament games where they have blazed offensively off the bench. McKenney had 16 points on 6-for-9 from the field, including 4-for-7 from three, on Saturday night. He is shooting the ball with extreme confidence and looking to score when he gets onto the court. Gayle has been equally awesome, scoring 9 points against Arizona. McKenney and Gayle have really upped their play in the tournament, which should offset the injured Lendeborg tonight. For UCONN, Jayden Ross hit two big threes in the first half against Illinois. UCONN would be ecstatic if he can do that again tonight while bringing his typically active defense. While not scoring in nine minutes due to foul trouble against the Fighting Illini, Smith has been a huge part of this UCONN team and will be looking to bounce back against Michigan. UCONN also threw in Eric Reibe and dusted off Jaylin Stewart for some spot minutes against Illinois. Due to his size, the 7'1'' Reibe will probably be needed against Michigan's imposing front line. Edge: Michigan. 

Tonight's National Championship Game features two of the best coaches in all of college basketball. UCONN is here because of Hurley, who has done his best coaching job with a flawed UCONN team. May is truly phenomenal, not only in building rosters but designing game plans and making adjustments. Having Hurley on the sidelines gives UCONN a shot tonight against May's superior Michigan team. Edge: UCONN. 

It is only fitting that Michigan will have to defeat UCONN to become champions for the first time since 1989. College basketball has run through UCONN the past four tournaments, with the Huskies winning the whole thing in 2023 and 2024 and losing by just two points to eventual national champion Florida during last year's tournament. This UCONN team is not the level of the 2023 and 2024 teams while Michigan has looked the part of the one of the more dominant squads in recent college basketball history. 

Tonight's game will be dictated by defense. UCONN made things really tough for Illinois on Saturday night while the Wolverines are playing defense at a whole new level this tournament. UCONN must not turn the ball over and let Michigan get its transition going as that tends to lead to Wolvering scoring bursts. The Huskies will need to hit the three ball and get big games from Karaban, Reed and Mullins. Hurley's offense will get UCONN shots, will the Huskies hit them? On Saturday, they did. Illinois couldn't hit the three against the Huskies, but Michigan will be able to.

While UCONN will hang tight, Michigan is too good defensively and too dynamic offensively.  The Huskies were outrebounded by the Illini on Saturday night and must be closer on the boards against the Wolverines. UCONN cannot fall into a hole against Michigan like it did against Duke. This Michigan team will not take its foot off the gas pedal. Additionally, UCONN had several prolonged scoring droughts against Illinois. Similar results will be fatal against the explosive Wolverines. 

A lot will have to go right for UCONN and a lot will have to go wrong for Michigan for an upset to occur. Overall, Michigan is the more talented team that has dominated all tourney long. Hurley will keep the Huskies within striking distance for as long as possible, though this Michigan team will eventually overwhelm and win this game by twelve to sixteen points. In just two seasons, May will bring a national championship back to Ann Arbor, Michigan. 

Sunday, April 5, 2026 

Words cannot express the sadness and disappointment of yesterday's loss to Connecticut during the Final Four. It is going to take a few days to process this defeat and even rewatch the game, which I tried to do early this morning before stopping with UCONN leading 3-1 as Kylan Boswell attempted a second free throw. Yesterday's game feels like such a missed opportunity as Illinois was the better team in my opinion, Connecticut was a beatable opponent, and the game was absolutely winnable. It just wasn't our day for various reasons that can be discussed later. 

With that said, this has been an incredibly fun and entertaining season of Illinois basketball.  At the beginning of this season, I had no major expectations for this Illini squad, which joined the 1989 Flyin' Illini and 2004-05 team as Final Four participants.  The last five months have been a great ride, worthy of many thank yous. 

Thank you to: 

• Keaton Wagler for having a freshman season like no other, for playing the game the right way at all times. 
• David Mirkovic for entertaining with your well-rounded game, next-play attitude, and goofball personality. 
• Andrej Stojakovic for providing instant offense and much-needed defense during the tourney, for accepting a sixth-man role and displaying incredible mental focus these past three weeks. 
• Tomislav Ivicic for sacrificing your role this season, for salvaging a difficult regular season with five great games during the NCAA Tournament. 
• Kylan Boswell for refocusing the team after the Big Ten tourney, for playing through a difficult hand injury.
• Jake Davis for being the ultimate glue guy all season long. 
• Ben Humrichous for bouncing back after last season's struggles, for modeling leadership and selflessness. 
• Zvonimir Ivisic for injecting great activity off the bench, for adding even more personality to this team. 
• Brandon Lee, Mihailo Petrovic, AJ Redd, Blake Fagbemi and Jason Jaktys for being engaged teammates on the bench. 
• Ty Rodgers for sticking around, for being a spiritual leader despite not playing the past two seasons.  
• The coaching staff for making necessary offensive and defensive adjustments during tourney halftimes. 
• Head Coach Brad Underwood for returning Illinois to the Promised Land, the Final Four. 
• Athletic Director Josh Whitman for investing in this program. 

While I have been dreading the end of this season for weeks, I will always hold a special place in my basketball fandom for this Illinois team, which played with such great chemistry and enthusiasm, and capitalized on its talent to make an unexpected Final Four run. The memories of these past three weeks, these last five months will forever remain with me. 

Go Illini!  

The national championship game of the 2026 NCAA Tournament is set, with the #2 seed UCONN Huskies facing the #1 seed Michigan Wolverines this Monday night at 7:50 p.m. (CT) on TBS. Connecticut is appearing in its third national championship game in the past four seasons while Michigan is returning to the final for the first time since the 2018 NCAA Tournament. There will be plenty of time to break down this game tomorrow. In the meantime make the jump to read my four observations about yesterday's Final Four games that were so promising on paper but ultimately quite disappointing on the court. 

1. Michigan is a team on a mission, playing suffocating defense and boasting too much offensive firepower and depth. The Wolverines couldn't have had a worse start last night with star forward Yaxel Lendeborg picking up two fouls in the first 1:30 of game time and then injuring his left leg 11 minutes into the first half. Yet it didn't matter for the Wolverines, which swarmed an overwhelmed Arizona team. The Wolverines got 7'3'' center Aday Mara touches, and the UCLA transfer flourished, scoring 26 points on 11-for-16 from the field and grabbing 9 rebounds. Once again, the Wolverines were sparked off the bench by wings Trey McKenney and Roddy Gayle Jr., who scored 16 and 9 points respectively. McKenney and Gayle have had three straight amazing games for the Wolverines. While Arizona seemingly had the advantage in the back court, Michigan guards Eliot Cadeau and Nimari Burnett flustered the Wildcats' Brayden Burries and Jaden Bradley with their defensive activity. The normally steady Burries looked outmatched and rushed while the experienced Bradley lost composure, picking up three fouls by the end of the first half. In addition to their pesky defense, Cadeau chipped in 13 points while Burnett had 6 points. Michigan also got 10 points from Morez Johnson Jr. and 11 points from Lendeborg, who only played 14 minutes and looked hobbled on the court. Even with Lendeborg not 100% with what appears to be an MCL sprain, this Michigan team has too many scoring options. When Head Coach Dusty May put this team together through the transfer portal, it was apparent that Michigan was going to be good enough to win it all. No one could have imagined Michigan being so dominant throughout the entire season! The Wolverines are not going to be denied on Monday night, and the final outcome will likely not be close. 

2. Dan Hurley has squeezed everything out of this limited UCONN team. Entering Saturday's Final Four game against Illinois, UCONN had been struggling miserably from three, including starting 1/18 against Duke in the Elite Eight before finishing 5/25 in a stunning comeback. Against the Fighting Illini, UCONN made 7 threes on 18 attempts by halftime, which was not a good sign for Illinois. If the Huskies hit threes, Illinois was going to be in trouble. The Huskies got made threes from six players and ended up shooting 12/33 from deep (36.4%) for the game, with freshman Braylon Mullins hitting a dagger with just under a minute left. While UCONN rediscovered its outside shot and seemingly got every bounce on Saturday night, the Huskies still only led a stagnant Illinois team by four points in the last minute. Senior forward Alex Karaban had his second straight bad game on offense, and UCONN had several prolonged scoring droughts. At the end of the day UCONN's defense was good enough to hold off an Illini team that seemed stuck in the mud all night. To win tomorrow, Connecticut must shoot well from three again, avoid scoring droughts, have a huge game from Karaban, and somehow stop Michigan's offense. Good luck with that. While Hurley has done wonders getting this UCONN team to the title game, he is going to experience his first loss in a championship game tomorrow night. 

3. Illinois fought an uphill battle all game long. Making its first Final Four appearance since 2005, Illinois got behind early before eventually taking a 22-21 lead in the first half. Unfortunately, the Illini could not extend that lead as UCONN struggled to score. By the end of the first half, UCONN was up eight points. Illinois just couldn't sustain any offensive momentum while chipping away in the second half. At one point, Illinois trailed by only four points, but the deficit felt much larger on a night where Illinois felt like the better team but couldn't get some tantalizing shots at the rim to fall. Sadly, the Illini just didn't seem to have the belief or spark necessary to finish the game. That something special was missing all game from the Illini, which fought and played hard but just didn't look like a team that thought it was going to win. While Illinois had a truly memorable and unforgettable season, the Illini have to be kicking themselves as that UCONN team was beatable. Illinois played great defense but ultimately faltered because it did not push the ball off defensive stops. While Illinois played a slow pace all season, the team needed to adjust last night and try to have its defense spark some quicker offense, rather than dribbling the ball into the ground. Returning to the Final Four for the first time in 21 years, Illinois seemed a bit spooked, as if the moment was too big, as was the case with my final observation. 

4. Arizona's return to the Final Four was a giant dud. After waiting 25 years to get back to the Final Four, the Wildcats had a shockingly disastrous showing against Michigan, which was expected to win but not dominate a game many were calling the "De Facto National Championship." While Arizona is a team that likes to run, Michigan ran the Wildcats out of the gym. For a team that maintained its composure all tournament long, Arizona looked like a deer in headlights as Michigan turned up the screws on defense and starting clicking on offense. With the exception of center Motiejus Krivas, the rest of the Wildcats had underwhelming first halves. Arizona's defensive resistance in the second half was nonexistent, with the Wolverines leading by 30 at one point. The Wildcats seemed resigned to losing coming out of the break, which has to be incredibly disappointing for Head Coach Tommy Lloyd, who was rumored to be heading to North Carolina before signing a five-year extension with the Wildcats on Friday. Ultimately, Lloyd's coaching future had no bearing on last night's game as the Wildcats were thoroughly handled by a Michigan train that is barreling toward an inevitable national title. 

And it wasn't even that close. At one point, Michigan hit 7 of 9 threes to start the second half and led by as many as 30 points. Arizona did not lead one time tonight. Arizona clearly never got punched in the face like that this season, and the Wildcats were stunned and helpless defensively after the break. The Wolverines cruise, with Yaxel Lendeborg playing on one leg. As one of my favorite musicians Ty Segall sings, "It's over." Crown this Michigan team. As good as Dan Hurley is as a head coach, his Huskies are not beating the Wolverines, a juggernaut that will win its first title since 1989 on Monday night.  Make the jump to see the final stats of Michigan's beatdown of Arizona.  

Uh oh spaghettios. It's Michigan's world and every other team in the Final Four is just living in it. Here's how you know this game is over. MIchigan's Yaxel Landeborg has played just five minutes, picking up two quick fouls, scoring five points, and dealing with an injury. Michigan has gotten Aday Mara involved. The big man is 6-for-8 from the field with 15 points. For the Wildcats, freshman point guard Brayden Burries is rattled with just two points on 0-for-5 from the field. Good luck UCONN as this Michigan team is not being beat. Dusty May is such a good coach. He realized Mara was not involved enough last weekend and has gotten the big man involved. Somehow, Eliot Cadeau is 2-for-14 from the field and having a tremendous impact on this game. Arizona's guards Burries and Jaden Bradley, who has three fouls, don't look ready for this moment. The Wolverines are getting great games off the bench from Trey McKenney and Roddy Gayle Jr. This game is over, and this tourney is over. UCONN Head Coach Dan Hurley was lucky to get by Illinois tonight; there's no chance the Huskies get past Michigan. Here are the halftime stats. 

Prior to the NCAA Tournament, Arizona was my choice to win the national title as the Wildcats looked to be playing the best basketball of any team in the country, including Michigan, which had lost to Purdue in the Big Ten title game and looked a bit disinterested. After the first two weekends, Arizona has done nothing to change my thoughts about the Wildcats' potential to win its second national title in school history, with its second-half annihilation of those same Boilermakers during last weekend's Elite Eight victory especially impressive. Tommy Lloyd's Arizona team has it all with stud freshmen Koa Peat, Brayden Burries and Ivan Kharchenkov, a dynamic senior in Jayden Bradley, a skilled big in Motiejus Krivas, and a dynamic bench in Tobe Awaka and Anthony Dell'Orso. 

With that in mind, Dusty May's Michigan Wolverins have been the most dominant, intimidating and difficult team to play all season, largely due to its frightening front line of Yaxel Lendeborg, Morez Johnson Jr. and Aday Mara. The Wolverines have been devouring teams so far this tourney, with the scary thing being that Michigan is not even playing its best basketball. Lendeborg has made a conscious decision to score the ball and has been unstoppable getting to the rim. While Arizona has a decided advantage with its guard play, and has enough bodies to throw at Lendeborg, Michigan just seems to be too big, explosive and diverse down low to be beaten, though the Wolverines need to get Johnson going and involve Mara more. 

Expect this game to be incredibly close and entertaining as both teams love to run and get out on the break, where Michigan is especially scary with Lendeborg attacking the rim and the Wolverines hitting threes in secondary transition, with guards Eliot Cadeau, Nimari Burnett, Trey McKenney and Roddy Gayle Jr. especially dangerous in this regard. Arizona is as explosive and composed of a team as there is left in the tournament, and Michigan's emotional maturity, especially during a close game, is a bit worrisome and something to monitor. While Michigan hasn't played a close game this tournament, the Wolverines know how difficult defeating Arizona will be and will maintain the right edge to outlast the Wildcats in what should be a classic.  Whatever team emerges from this game will have earned the victory and be the favorite on Monday night against Illinois or UCONN. 

National Semifinal #2 (Game 62): #1 Michigan Wolverines vs. #1 Arizona Wildcats - 7:49 p.m. CT (TBS) 

• Tourney profile of the #1 seed Michigan Wolverines. 
• Tourney profile of the #1 seed Arizona Wildcats. 
• Position-by-position breakdown and early prediction for Arizona versus Michigan. 

UCONN advances to its third title game in four seasons, getting a big three from Braylon Mullins in the last minute to hold off Illinois, which just could not get over the hump in the second half after trailing by eight points at the break. While limiting the Huskies in the second half, Illinois did not pick up the tempo, especially off of defensive rebounds, and played too slow of a pace. A great season ends in disappointment for the Illini, which had a golden opportunity to beat the Huskies. Illinois just didn't play with the urgency or belief that was necessary to win a game that was there for the taking, even with the recently cold-shooting Huskies hitting twelve threes. It's sad to see the season end this way for Illinois and its star freshman Keaton Wagler, but that is life as an Illinois fan, unfortunately. Illinois felt like it was so close yet so far away on a night when several shots hung on the rim to fall out while UCONN seemingly got all of the bounces. Ultimately, Connecticut ran much better offense that got the Huskies open shots  while the Illinois offense was too much isolation and dribbling, with the Illini struggling yet again from three. Assists told the story of this game, with Connecticut dishing out 14 and Illinois having just three. Illinois outrebounded UCONN 42 to 33 and still lost! Make the jump to review the final stats of a game Connecticut hung onto and Illinois did not seize, thus leaving Indianapolis with a "woulda, coulda, shoulda" feeling that is far worse and more disappointing than losing by 25 points to the Huskies during the Elite Eight two tourneys ago. 

Illinois is incredibly tight on offense. Neither team is playing great. UCONN has hit 7/18 from three, Illinois is 3/14. The Illini need to relax and let it all hang out this half. UCONN looks like a program that has been in the Final Four regularly; Illinois does not. UCONN has 9 assists on its 14 made field goals. Illinois has 1 assist on 10 field goals, showing that the Illini offense is too much dribbling and not enough passing. Illinois had a great stretch where it kept UCONN scoreless and got back into the game, even taking a 22-21 lead. UCONN finished on an 18-8 run to end the half.  Illinois has been a second-half team all tournament; the Illini need to take a deep breath and just play its game. UCONN has cooled from three after a hot start. Illinois has a 20-16 advantage on the boards. UCONN freshman Braylon Mullins and senior Tarris Reed Jr. have been the best players on the court, with 12 and 11 points, respectively. Illinois is led by Keaton Wagler (10 points), Tomislav Ivisic (8 points) and Andrej Stojakovic (5 points). Here are the halftime stats. 

My heart says Illinois while my head says UCONN. With that in mind, I am following my heart, like I did against Iowa in the Elite Eight after failing to do so against Houston in the Sweet Sixteen. Ultimately, Illinois has never been more equipped to defeat Connecticut, which is a great but nowhere as dominant team as it was two seasons ago, when the Huskies punked the Illini during the Elite Eight prior to winning its second straight national title. 

After limping into the NCAA Tournament, UCONN has had a very impressive run through the incredibly difficult East Region, with the dogged Huskies needing a miracle three from freshman Braylon Mullins to beat Duke and reach this Final Four. While Head Coach Dan Hurley is the hardest coach to eliminate during the NCAA Tournament, his UCONN team has really struggled with its shooting. Conversely, Illinois has found ways to adjust and score the ball inside when its outside shots have not been falling. Illinois must make post touches and points in the paint a high priority. 

As the tallest team in the country, Illinois has enough size and physicality to make things more challenging on UCONN star center Tarris Reed Jr., who has been dominant down low. Illinois must continue to bring the defensive intensity it has been playing with the past three games and make the Huskies take contested jump shots. That is much easier said than done as UCONN runs beautiful offensive sets that consistently free up shooters. Will the cold Huskies hit those outside shots? If UCONN is hitting from three, the Illini are in trouble. If not, the Illini will be in good shape. Rebounding, specifically which team can extend offensive possessions and control the defensive glass, will be a huge tell as to whether Illinois or UCONN wins this game. Illinois needs to make sure Connecticut does not get off to a fast start as was the case for Michigan State against the Huskies in the Sweet Sixteen. Hurley is always looking for an edge, and considering that Illinois is somehow favorites, don't be surprised if his Huskies come out in attack mode with a chip on their shoulders. 

While Keaton Wagler can expect to see many different Connecticut defenders in Silas Demary, Solo Ball, Malachi Smith and even Jayden Ross, the star Illinois freshman will step up as he has done all tournament, as will his teammates David Mirkovic, Andrej Stojakovic and Tomislav Ivicic. The matchup between Mirkovic and UCONN senior Alex Karaban could very well determine which team wins, including which of the two is able to hit a few threes. Mirkovic should have plenty of opportunities to facilitate offense out of the post, and Illinois should be able to penetrate on the Huskies, especially Stojakovic. The Illini must limit turnovers that lead to transition buckets and secondary threes for the Huskies, which can be quickly sparked by such easy baskets when scoring is more difficult in the half court. 

Make no mistake, this game is going to be tight and back and forth. For Illinois to reach the title game, it is only fitting the Illini must beat Connecticut, which under Hurley is the gold standard in college basketball. By no means is winning going to be easy but Illinois will have enough scoring diversity and continue to crank up its defense to fend off the Huskies and advance to the school's first title game since 2005. 

The Final Four is finally here, with #3 Illinois tipping off against #2 UCONN around 5 p.m. central time and #1 Michigan battling #1 Arizona roughly 40 minutes after the Illini and Huskies conclude.

Below is my complete guide for tonight's games, including: 

• My early impressions of the 2026 Final Four. 
• Background about each program's Final Four histories. 

National Semifinal #1 (Game 61): #3 Illinois Fighting Illini vs. #2 UCONN Huskies - 5:09 p.m. CT (TBS) 

• Tourney profile of the #3 seed Illinois Fighting Illini.
• Tourney profile of the #2 seed Connecticut Huskies.
• Position-by-position breakdown and early prediction for Illinois versus Connecticut.
• Tale of the Tape review of this season's Illinois-Connecticut game from November 28, 2025. 
• Personal reflections on the Illinois Fighting Illini's long road back to the Final Four. 

 
National Semifinal #2 (Game 62): #1 Michigan Wolverines vs. #1 Arizona Wildcats - 7:49 p.m. CT (TBS) 

• Tourney profile of the #1 seed Michigan Wolverines. 
• Tourney profile of the #1 seed Arizona Wildcats. 
• Position-by-position breakdown and early prediction for Arizona versus Michigan. 

Later today I will post a final prediction and provide live updates at halftime and the conclusion of each game. 

Enjoy the Final Four, the greatest sporting day of the year!