UConn Overpowers and Holds Off Illinois Comeback to Advance to Championship Game

UConn is heading back to its third National Championship Game in four years with a 71-62 victory over Illinois in the Final Four, holding off an Illini comeback bid in the final ten minutes.

A lead that grew to as many as 14 points, 57-43, midway through the first half was cut to four, 57-53, with five minutes to play but Illinois’ cold shooting would not let it get any closer until there was 1:38 left following a Keaton Wagler layup.

Braylon Mullins, the Indiana native and hero of UConn’s Elite 8 win over Duke, delivered the early dagger on a 3-pointer with 52.1 seconds left to push the lead back to seven, 66-59.

After the Huskies lead was initially cut to four, Tarris Reed Jr. came out of a timeout with a layup and a missed 3-pointer led by a runout dunk by Solo Ball, both assisted by Alex Karaban, and pushed the UConn lead back to eight.

Ball, after struggling for most of the postseason, went for 13 points on 5-for-11 shooting.

Illinois was held to a frigid 6-of-26 (23.1-percent) from 3-point range and 19-of-56 (33.9-percent) from the field. Its best offense came from the free throw line, making 18-of-23. David Mirkovic, who averaged 14.8 points per game in the NCAA Tournament, was held to six points on 2-of-7 shooting.

UConn started hot jumping out to a 19-8 run in the opening seven minutes before an Illinois timeout settled the Illini down and rattled off a 13-3 run in which the Huskies made just 1-of-13 shots.

But Dan Hurley’s team would respond with a 16-7 run, after Illinois took a 22-21 lead, going into halftime and making 6-of-8 shots in the process.

Mullins led the way in the first half with 12 points on three made 3-pointers while Tarris Reed controlled the paint with 11 points, but both players struggled in the second half, combining to score nine after halftime yet delivered some of the biggest baskets of the game.

Despite Illinois’ shooting struggles, making just 10-of-29 attempts in the first half and 3-of-14 from 3-point range, Wagler paced the Illini with 10 points before halftime and finished with 20 points.

UConn will face either Michigan or Arizona in Monday night’s title game.