How to watch UConn men’s basketball vs. Illinois in Final Four

INDIANAPOLIS – UConn isn’t a basketball program used to flying under the radar, particularly at the Final Four, where it’s come home with a national championship trophy six of the seven times it’s made it this far.

But that is the case in Indianapolis this weekend, where the Huskies are 1 1/2-point underdogs against an improved version of the Illinois team it beat by 13 back in November. Oddsmakers give Dan Hurley and his team – which just showed championship grit in a 19-point comeback win over No. 1 overall seed Duke – the longest odds of winning the title at +550, as of Friday afternoon on DraftKings. Michigan is the favorite at +170, followed by its Final Four opponent, Arizona, at +180, and the Illini, another long shot at +400.

“We’re coming in there as an underdog in the event. We’re not used to that,” said Hurley, who will always have a target on his back – and a chip on his shoulder – regardless of the team he puts on the floor.

“We know the things that we have to do, the things that have caused us to not be the efficient team that we’ve wanted to be throughout the year, whether it’s been turnovers at the offensive end, not always being on the offensive glass, obviously some shooting struggles from 3,” he said. “But what doesn’t get measured when you’re dealing with teams and efficiencies, is the will, the fight, a team’s refusal to lose games. That doesn’t get factored in, obviously, to the analytics.”

Saturday’s game against Illinois is projected as a coin flip, largely due to the emergence of All-American freshman guard Keaton Wagler, whose potential hadn’t yet been realized when the Huskies held him to just three points back in November.

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But UConn is a different team now, too.

Tarris Reed Jr. and Braylon Mullins were just shells of themselves in that matchup, both coming back from ankle injuries. Reed, the Most Outstanding Player of the East Regional, played 15 foul-plagued minutes and didn’t have much of an impact. Mullins was on a 10-minute restriction as he made his collegiate debut in front of 16,000-plus at Madison Square Garden.

No one has played more basketball in football stadiums with 70,000-plus watching than Alex Karaban.

“People can think what they want. People didn’t expect us to make it this far this year, or in 2023, so people can say what they want, but we’re just keeping our own bubble, our own circle, and really just keeping that belief in one another,” said the Huskies’ senior captain, a two-time national champion with an 18-1 all-time record as a starter in the NCAA Tournament. “I have no idea what people look at to decide who can be a national champion. When you’re in the Final Four, I believe everyone has as good of a chance as everyone else.”

UConn has won all four of its matchups against Illinois in the last 85 years, including in the 2024 Elite Eight, when it demoralized Brad Underwood’s Illini with a remarkable 30-0 run before winning back-to-back titles. This year, the Huskies have somewhat of a “team of destiny” vibe to them, especially given Mullins’ magical moment to beat Duke.

But they will have to do the little things on the court – rebound, take care of the ball, make shots – to take down a talented Illinois team that has found its identity and has been rolling through the tournament so far.

“Just knowing the fight that we have, being in different types of environments, going through adversity with this team, I don’t see why we don’t have a chance at winning. I think we’ve been here before, the coaches have experience in this atmosphere and I think we’ve got guys that are willing to play for one another. We’ve got the confidence after winning these games week after week, why shouldn’t we have a chance to win it all as well?” said point guard Silas Demary Jr.

“For sure it’s disrespectful,” said Jaylin Stewart, who was part of that 2024 national championship team and is expecting to be healthy enough to see a more significant role on Saturday. “We never think we’re the underdog. So there’s no really extra energy for us on that side, but I think being under the radar kind of helps us in a sense. It takes the pressure off us, takes the attention off us, and that’s when we’re at our best.”