Keep track of the first Final Four fracas in Indianapolis, one that pits the UConn Huskies against the Illinois Fighting Illini.
The Final Four portion of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament begins with a best two vs. three.
A chaotic couple gets underway with a matchup featuring the UConn Huskies and the Illinois Fighting Illini, the respective champions of the East and South regions on the bracket. It's part of an elite doubleheader at Lucas Oil Stadium, which is hosting its fourth men's Final Four.
Game one presents a rematch of a November showdown at Madison Square Garden, one that the Huskies took by a 74-61 final. Solo Ball led a diverse scoring effort for the Huskies with 15 points, while Alex Karaban flirted with a double-double with the tune of 12 tallies and nine rebounds. Kylan Boswell had 25 points for the Illini, who struggled from the field at just 32 percent.
Both UConn and Illinois made up double-figure deficits in their respective regional final showings: the Huskies came back from 19 points down to douse Duke, capping things off with a buzzer-beating three-pointer from Braylon Mullins at the cusp of halfcourt. Illinois, on the other hand, trailed conference brother Iowa by as much as 10, but enjoyed a 25-point performance from Keaton Wagler on the comeback trail.
Unable to get to Indianapolis for the action? Keep track of game on events below ...
FINAL: UConn 71, Illinois 62
Another sterling output from Tarris Reed Jr. sent the UConn Huskies off to their third national championship game showing over the past four seasons, as the big man and Georgia transfer paired 17 points with 11 rebounds en route to a 71-62 triumph in the Final Four opener. It was a near-wire-to-wire victory for the Huskies, who received a late threat from the Illini as they cut it to four toward the final stanzas but another clutch three from Braylon Mullins, his first points of the second half, more or less sealed the deal for their return trip. Keaton Wagler led Illinois with 20 points and eight rebounds in defeat while registering two of the three assists they registered on the night.
UConn (71)
POINTS: Tarris Reed Jr. (17)
ASSISTS: Silas Demary Jr. (9)
REBOUNDS: Tarris Reed Jr. (11)
Illinois (62)
POINTS: Keaton Wagler (20)
ASSISTS: Keaton Wagler (2)
REBOUNDS: Andrei Stojakovic/Keaton Wagler (8)
2nd Half: UConn 71, Illinois 62
0.0—Another Wagler three falls short and a Ross steal prevents another opportunity from going up and ends the game.
13.5—Reed is fouled and goes to the line. He hits two. (71-62 UCONN)
14.5—A Humrichous three falls short and a fight for the ball goes out of bounds, last touched by Illinois.
26.1—Wagler's three falls short and Ross is fouled after getting the rebound. Now in the double-bonus, Ross hits one. (69-62 UCONN)
36.3—Despite nearly trapping Mullins in the backcourt, Illinois is forced to foul Demary after crossing, their ninth. Demary hits two. (68-62 UCONN)
43.4—Wagler immediately responds with a three of his own. Illinois calls its last timeout (66-62 UCONN)
52.1—Mullins picks the perfect to get on the board in the second half, scoring after a Demary offensive rebound to put up a potential dagger (66-59 UCONN)
1:39—After getting a stop following a timeout, Wagler drives for a sucessful two. Timeout Illinois. (63-59 UCONN)
2:08—With Reed trapped in a double-team consisting of Ivisic and Stojakovic, UConn calls timeout
2:31—Demary called for his fourth foul, Mirkovic to the line for two. He hits one. (63-57 UCONN)
2:46—A reach-in for Ivisic will put Reed at the foul line for one-and-one after the final media timeout. He hits two. (63-56 UCONN)
3:10—A three-pointer for Humrichous slices the lead to five (61-56 UCONN)
4:09—Tomislav Ivisic makes an admirable attempt to save a Wagler miss from going out of bounds, but Karaban gets it into a streaking Ball who puts home a showstopping dunk on the fastbreak (61-53 UCONN)
4:36—After the timeout, the Huskies finally get the ball to Reed, who forces his way into the paint for his first points of the half (59-53 UCONN)
5:04—A third chance for the Illini allows Stojakovic to capitalize and cut the lead to four amidst a run of 10 unanswered. Another time called. (57-53 UCONN)
6:08—Following a close a call, as Illinois was unable to capitalizing on a Humrichous block of Mullins, UConn calls timeout.
7:00—Demary fouls Tomislav Ivisic for his third foul while trying to generate a fourth offensive chance. Ivisic hits both of the double bonus (57-51 UCONN)
8:00—Boswell fouls Demary, which will send him to the line for a one-and-one after the media timeout. Though UConn's in the bonus, Demary misses, UConn's first failed single in nine tries.
8:03—Following a missed Karaban three, Tomislav Ivisic is foul by Reed, his third. He hits two at the line to cut the lead back down to eight. (57-49 UCONN)
8:41—After Tomislav Ivisic hits a two, UConn enters the double bonus on Smith's fourth foul. Boswell to the line for two as UConn re-inserts most of its starters. Boswell hits both. (57-47 UCONN)
9:43—Stewart makes up for an airball with UConn 11th three of the night, creating a new largest lead (57-43 UCONN)
10:06—Davis picks up a foul on rebound, Illinois' sixth of the period. UConn hits the bonus next charge.
10:57—Third foul for the the depth star Smith, who has three with Mullins and Reibe. Wagler hits one of two (54-43 UCONN)
11:17—With Illinois unable to capitalize out of the break, Ball enters double figures as a mid-range two falls through (54-42 UCONN)
11:49—The third UConn turnover comes far quicker, as Reibe is called for an other offensive foul. Timeout on the floor.
12:06—Illinois officially enters the bonus when Balls fouls Davis after the former loses a turnover that becomes a fastbreak. Davis hits both freebies (52-42 UCONN)
12:32—Ball counters an Ivisic double after the Ross turnover with a three-pointer (52-40 UCONN)
13:35—UConn finally loses the ball via turnover, as Ross is charged with an offensive foul.
14:18—The two sides are now tied at five fouls each after Stojakovic, who previously cut the lead back down to 11, is called for pushing Ross under the rim. (49-38 UCONN)
14:59—Back-to-back fouls send Karaban to the line and he sinks two (49-36 UCONN)
15:32—As Stojakovic takes the ball up floor following a rebound, Mullins is called for his third foul and the Huskies' fifth of the period. Media timeout.
16:10—After Tomislav Ivisic's three rims out, Ball makes Illinois pay on the other end with an emphatic three (47-36 UCONN)
17:07—Shortly after UConn picks up its fourth foul of the half early, Mirkovic, who stayed in the game, sinks a three-pointer that cuts the lead to eight (44-36 UCONN)
17:40—After Illinois, which got another two from Wagler, gets it possession extended with Reed's second foul, Karaban draws a foul on a fastbreak, Mirkovic's third. He hits both (44-33 UCONN)
19:11—Demary gets his revenge on the other side with a three that gives UConn a new largest lead (42-31 UCONN)
19:27—Despite Mirkovic making contact with Demary on the screen (which could've produced the former's third foul), Wagler gets to the line on a drive that draws a Karaban foul. He hits both as well (39-31 UCONN)
19:39—Karaban is fouled by Jake Davis on a would-be putback. He hits two start second half scoring (39-29 UCONN)
UConn (37)
POINTS: Braylon Mullins (12)
ASSISTS: Silas Demary Jr. (5)
REBOUNDS: Silas Demary Jr. (7)
Illinois (29)
POINTS: Keaton Wagler (10)
ASSISTS: Keaton Wagler (1)
REBOUNDS: Kylan Boswell/Keaton Wagler (6)
1st Half: UConn 37, Illinois 29
0.0—After Wagler hits a double, Humrichous rejects Ross' attempt at the rim, creating a tie-up that goes to Illinois. His desperation heave, however, falls short, leaving the halftime margin at eight (37-29 UCONN)
46.7—With a banked three, Mullins gives the Huskies the 10-point lead back (37-27 UCONN)
2:02—Tomislav Ivisic stems the bleeding with a three of his own (34-27 UCONN)
2:15—Karaban also gets on the board, doing so via a corner three that creates the first double-figure lead of the game (34-24 UCONN)
2:51—Solo Ball gets on the board with a three at the top of the key, re-establishing a somewhat sizable lead (31-24 UCONN)
3:04—A Boswell miss goes out of bounds, which will give the Huskies possession following the final media timeout of the opening half
3:36—Following Wagler's acrobatic drive, Reed becomes the first scorer in double figures, now tallying 11 thus far (28-24 UCONN)
4:13—A Karaban robbery of Wagler ... the first turnover of the game ... leads to two under the board for Mullins, where he is fouled by Mirkovic, his second. Mullins hits the freebie for the old-fashioned three (26-22 UCONN)
4:45—Reed breaks back through on the other end, getting by Mirkovic for a double and the lead back (23-22 UCONN)
5:05—Another Stojakovic drive breaks through the offensive shortcomings as Reed is charged for a foul, his first. He misses both.
6:25—A series of Mirkovic blocks of Karaban and Reed extends a UConn scoring to over three minutes and allows the first Illinois lead to carry into the next media timeout (brought about on a aired Boswell three)
7:53—Tomislav Ivisic hits a deep three to give Illinois its first lead of the game (22-21 ILL)
9:21—Tomislav Ivisic hits two at the the line following Reibe's second foul, which followed a Boswell double. Lead is back down to two (21-19 UCONN)
10:16—Ross immediately doubles the lead back up with a three of his own (21-15 UCONN)
10:29—After missing their first six such tries, Wagler finally hits a three for the Illinis to cut the lead to one possession (18-15 UCONN)
10:34—Back-to-back fouls by reserves Eric Reibe and Jaylin Stewart give UConn six fouls in the period, putting Illinois in the bonus.
11:25—The next media timeout is triggered with a Karaban rejection of Stojakovic. Timeout on the floor.
12:22—Smith is charged with another foul, this one sending Stojakovic to the line. He hits one and Demary re-enters for Smith (18-12 UCONN)
12:57—Out of the timeout, Boswell draws a Malachi Smith foul and Stojakovic scores on a floater (18-11 UCONN)
13:21—Alex Karaban finds a driving Reed for another dunk and that forces an Illinois timeout (18-9 UCONN)
13:58—Following a Stojakovic double, Jayden Ross comes off the bench to hit a three in the corner (16-9 UCONN)
14:36—A Reed tally misses but Demary scores the first non-Reed/Mullins points of the day on a putback (13-7 UCONN)
15:39—On a third chance opportunity after two missed three, a Reed rebound and putback produces two and a foul against Ivisic. He'll get a free throw after the media timeout. He hits it. (11-7 UCONN)
16:09—David Mirkovic rejects a Mullins drive and Illinois capitalizes with a fastbreak that he caps off (8-7 UCONN)
16:38—Keaton Wagler drives and gets a two while drawing a foul on Silas Demary. He sinks the and-one while teammates Ben Humrichous, Zvonimir Ivisic, and Andrei Stojakovic check in (8-5 UCONN)
16:57—Another Mullins triple expands the lead (8-2 UCONN)
17:30—Reed kisses the glass for his first two points (5-2 UCONN)
17:49—Boswell to the line for two after a Mullins foul. He hits the first free throws (3-2 UCONN)
18:23—Elite Eight hero Braylon Mullins picks up right where he left off, sinking a three off a Reed screen for the first points of the game (3-0 UCONN)
18:36—Both sides go fruitless on their first two possessions but Tarris Reed is fouled by Kylan Boswell for the first charge
20:00—UConn controls the tip, and the game is underway
Pregame
Starting Lineups
UCONN: Solo Ball, Silas Demary Jr., Alex Karaban, Braylon Mullins, Tarris Reed Jr.
ILLINOIS: Kylan Boswell, Jake Davis, Tomislav Ivisic, David Mirkovic, Keaton Wagler
OFFICIALS: Ron Groover, Marques Pettigrew, Paul Szelc
LINE: ILL -1.5
O/U: 139.5
Geoff Magliocchetti is on X @GeoffJMags
