Ncaa Tournament: Uconn Top Illinois To Reach Third Title Game In Four Years

UConn sewage different captious three-pointer from Braylon Mullins and coach Dan Hurley’s Huskies are heading backmost to nan nationalist title crippled aft beating Illinois 71-62 successful nan Final Four connected Saturday night. They are seeking their 3rd title successful 4 seasons.

Tarris Reed Jr had 17 points and 11 rebounds, while nan fabulous freshman Mullins scored 15 for nan Huskies (34-5), who rode beardown wrong play and reliable defense to their 19th consecutive triumph successful nan Sweet 16 aliases later rounds of nan NCAA Tournament.

UConn will look Arizona aliases Michigan connected Monday nighttime arsenic they activity their seventh title, each since 1999, and 3rd nether Hurley, who would go nan only progressive coach pinch much than two.

Mullins, whose buzzer-beating three-pointer sent nan Huskies past Duke and into nan Final Four, deed a catch-and-shoot 3 pinch 52 seconds near – his only handbasket of nan 2nd half – to springiness UConn a 66-59 lead.

Freshman Keaton Wagler had 20 points and 8 rebounds to lead nan Fighting Illini (28-9), who reached their first Final Four since losing nan title crippled to North Carolina successful 2005.

Wagler and Mullins became nan first brace of freshmen to apical 15 points successful a Final Four crippled since Michael Jordan and Patrick Ewing successful 1982.

UConn’s Alex Karaban had 9 points connected 1-of-8 shooting while adding 4 rebounds and 4 assists. He’s trying to go nan first subordinate since John Wooden’s ascendant UCLA teams successful nan 1960s and 1970s to decorativeness his profession arsenic a three-time champion. He besides tied Hurley’s brother, Bobby, for 2nd connected nan profession database pinch 18 March Madness victories.

The Huskies haven’t mislaid a tourney crippled played past nan opening play since 2009, erstwhile they fell successful nan nationalist semi-finals to Michigan State. With 1 much victory, they would break a necktie pinch North Carolina and move into 3rd spot unsocial successful nationalist titles, trailing only UCLA (11) and Kentucky (eight).