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.
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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
Truck engulfed in flames on I-294 near Oak Brook, shutting down multiple lanes, police say: VIDEO
OAK BROOK, Ill. (WLS) — A truck was engulfed in flames Thursday evening on I-294 in the west suburbs, shutting down multiple lanes, Illinois State Police said.
ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch
The fire broke out on southbound I-294 near Oak Brook.
Only the left lane of southbound I-294 was open as of 9 p.m., ISP said.
No injuries have been reported.
This is a developing story.
Copyright © 2026 WLS-TV. All Rights Reserved.
New legislation in Illinois means new rules for electric bikes, scooters, and similar devices. Supporters of the legislation said the goal is to prevent injuries and fatalities, but some e-bike riders question the additional cost that would be involved.
Benjamin Rodriguez, who recently bought an electric bike, said he knows the responsibility that comes with enjoying a ride.
“For a lot of the bikers that are going very fast on these e-bikes, e-scooters, especially along the lakefront, make it dangerous for other regular cyclists, because most of the time they’re just zipping along. They’re not paying attention,” he said.
The Illinois Secretary of State’s Office said injuries and fatalities involving these types of devices increased 300% nationwide between 2019 and 2022. With that in mind, Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias said the passage of Senate Bill 3484 is a priority for public safety.
“Some of these devices have become faster, more powerful, and more dangerous than we could have ever have imagined, especially even just a couple of years ago,” he said.
Right now, there’s no statewide regulation in Illinois on high-speed electric bikes.
Senate Bill 3484, which was passed by state lawmakers at the end of their spring session, would require the owners of those devices statewide to only ride on the street, not on sidewalks, not in bike lanes, and not on bike paths.
Riders also would be required to have a valid driver’s license, title, registration, and insurance for their bikes.
“That may be a little too over the top, because you’re already paying several thousand dollars for these vehicles, but at the same time there needs to be some type of regulation to say where they could ride, how fast they could go, because they should be obeying the speed limits as well,” Rodriguez said.
When it comes to electric skateboards, electric unicycles, and high-speed electric scooters, the legislation would require operators to be at least 16 years old, and go no faster than 28 mph on a sidewalk. Those devices would be allowed on bike lanes, bike paths, and roads with speed limits of up to 35 mph. They could only be used on roads with a speed limit of more than 35 mph if there is a bike lane.
Dr. Michelle Macy, a pediatric emergency physician at Lurie Children’s Hospital, said she’s seen minor injuries, but also severe ones.
“Head injuries that are severe enough that someone’s lost consciousness and needs to have a breathing tube and spend days and weeks in the intensive care unit,” she said.
The legislation now goes to Gov. JB Pritzker. If he signs the bill into law, or allows it to go into effect without his signature, it would take effect on Jan. 1, 2027.
COOK COUNTY, Ill. – A Berwyn man is facing a felony DUI charge after state police said he struck and killed an Illinois Tollway worker and injured two others during overnight road work on the Tri-State Tollway in Des Plaines.
What we know:
According to Illinois State Police, 37-year-old Paul R. Ong was arrested following a deadly crash that occurred around 4:26 a.m. May 30 on southbound Interstate 294 north of Devon Avenue near milepost 41.5.
ISP said three Illinois Tollway workers were conducting pothole repairs when an SUV driven by Ong struck one of the workers.
State troopers responded to the scene and provided medical aid before the injured worker was transported to a hospital, where he died about a half hour later.
The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the worker as 52-year-old Calvin L. Holley of Chicago.
The two other tollway workers were also taken to a hospital with injuries that were not considered life-threatening.
ISP took Ong into custody at the scene. He has been charged with one count of aggravated driving under the influence involving death, a Class 2 felony.
What’s next:
As of Wednesday, Ong remained in custody awaiting his first court appearance.
The Source: The information in this story came from Illinois State Police.
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