Braylon Mullins high-fives UConn Huskies teammate Tarris Reed Jr. during Saturday's game in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Huskies will play tk in for the NCAA championship.Patrick Smith/Getty Images
Dan Hurley had UConn ready for another Final Four fight night. Once again, his Huskies scored a knockout.
Fabulous freshman Braylon Mullins made another last-minute 3-pointer – his only basket of the second half – and the Huskies muscled their way past Illinois 71-62 on Saturday to reach their third national championship game in four years.
Tarris Reed Jr. had 17 points and 11 rebounds and Mullins finished with 15 points as the Huskies (34-5) rode strong inside play and tough defence to their 19th straight victory in the Sweet 16 or later rounds of the NCAA Tournament.
They’ll face the Michigan Wolverines on Monday with a chance to win their seventh national title, all since 1999, as Hurley tries to become the only active coach with more than two championships.
Roddy Gayle Jr. of the Michigan Wolverines blocks a shot attempt by Brayden Burries of the Arizona Wildcats in Saturday's final four game.Patrick Smith/Getty Images
“We’re a tough program, we’re a group of fighters,” said Hurley, who won it all in 2023 and 2024.
“We’ve got incredible will. We go into these games, we’re ready for battle. For us, it’s not a game that we’re just kind of running around in uniforms throwing the ball around, hoping it goes in. That’s not what we’re doing out there. We’re fighting. It’s a life-and-death struggle for us to get to Monday night for the opportunity to win a championship.”
Michigan beat Arizona 91-73 to make the final, blowing through their fifth straight March Madness opponent by double digits while becoming the first team to break 90 points five times in a single tournament.
Junior centre Aday Mara scored a career-high 26 points and grabbed nine rebounds.
The Wolverines have won the title once before, in 1989.