UConn March Madness 2026 Final Weekend — Full Analysis
The Dream Is Over. What a Ride It Was.
Despite huge support from their fans, such as the thousands who gathered in Bobby V’s, neither Uconn team could quite complete the journey that had captivated the entire state.
Connecticut had two programs in the Final Four. By Monday night, both were heading home.
The UConn men fell 69-63 to Michigan in the national championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium, denied in their bid to become the first program since UCLA's dynasty era to win three titles in four seasons. The women were stopped a game earlier, cut down by South Carolina 62-48 in Phoenix as a 54-game winning streak and an undefeated season came to an abrupt, painful end.
Neither loss diminishes what happened in this tournament. Braylon Mullins' logo 3 to stun Duke. Sarah Strong's 21-point Elite Eight masterclass. Two programs. Two Final Fours. One extraordinary state.
Here is everything that happened across the final weekend of March Madness 2026.
Men's Final Four: UConn 71, Illinois 62 — Saturday, April 4
The Huskies did not need last-second heroics this time. UConn rode a balanced inside-out attack to a 71-62 win over No. 3 Illinois inside Lucas Oil Stadium, advancing to their third national championship game in four years.
Illinois had ranked first in the country in adjusted offensive efficiency all season, but UConn's defense never let that offense breathe. The Fighting Illini managed just three assists for the entire game and shot 34% from the field, including 6-of-26 from three. Meanwhile, UConn hit 12 threes — the most in a single game in program history.
Tarris Reed Jr. dominated early. He finished with 17 points and 11 rebounds, going 5-of-5 from the free-throw line in the clutch. Braylon Mullins, the freshman who sent UConn to Indianapolis with his buzzer-beater against Duke, drilled a 3-pointer with 52 seconds remaining to push the lead to seven and effectively end any Illinois hope, finishing with 15 points.
Illinois' Keaton Wagler — a projected lottery pick — fought hard with 20 points and 8 rebounds, becoming the first freshman to post that line in a Final Four since Derrick Rose in 2008. But UConn had the answers every time the Illini threatened.
Men's Semi Key Stats
| Player | Team | PTS | REB | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tarris Reed Jr. | UConn | 17 | 11 | 5-of-5 FT, dominant inside |
| Braylon Mullins | UConn | 15 | 3 | Dagger 3 with 52 secs left |
| Solo Ball | UConn | 13 | — | Three 3s in five-minute stretch |
| Keaton Wagler | Illinois | 20 | 8 | First frosh with that line in a semi since Derrick Rose |
| Tomislav Ivisic | Illinois | 16 | 6 | Only lead of the night for Illinois |
Men's Championship: Michigan 69, UConn 63 — Monday, April 7
UConn's pursuit of a third title in four years ended in Indianapolis. Michigan were the better team on the night.
The Wolverines' advantage in the paint was decisive. Michigan scored 36 points in the paint, grabbed 10 offensive rebounds, and generated 14 second-chance points — exactly the kind of wear-down game that UConn's frontcourt could not absorb over 40 minutes. Michigan also converted 25-of-28 free throws at 89.3%, giving them a steady floor of scoring whenever the half-court game stalled.
UConn never found their shooting rhythm. The Huskies shot 30.9% overall and 27.3% from three — a brutal contrast to the 12-three performance that dispatched Illinois two nights earlier. Alex Karaban led UConn with 17 points and 11 rebounds in his final college game, a fitting last line for the most decorated player in program history even in defeat. Tarris Reed finished with 13 points and 14 rebounds but the conversion rate let him down. Mullins took 17 shots and made four.
On the Michigan side, Elliot Cadeau led with 19 points and went 8-of-9 from the free-throw line. Morez Johnson Jr. added 12 points and 10 rebounds, winning the glass battle that ultimately decided the game. The Wolverines led by as many as 11 in the second half and UConn never found a way over the top.
Michigan are national champions. UConn fell one win short of history.
Men's Championship Box Score Summary
| Player | Team | PTS | REB | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elliot Cadeau | Michigan | 19 | 3 | 8-of-9 FT, 2 steals |
| Morez Johnson Jr. | Michigan | 12 | 10 | 71.4% FG, dominant second-chance scorer |
| Aday Mara | Michigan | 8 | 4 | 57.1% from floor |
| Alex Karaban | UConn | 17 | 11 | 3 threes, final college game |
| Tarris Reed Jr. | UConn | 13 | 14 | 14 rebounds, conversion rate let him down |
| Braylon Mullins | UConn | 11 | 7 | 4-of-17 FG — off night |
Women's Final Four: South Carolina 62, UConn 48 — Friday, April 4
The UConn women arrived in Phoenix as the biggest favorites in the sport — 38-0, riding a 54-game winning streak, and chasing a seventh perfect season. South Carolina had other ideas.
The Gamecocks held UConn to 31% shooting from the floor and 29% from three, doing so without fouling — the Huskies went to the line just six times all game. South Carolina dominated the glass 47-32, including 14 offensive rebounds that produced nine second-chance points. Their defense was the story from first possession to last.
The twin pillars of UConn's season wilted under the pressure. Sarah Strong and Azzi Fudd combined for just 20 points on 7-of-31 shooting. Strong finished with 12 points on 4-of-16 from the floor, scoring just four points in the second half. Fudd, who averaged 17.5 points per game during the regular season, managed eight points on 3-of-15 shooting. Raven Johnson — South Carolina's 5-foot-9 defensive stopper — frustrated both of them throughout.
Ta'Niya Latson led South Carolina with 16 points and 11 rebounds, going 10-of-10 from the free-throw line. Freshman Agot Makeer added 14 points off the bench, hitting both of her three-point attempts.
After the final buzzer, tensions spilled over as Geno Auriemma exchanged heated words with Dawn Staley in the handshake line and had to be pulled away. Auriemma had been vocal throughout about South Carolina's physicality and the officiating. Staley said she had no idea what prompted the confrontation and kept the focus on her players. It was a messy postscript to a dominant performance, and the talking will continue for some time.
UConn ended the season 38-1. The 54-game winning streak is over.
Women's Semi Key Stats
| Player | Team | PTS | REB | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ta'Niya Latson | SC | 16 | 11 | 10-of-10 from the free-throw line |
| Agot Makeer | SC | 14 | 4 | 2-of-2 from three, key bench spark |
| Sarah Strong | UConn | 12 | 12 | 4-of-16 FG, just 4 points after halftime |
| Ashlynn Shade | UConn | 10 | — | Only other Husky in double figures |
| Azzi Fudd | UConn | 8 | — | 3-of-15 FG, 2-of-9 from three |
Women's Championship: UCLA 79, South Carolina 51 — Sunday, April 5
South Carolina could not do it twice in three days. UCLA delivered a dominant championship performance in Phoenix, winning the program's first-ever NCAA women's basketball title by 28 points — the third-largest margin of victory in the history of the women's championship game.
The Bruins never trailed, building a 21-10 lead by the end of the first quarter and never letting South Carolina get comfortable. Gabriela Jaquez scored a game-high 21 points on 8-of-14 shooting, adding ten rebounds and five assists. Lauren Betts — named the Final Four's Most Outstanding Player — contributed 14 points, 11 rebounds, two assists and two blocks while controlling the paint at both ends. Five Bruins finished in double figures.
After the shellacking South Carolina had handed UConn 48 hours earlier, it was remarkable how quickly they ran out of answers against a UCLA team that was simply better on both ends. The Gamecocks were held to 51 points — their second-worst loss in NCAA Tournament history. UCLA finished the season 37-1, with 31 consecutive wins to close it out.
Betting Analysis: What the Markets Looked Like
CBS News came to Bobby V's Restaurant & Sports Bar — Stamford (Home of MyWinners) to preview the big weekend.
Men's Championship — Michigan vs. UConn
Michigan entered the title game as a narrow favorite. The Wolverines were priced around -130 to -140 on the moneyline, with UConn in the +110 to +120 range depending on the book. The spread opened at Michigan -2.5 and settled at -3. The total opened between 130 and 133 across the major books.
What happened to your bets:
Michigan moneyline bettors won. UConn moneyline bettors at +110 to +120 lost their stake.
On the spread, Michigan won by 6 and covered -3 comfortably. UConn +3 bettors lose.
The final combined score of 132 points sits right on the total for many books. Check your specific number — books with the total at 131.5 settle the over as a winner; books at 132.5 settle the under. If your book was exactly 132, this is a push and your stake is returned.
Anyone who placed a UConn championship futures bet during the March 15-17 CT betting window has now lost that ticket. Michigan backers at their original championship futures odds are paid out.
Connecticut Betting Rules: A Final Reminder
The CT futures window for UConn — which opened on Selection Sunday, March 15 and closed before the First Four tipped off on March 17 — is now settled. If you placed that bet in time at a MyWinners or Winners venue, it has been resolved as a loss. There is no further UConn action available on licensed CT platforms.
For all other bets placed on Michigan, the women's bracket, or any non-UConn participant throughout the tournament, those were settled through normal licensed channels and are unaffected by the CT in-state college betting restrictions.
Final Thought: Connecticut's March Madness Will Not Be Forgotten
Michigan won the men's championship. UCLA won the women's. UConn won March Madness.
Not the trophies — Michigan took that one — but the tournament. The Braylon Mullins shot heard across Connecticut. The 25th women's Final Four. Both programs in the semis simultaneously. This state does not have an NBA team. It does not have an NFL franchise. What it has is UConn, and right now UConn is bigger than any of that.
Dan Hurley now has 18 NCAA Tournament wins at UConn, with a record of three Final Fours and two championships in four seasons. Geno Auriemma extended a record that may never be approached. Both programs return next season hungry.
For Connecticut bettors, this tournament delivered weeks of legitimate action and, for those who got their futures in during the March 15-17 window, a live ticket all the way to Monday night. Stay legal, stay with licensed platforms, and we will see you when the bracket drops again in 2027.
Head to your nearest MyWinners or Winners venue to get your bets in on whatever is next on the board.
