Illinois
Big Ten tournament preview: An Illinois-Michigan rematch Saturday at the UC would be huge
The 29th Big Ten men’s basketball tournament starts Tuesday and ends Sunday at the United Center, where the champion will snip down the nets while the NCAA Tournament bracket reveal furiously gets underway.
In keeping with tradition, the NCAA selection committee will claim to have factored the Big Ten final into its seeding even though it — how to put this? — did not.
Unlike last year, when 15 teams made the Big Ten field, this tourney will include all 18 teams and begin a day sooner, because clearly a five-day event just wasn’t long enough.
A team-by-team glimpse, in order of seeding (odds via FanDuel):
1. MICHIGAN (29-2, 19-1)
Next: TBD, 11 a.m. Friday, BTN.
Title odds: +105.
Snip? If the ginormous frontcourt of Yaxel Lendeborg, Aday Mara and Morez Johnson Jr. brutalizes foes like it did Illinois in Champaign, it’s over-and-out for everybody else.
Or slip? Point guard Elliot Cadeau might wear down with injured L.J. Cason unable to spell him.
2. NEBRASKA (25-5, 15-5)
Next: TBD, 5:30 p.m. Friday, BTN.
Title odds: +1000.
Snip? No team plays harder at the defensive end, and the Huskers move the ball beautifully on offense. Is it shooter Pryce Sandfort’s time to shine?
Or slip? Is coach Fred Hoiberg allowed to win a championship at the UC? Asking for a few million friends.
3. MICHIGAN STATE (25-6, 15-5)
Next: TBD, approximately 8 p.m. Friday, BTN.
Title odds: +650.
Snip? Jeremy Fears is one of the best playmakers around, and we are bound by law to say it’s hard to beat Tom Izzo in March.
Or slip? As tough as this team is, it lacks the kind of star power we’ve often seen in green.
4. ILLINOIS (24-7, 15-5)
Next: TBD, approximately 1:30 p.m. Friday, BTN.
Title odds: +470.
Snip? If freshmen Keaton Wagler and David Mirkovic hold up to postseason competition, the shooters around them will give the Illini a shot to win it for the third time in the 2020s.
Or slip? The Illini likely would have to get past Michigan in the semis, and the first meeting was ugly.
5. WISCONSIN (22-9, 14-6)
Next: Washington-USC winner, approximately 1:30 p.m. Thursday, BTN.
Title odds: +3500.
Snip? The team that popped Purdue for 97 points to ruin the Boilermakers’ Senior Day can beat anybody.
Or slip? The team that ham-fisted its way through recent lopsided losses at Ohio State and Oregon isn’t going anywhere.
6. UCLA (21-10, 13-7)
Next: Minnesota-Rutgers winner, approximately 8 p.m. Thursday, BTN.
Title odds: +3500.
Snip? When point guard Donovan Dent is on his game, this offense — particularly shooter Tyler Bilodeau — is dangerous.
Or slip? The Bruins are a different team, and not in a good way, away from home.
7. PURDUE (23-8, 13-7)
Next: TBD, 5:30 p.m. Thursday, BTN.
Title odds: +550.
Snip? Braden Smith, Trey Kaufman-Renn and Fletcher Loyer have been there so many times before.
Or slip? Who would’ve believed the Boilers would tumble all the way to seventh? Something’s off with Matt Painter’s crew.
8. OHIO STATE (20-11, 12-8)
Next: TBD, 11 a.m. Thursday, BTN.
Title odds: +7500.
Snip? Bruce Thornton, the school’s career scoring leader, isn’t the only Buckeye who can fill it up.
Or slip? Statistically, this team is right down the middle in the conference. That has “also-ran” written all over it.
9. IOWA (20-11, 10-10)
Next: Oregon-Maryland winner, 11 a.m. Wednesday, Peacock.
Title odds: +5000.
Snip? Guard Bennett Stirtz is terrific, and first-year coach Ben McCollum’s postseason record (most of it at Northwest Missouri State) is unreal.
Or slip? Stirtz doesn’t have a whole lot in the way of sidekicks.
10. INDIANA (18-13, 9-11)
Next: Northwestern-Penn State winner, 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, BTN.
Title odds: +10000.
Snip? Guard Lamar Wilkerson led the Big Ten in scoring in league play and had multiple 40-plus-point games.
Or slip? Look, it’s a football school and the whole world knows it.
11. MINNESOTA (15-16, 8-12)
Next: Rutgers, approximately 8 p.m. Wednesday, BTN.
Title odds: +30000.
Snip? The Gophers have beaten three higher seeds, one of them Michigan State.
Or slip? Minnesota still hasn’t won this tournament. Why start now?
12. WASHINGTON (15-16, 7-13)
Next: USC, approximately 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Peacock.
Title odds: +20000.
Snip? The Huskies went 3-3 down the stretch and had late leads in two of the losses.
Or slip? One NCAA win in the last 14 years kind of says it all.
13. USC (18-13, 7-13)
Next: Washington, approximately 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Peacock.
Title odds: +30000.
Snip? A 4-1 stretch that began at Wisconsin looked really good.
Or slip? There have been seven straight losses since then, and star Chad Baker-Mazara was just booted from the program.
14. RUTGERS (13-18, 6-14)
Next: Minnesota, approximately 8 p.m. Wednesday, BTN.
Title odds: N/A.
Snip? A lot of steals and not many turnovers from this squad.
Or slip? Every league win came against Penn State, Maryland, Oregon or Northwestern.
Northwestern forward Nick Martinelli (2) celebrates with teammates after scoring the winning basket during overtime of an NCAA college basketball game against Maryland in Evanston, Ill., Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh) ORG XMIT: ILNH117
15. NORTHWESTERN (13-18, 5-15)
Next: Penn State, approximately 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Peacock.
Title odds: +30000.
Snip? The name’s Nick Martinelli. Perhaps you’ve heard of him.
Or slip? And then there are the rest of the Wildcats.
16. OREGON (12-19, 5-15)
Next: Maryland, 4 p.m. Tuesday, Peacock.
Title odds: +30000.
Snip? The Ducks won four of seven down the stretch. They aren’t total pushovers.
Or slip? Injured Jackson Shelstad isn’t entering the building. At least not in shorts.
17. MARYLAND (11-20, 4-16)
Next: Oregon, 4 p.m. Tuesday, Peacock.
Title odds: N/A.
Snip? Freshman guard Andre Mills has been going off and scored 39 at Northwestern.
Or slip? Uh, the Terrapins still lost in Evanston.
18. PENN STATE (12-19, 3-17)
Next: Northwestern, approximately 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Peacock.
Title odds: N/A.
Snip? Aside from being utterly terrible at defense, rebounding and three-point shooting, the Nittany Lions are merely subpar.
Or slip? Gee, you think?
Illinois
Braylon Mullins elevated UConn’s offense. What’s next is ‘a blessing in itself’
INDIANAPOLIS — You can sum up Braylon Mullins’ first Lucas Oil Stadium shooting performance like this: a near-dagger and a tongue-wagger.
Six days after becoming a national name with his last-second, game-winning 3-pointer vs. Duke, Mullins scored 15 points in a 71-62 UConn victory over Illinois. The Huskies will play for their third national championship in four years Monday against either Michigan or Arizona.
It was exactly the scenario Mullins envision when he committed to the Huskies in a ceremony at Greenfield-Central less than 18 months earlier.
“These are the moments you play for, and knowing how far and how long this season has been, just to be a part of the national championship – I think that’s a blessing in itself,” Mullins said.
“But we came here to win, so we’re ready for Monday.”
Buy 2026 national championship game tickets!
Mullins made 4 of 7 from behind the arc – two of which came at crucial junctures.
Last things first. Mullins had missed all five of his shots in a scoreless second half when Illinois’ Keaton Wagler scored with 1:38 remaining. It cut the UConn lead – as high as 14 points with under 10 minutes to play – to 63-59.
After a timeout, UConn’s Alex Karaban missed a late shot clock 3, but Silas Demary Jr. grabbed the rebound. The Huskies reset their offense, and Demary later found Mullins, who hit a 3 from the elbow to make it a seven-point game with 52.1 seconds remaining.
“The play got broken down, and we run sets with under 5, 10 seconds on the shot clock,” Mullins said. “I just saw a little bit of separation, and we work on that shot in practice every day, so it just felt like repetition.”
Wagler responded with a 3 on the ensuing possession. Illinois, however, could never make a basket after cutting the lead to two possessions in the final two minutes.
The double-digit lead UConn opened up in the first half had the Illini chasing all night. Mullins snuck one in before halftime to help the cause.
That possession, off an Illinois turnover, began to run late in the shot clock as well. Mullins was aware of the clock, thought he saw a sliver of daylight and took a deep shot – similar to the one he swished in the Elite Eight.
It bounced off the center of the backboard and through the hoop for a 37-27 UConn lead with 47 seconds left in the half. Mullins headed back up the floor smiling, shaking his head and letting that tongue wag a bit.
“If you see a little window, you’ve gotta shoot it,” Mullins said. “I did not call glass, though – but it went in.”
Mullins scored only two points in 10 minutes when UConn and Illinois played at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 28. It was his collegiate debut after the 2025 IndyStar Mr. Basketball missed the first six games with an ankle injury.
Some of the Huskies’ other trusty shooters struggled Saturday. Demary, Alex Karaban and Jaylin Stewart combined to make 3 of 17. Mullins was a big reason why 3-point shooting became one of the night’s decisive elements. UConn finished 12 of 33, while Illinois made only 6 of 26.
Jayden Ross said teammate Jaylin Stewart called Mullins’ final 3 as they sat together on the bench.
“Sure enough, he came off the pin-down and he knocked it down,” Ross said. “He put us in a great spot to pull away. He just gives us great confidence. But he’s also an unselfish player, and he plays real hard on the defensive end too, so he does a little bit of everything.”
UConn will need Mullins’ clutch abilities one more time.
Nathan Baird is IndyStar’s Purdue insider. Sign up for IndyStar’s Boilermakers newsletter for the best Purdue coverage.
Illinois
UConn vs Illinois live updates, news, predictions, how to watch Final Four game
Billed as the appetizer to this Final Four’s main course, but folks who have been to Indianapolis know the appetizer can oftentimes be the spicier dish.
While many are calling Arizona vs. Michigan the real national championship game, the UConn and Illinois won’t care in Saturday’s first semifinal of the Final Four.
Expect to see a sea of orange at Lucas Oil Stadium (did you see the showing at Friday’s practice?). Champaign’s proximity (two hours) and the program’s first Final Four trip since 2005 have the Illini faithful energized.
They’ll need any advantage they can get facing a team going for its third national title in four years in UConn.
Here’s what you need to know about Saturday’s national semifinal between the Huskies and the Fighting Illini, including predictions and how to watch.
HIT REFRESH FOR UPDATES.
Illinois vs UConn live score
| TEAMS | 1H | 2H | F |
| Illinois | — | — | — |
| UConn | — | — | — |
What time is Illinois vs UConn Final Four game?
- Time: 6:09 p.m. ET, Saturday, April 4.
What channel is UConn vs Illinois? How to watch Final Four, streaming info
- The game is airing on TBS, TNT, truTV, streaming via HBO Max.
- Adam Duvall, Peoria Journal Star: Illinois 67, UConn 64. These two programs met in the 2024 Elite Eight with UConn winning by 25 points including a 30-0 run from the Huskies. This national semifinal meeting is also a rematch of the Fighting Illini’s eighth game of the season. Illinois lost that Nov. 28 game, 74-61 at Madison Square Garden despite 25 points by Kylan Boswell. Freshman phenom Keaton Wagler has been a steady offensive presence, dropping 25 in the Elite 8 win over Iowa. However, Andrej Stojakovic has been the X-factor off the bench. He’s averaging 15 points in the NCAA tournament. UConn is back in the Final Four for a third time in four seasons, winning back-to-back titles in 2023 and 2024. Huskies senior center Tarris Reed Jr. has been a monster during the Big Dance, averaging 21.8 points and 13.5 rebounds.
- Blake Toppmeyer: Illinois. Credit UConn for incredible comeback, but don’t overlook Illinois. The Illini looked dominant coming out of the South, and they have enough offense to turn back a clutch UConn team.
- John Brice: UConn. How could anyone pick against Dan Hurley’s squad at this point? Hurley’s now 18-1 in his past three March Madness appearances. The Huskies will play for a third crown in four seasons.
- Paul Myerberg: UConn. The backcourt play and just enough beef up front to repeat November’s 13-point win against the Illini in MSG. And after the miracle comeback against Duke, the Huskies feel like a team of destiny.
- Jordan Mendoza: UConn. The Huskies ride the high of the Elite Eight comeback and the 3-point shot returns to advanced to the national championship again.
- Eddie Timanus: UConn. I would have to be a complete idiot to pick against UConn at this phase of the Big Dance. We seen ‘team of destiny’ shots in the Elite Eight before, haven’t we?
- Matt Glenesk: Illinois. I originally picked UConn, but have changed my mind. There’s something about Illinois’ offensive firepower and wave of big bodies they can throw at opponents that has me convinced of an All-Big Ten national championship.
- John Leuzzi: UConn. When these two met in late November at Madison Square Garden, UConn won by 13. While the margin of victory may not be like that this time around, the Huskies do get their second win of the season against the Illini. Tarris Reed Jr. and Alex Karaban continue to have big games, while Braylon Mullins delivers a big-time shot in front of the home crowd. UConn’s defense is looking like a top 5 unit again.
- Brent Schrotenboer: UConn. That ending against Duke makes it look like destiny is calling again, at least for one more game.
- Craig Meyer: UConn. The Illini haven’t just won on their way to their first Final Four in 21 years, but they’ve been dominant, winning each of their four tournament games by at least 10 points. They’ve only played one team better than a No. 9 seed, though, and the more battle-tested Huskies will be able to lean on Tarris Reed Jr. and Alex Karaban to pull out a close win. One thing to keep in mind with Illinois: no team has ever lost its first conference tournament game, like the Illini did against Wisconsin in the Big Ten tournament, and gone on to win the national championship.
- Ehsan Kassim: Illinois. UConn has required surviving two scares to reach this point. Illinois on the other hand has been dominant in the South Region. Give me the Illini.
- Moneyline: Illinois (-135); UConn (+110)
- Spread: Illinois (-1.5)
- Over/under total: 139.5
Illinois Final Four bold prediction
- Ehsan Kassim: The Illini are going to win the whole thing this year.
- Austin Curtright: Illinois loses by double digits to UConn.
UConn Final Four bold prediction
- John Leuzzi: Solo Ball has a breakout moment and reminds the country why he was one of the top one of 3-point shooters in the country last season.
- Jordan Mendoza: The Huskies lose their first Final Four game in the Dan Hurley era.
- Austin Curtright: UConn’s 3-pointers start to fall. UConn have only made double-digit 3-pointers in a game once since Feb. 18, but will do it twice in two games at the Final Four.
Illinois road to Final Four
- First round: beat No. 14 Penn, 105-70
- Second round: beat No. 11 VCU, 76-55
- Sweet 16: beat No. 2 Houston, 65-55
- Elite Eight: beat No. 9 Iowa, 71-59
UConn road to Final Four
- First round: beat No. 15 Furman, 82-71
- Second round: beat No. 7 UCLA, 73-57
- Sweet 16: beat No. 3 Michigan State, 67-63
- Elite Eight: beat No. 1 Duke, 73-72
Illinois basketball stat leaders
SCORING
- Keaton Wagler, 17.9 ppg
- Andrej Stojakovic, 13.6 ppg
- David Mirkovic, 13.5 ppg
- Kylan Boswell, 12.5 ppg
- Tomislav Ivisic, 10. 2 ppg
REBOUNDING
- David Mirkovic, 8.1 rpg
- Tomislav Ivisic, 5.6 rpg
- Keaton Wagler, 5.0 rpg
ASSISTS
- Keaton Wagler, 4.3 apg
- Kylan Boswell, 3.1 apg
- David Mirkovic, 2.6 apg
UConn basketball stat leaders
SCORING
- Tarris Reed Jr.: 14.7 ppg
- Alex Karaban, 13.2 ppg
- Solo Ball, 12.9 ppg
- Braylon Mullins, 11.9 ppg
- Silas Demary Jr., 10.4 ppg
REBOUNDING
- Tarris Reed Jr., 8.8 rpg
- Alex Karaban, 5.2 rpg
- Silas Demary Jr., 4.5 rpg
ASSISTS
- Silas Demary Jr., 5.9 apg
- Malachi Smith, 3.0 apg
Illinois basketball Final Four history; Has Illinois ever won a national championship?
This is the Illini’s sixth trip to the Final Four and first since 2005. The school has never won an NCAA national championship in men’s basketball.
- 1949: lost semifinal to Kentucky, 76-47
- 1951: lost semifinal to Kentucky, 76-74
- 1952: lost semifinal to St. John’s, 61-59
- 1989: lost semifinal to Michigan, 83-81
- 2005: won semifinal vs. Louisville, 72-57; lost in final to North Carolina, 75-70
UConn basketball Final Four history: How many national championships have UConn won?
This is UConn’s eighth trip to the Final Four, all since 1999. The Huskies have won six national titles in their seven previous trips.
- 1999: won semifinal vs. Ohio State, 64-58; won final vs. Duke, 77-74
- 2004: won semifinal vs. Duke, 79-78; won final vs. Georgia Tech, 82-73
- 2009: lost semifinal vs. Michigan State, 82-73
- 2011: won semifinal vs. Kentucky, 56-55; won final vs. Butler, 53-41
- 2014: won semifinal vs. Florida, 63-53; won final vs. Kentucky, 60-54
- 2023: won semifinal vs. Miami, 72-59; won final vs. San Diego State, 76-59
- 2024: won semifinal vs. Alabama, 86-72; won final vs. Purdue, 75-60
Is Andrej Stojakovic related to Peja Stojakovic?
Yes, Peja is his dad. Peja Stojakovic played 13 seasons in the NBA, primarily for the Sacramento Kings, and was a three-time All-Star.
Andrej played at Cal and Stanford before transferring to Illinois.
How many Europeans are on Illinois’ team? Why does Illinois have so many Europeans on its roster?
- David Mirkovic is from Montenegro
- Andrej Stojakovic lists Thessaloniki, Greece as his hometown
- Tomislav Ivisic is from Croatia
- Zvonimir Ivisic is from Croatia
- Mihailo Petrovic is from Serbia
- Toni Bilic is from Croatia
“Geoff Alexander, Orlando Antigua deserve most all of the credit in terms of building the relationships in Europe,” Illinois coach Brad Underwood said. “It’s taken years. NIL has obviously helped enhance our abilities to attract some of the best players in Europe. But they’re a great fit for us. It’s not for everybody. I enjoy coaching ’em. They fit our university. We’re a diverse university with a lot of international students, so it’s a perfect fit for them.
“Basketball-wise it’s a great fit for me, and I like coaching them. The way we’re playing with positional size and shooting, it’s just — it’s a great marriage and a great fit. So we’ll continue it. I would think others will continue to migrate over there and keep trying to recruit those guys.”
UConn freshman Braylon Mullins’ game-winner vs Duke gives him a homecoming
No. 1 Duke was leading the Huskies by two when Silas Demary Jr. deflected a pass by Cayden Boozer with six seconds left.
Braylon Mullins scooped up the ball around halfcourt and dished to Alex Karaban, who gave it right back. Mullins then drained the 35-footer with 0.4 seconds left to beat Duke and send UConn to its third Final Four in four years.
“That moment is over. It’s an incredible moment. You’ll have that moment the rest of your life. But we came here for rings, not watches,” Hurley said.
Mullins, the 2025 Indiana Mr. Basketball who played at Greenfield-Central, will be playing in front of plenty of friends and family this weekend. Greenfield is 30 minutes east of Indianapolis.
“It’s unbelievable to be in the position I am,” Mullins said. “I think it just makes everything a little sweeter knowing that I’m playing in front of family and friends. I can’t wait to see everybody in open practice tomorrow and see everybody at the game.”
Illinois’ Jake Davis gets to play at home for Final Four, too
The Illini forward is from McCordsville, Indiana, a suburb northeast of Indianapolis, and played at Indy’s Cathedral High School. He began his college career at Mercer before transferring to Illinois after the 2024 season. At Cathedral, Davis was known as “the guy who takes charges.”
Illinois forward Ben Humrichous is also from Indiana, from nearby Tipton, about an hour north. He began his college career at Indiana’s Huntington University (NAIA) and then transferred to Evansville.
Brad Underwood says Illinois will ‘turn Indy orange’, ‘kick everybody’s ass there’
On Sunday, Brad Underwood addressed a crowd of fans on campus:
“We had a huge group in Houston. I know we’re going to turn it out in Indy. That’s the story. We’re going to turn Indy orange.. and blue. And kick everybody’s ass there.”
Keaton Wagler 2026 NBA Draft mock draft prediction
Atlanta Hawks, pick No. 7.
Kalbrosky’s Analysis:
After trading away Trae Young, the Hawks could find their point guard of the future in Illinois standout Keaton Wagler using a first-round pick they received from the Pelicans. The 19-year-old guard scored 46 points while shooting 9-of-11 on 3-pointers against No. 12 Purdue on Jan. 24. He projects as one of the best 3-point shooters in this class, shooting 41.0 percent from beyond the arc as a freshman this year. The Big Ten Rookie of the Year is a cerebral basketball player who is also averaging 4.9 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game this season.
∎ Read more about Keaton Wagler’s rise from unknown for freshman superstar.
Illinois
Illinois denies request for Harvey to be declared ‘financially distressed’ city
HARVEY, Ill. (WLS) — The State of Illinois has denied a request for the City of Harvey to be declared a “financially distressed” city.
The video in the player above is from a previous report.
The City of Harvey held a special city council meeting Oct. 16 to discuss declaring the city “financially distressed” under Illinois state law.
The designation was approved by Harvey City Council in October, and the city requested for the state to take control of the city’s finances. However, the request was denied by the Illinois Department of Revenue in February, according to a letter obtained by ABC7.
ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch
Harvey city attorney Keri-Lyn Krafthefer confirmed the denial to ABC7 Friday, saying it was not a surprise to the city and state law should be changed to make it easier for cities to request help from the state.
Municipalities can’t declare bankruptcy in Illinois.
As of October 2025, Harvey has a 52% property tax collection rate, bringing in less money than it spends, even though it has the third highest property tax rates in Cook County. Also, 35% of state revenue & restricted funds gets diverted by the State Comptroller to fund the fire pension.
Illinois Department of Revenue Director David Harris also confirmed the denial to ABC7 Friday.
“Two criteria city has to meet in order to be considered a financially distressed city. One is being in top 5 of the highest tax rate, other being in the lowest 5 of the tax per capita,” Harris said. “They met one criteria not the other.”
READ MORE | Questions raised as Harvey seeks approval from state to be declared ‘financially distressed’ city
Harvey Mayor Christopher J. Clark died Jan. 30. The Harvey City Council elected Shirley Drewenski as acting mayor in February.
“If we can bring brighter minds to our community to help us to move forward, if we can find ways to deal with such a sizeable amount, then we welcome that,” Clark said in October as the “financially distressed” declaration request was made by the city.
The city had said it needs $51 million to operate and only receives $30 million, and there was a bill in Springfield that would provide immediate relief.
“If the legislature and governor determine law should be changed, we will do what law says to do,” Harris said.
The City of Harvey laid off about 10% of its municipal workers in August amid their financial crisis.
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