UConn coach Geno Auriemma confronted South Carolina’s Dawn Staley in the moments after the Huskies’ upset loss in last week’s Final Four.

Despite Auriemma’s apology, which did not name Staley, chatter about the heated exchange carried into this past Sunday’s national championship game between UCLA and South Carolina.

After the Bruins’ dominant title-game win over the Gamecocks, Staley praised UCLA coach Cori Close as a “really quality” person, a remark that contrasted sharply with her initial response to Auriemma following their on-court dispute.

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South Carolina’s Dawn Staley and UConn’s Geno Auriemma argue after a women’s NCAA Tournament semifinal game in Phoenix on April 3, 2026. (Rick Scuteri/AP)

Staley moved to defuse the situation Tuesday, saying she had spoken with Auriemma and praising his legacy in women’s basketball.

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“I spoke with Geno, and I want to be clear — I have a great deal of respect for him and what he’s meant to this game. One moment doesn’t define a career, and it doesn’t change the impact he’s had on growing women’s basketball. The standard at UConn is what it is because of him, and that’s something this game has benefited from.”

Head coach Dawn Staley of the South Carolina Gamecocks watches during the championship game against the UCLA Bruins at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, Ariz., on April 5, 2026. (Ben Solomon/NCAA Photos)

Staley also called for a shift in focus, encouraging fans and the broader basketball community to move forward.

“So, I’m asking everyone to turn the page. Let’s refocus on what matters most — continuing to elevate our game, creating opportunities and pushing it forward.

“That’s always been my mission, and it’s not changing.”

South Carolina beat UConn 62-48 in last Friday’s national semifinal. Auriemma approached Staley for a routine handshake after the game — but the moment escalated, and the two had to be separated.

Auriemma initially struck a defiant tone when asked about the exchange, though he later said his behavior was inexcusable.

UConn head coach Geno Auriemma reacts to a play during a Sweet 16 game against North Carolina in Fort Worth, Texas, on March 27, 2026. (Julio Cortez/AP Photo)

“There’s no excuse for how I handled the end of the game vs. South Carolina. It’s unlike what I do and what our standard is here at Connecticut,” the Hall of Fame coach said in a statement. “I want to apologize to the staff and the team at South Carolina. It was uncalled for in how I reacted. The story should be how well South Carolina played, and I don’t want my actions to detract from that. I’ve had a great relationship with their staff, and I sincerely want to apologize to them.”

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Staley previously said she had not spoken with Auriemma after Sunday’s women’s national championship game. She led South Carolina to the national title in 2024 before falling to Auriemma in last year’s championship.

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ESPN pundit Michael Wilbon teed off on UConn women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma on Monday, following the coach’s outburst toward South Carolina’s Dawn Staley on Friday night.

Auriemma was seemingly frustrated with Staley’s lack of a traditional handshake before UConn and South Carolina played their Final Four game. South Carolina would eventually win the matchup, but Auriemma and Staley had a heated exchange at the end of the game as they went up to greet each other.

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South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley and UConn head coach Geno Auriemma argue after a women’s NCAA college basketball tournament semifinal game at the Final Four in Phoenix on April 3, 2026. (Rick Scuteri/AP)

The UConn coach also complained at halftime that Sarah Strong didn’t get a foul call despite her jersey getting ripped. Strong later said she accidentally ripped her own jersey.

Wilbon didn’t mince words in his criticism of Auriemma on ESPN’s “Pardon the Interruption.”

“I’m going to take the rest of the time to deal with Geno, who was guilty of not just the handshake, but the bogus apology and the fictional lies he had a ripped jersey, saying the other team behaved like thugs when his own player ripped her own jersey. It’s the disgraceful behavior of a massively insecure bully,” he said, via Awful Announcing. “It was petulant, it was classless.”

“The fictional visualization of the ripped jersey is unbelievable. The apology didn’t even address the person he offended. We’re all taught to shake hands at the end of a game, no matter what happens. Maybe before a game. He couldn’t even do that. He wandered away, and then he lied on national television, round after round of interviews, and accused South Carolina’s players of doing something his own players did, as if we don’t all have television. And the apology, aftermath, all of it was disgraceful.”

Auriemma released a statement on the issue, apologizing for his own behavior.

South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley and UConn head coach Geno Auriemma argue after a women’s NCAA college basketball tournament semifinal game at the Final Four in Phoenix on April 3, 2026. (Rick Scuteri/AP)

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“There’s no excuse for how I handled the end of the game vs. South Carolina,” Auriemma said in a statement posted to social media. “It’s unlike what I do and what our standard is here at Connecticut.

“I want to apologize to the staff and the team at South Carolina. It was uncalled for in how I reacted. The story should be how well South Carolina played, and I don’t want my actions to detract from that. I’ve had a great relationship with their staff, and I sincerely want to apologize to them.”

Staley took the high road when asked about the incident after the team lost to the UCLA Bruins in the national championship.

“I don’t want – this is UCLA’s day, right? Let’s keep it UCLA, them winning the national championship,” Staley told reporters, via The Athletic. “… We’re not going to damper UCLA’s day with it.”

South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley speaks during a news conference at the NCAA college basketball tournament Final Four in Phoenix on April 4, 2026. (John Locher/AP)

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Staley has yet to fully address the incident and what she yelled back at Auriemma during their exchange.

Fox News’ Ryan Morik contributed to this report.

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The Michigan Wolverines are finally national champions once more in men’s basketball, taking down the UConn Huskies, 69-63, to finish a thrilling NCAA Tournament in style at Lucas Oil Stadium on Monday night.

This is the first time Michigan has won since 1989, and just the second time in program history they’ve called themselves champions.

Meanwhile, the Huskies were looking to win their third title in the last four tournaments, but their shooting failed them in the end.  

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Elliot Cadeau celebrates during the first half of the 2026 NCAA men’s basketball national championship game against UConn at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana, on April 6, 2026. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

While both team’s offenses came into this game working like a machine, it was a low-scoring affair to kick off this game. Michigan only owned a 33-29 first-half lead by the buzzer, but it wasn’t Yaxel Lendeborg leading the way in the points department for the Wolverines.

The Michigan star, who is playing on a sprained left MCL and left ankle, which came during the win over Arizona in the Final Four, was just 1-of-5 shooting for four points in the first half. It was Morez Johnson Jr. (10 points) and Elliot Cadeau (seven points) finding some rhythm for the Wolverines.

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But it didn’t help that Michigan was scoreless from beyond the arc and shooting just 37% from the field. Meanwhile, UConn wasn’t doing themselves any favors either.

The Huskies shot just 33% in the first half, with Alex Karaban hitting two of his five three-point attempts. Solo Ball, who was spotted in a walking boot entering the game with “some type of foot sprain,” according to head coach Dan Hurley, had eight points on 3-of-4 from the field.

While they were down, UConn was certainly playing the type of game they wanted against Michigan – a rugged battle, especially on the glass. Michigan has shown its prowess of taking momentum and sprinting with it offensively, dominating opponents all year long, including this NCAA Tournament.

Yaxel Lendeborg of the Michigan Wolverines dribbles during the first half against the UConn Huskies in the National Championship of the 2026 NCAA men’s basketball tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind., on April 6, 2026. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

However, the Huskies know their scratching and clawing abilities for 40 minutes allows them to never let an opponent feel comfortable. Just ask the Duke Blue Devils what happened in the Final Four.

The Huskies had that same demeanor in the second half, though it didn’t help they took a page out of the Wolverines’ first-half playbook – they couldn’t find the stroke from range. UConn was desperate to hit a three-pointer, but despite open looks, they couldn’t get one to fall as the Michigan lead eventually got to 11 points after Cadeau finally broke the seal for his squad on the opposite end, burying a three-pointer to get to a double-digit lead.

But Hurley was firing up the crowd as the Huskies never quit, cutting the lead to five with less than nine minutes to play in the game. Lendeborg, though, after shaking his head on the bench as he wasn’t having the game he hoped in the national championship, stepped up when he checked back in.

Lendeborg saw a sweet pass from Cadeau in transition and got the lead back to 11 with a tough layup, making it 56-45 with less than six minutes to play. He would also come in clutch with another two points following a Braylon Mullins three-pointer.

Once again, the Huskies wouldn’t quit, as Mullins finally found his shot beyond the arc, knocking that Michigan lead back to single digits with a follow-up three-pointer again to Lendeborg’s layups. But, just as gritty as the Huskies played, the Wolverines seemed to always have the answer in this hard-fought contest.

Head coach Dan Hurley of the UConn Huskies reacts during the first half of the NCAA men’s basketball national championship game against the Michigan Wolverines at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind., on April 6, 2026. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

A key example of that was, after Karaban buried a three-pointer to cut the Michigan lead to six, Trey McKenney stepped back and drilled a 26-footer with 1:49 left in the game to get the lead back to nine points. The Wolverines faithful in the crowd went ballistic, knowing how much that basket meant considering what UConn has been able to do in this tournament.

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With 37 seconds left in the game, Ball got some help from the backboard, making a three-pointer to cut the lead to 67-63 for the Wolverines. Roddy Gayle Jr. made things more interesting in this game, as he couldn’t knock down his two free throw attempts for Michigan. But Karaban didn’t have another clutch three-pointer in him, coming up short with 13 seconds left.

That was it for UConn’s desperation attempt, and Michigan celebrated their win.

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The UNC Tar Heels are dipping into the NBA pool for its next men’s basketball coach.

After Hubert Davis was fired following a shocking loss to VCU in the first round of the NCAA Tournament earlier this month, the Tar Heels are set to hire Michael Malone, according to ESPN.

North Carolina was previously linked to top college coaches, including Michigan’s Dusty May, who will be competing for an NCAA title on Monday night against UConn. But May took his name out of any running across college, while Arizona’s Tommy Lloyd and Iowa State’s T.J. Otzelberger were also rumored to be in the Tar Heels’ favor.

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Head Coach Michael Malone claps on the sidelines during the third quarter against the Indiana Pacers at Ball Arena in Denver, Colo., on April 6, 2025. (Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)

But Malone, who the past 10 seasons leading the Denver Nuggets, is the man they’re settling on to lead the Tar Heels back to greatness.

Malone is the winningest coach in Nuggets history, tallying 471 career wins across his career there, while also winning an NBA title in 2023.

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However, Malone, despite what he means to the franchise record books, was fired by the Nuggets in April 2025. He quickly entered the sports media space, joining ESPN in May 2025, but he’s back in the saddle now in a whole new collegiate world compared to the pros.

Perhaps North Carolina wouldn’t have been searching for another head coach if Davis and the Tar Heels didn’t collapse against No. 10 VCU in the first round, as the Rams mounted the biggest first-round comeback in tournament history to ultimately defeat No. 6 UNC in overtime, 82-78.

“We appreciate all that Hubert has done for Carolina as a player, assistant coach, head coach and community leader – he has helped make special memories we will never forget,” athletic director Bubba Cunningham said in a statement. “This was not an easy decision because of Hubert’s tremendous character and all he has given to the program, but we must move forward in a way that allows our team to compete more consistently at an elite level.”

Davis, who made four NCAA Tournaments, including the last three seasons, over his five campaigns with the Tar Heels, released his own statement on the matter. 

Head coach Michael Malone of the Denver Nuggets watches the game against the Golden State Warriors during the second quarter at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on April 4, 2025. (Eakin Howard/Getty Images)

“Tonight, I was let go by the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill,” he wrote. “My desire was to continue to coach here. This opportunity has truly been such a blessing. I thank Jesus literally every day for giving me the opportunity, relationships and experiences with the kids and my staff. I am very proud of what we were able to accomplish together.”

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Davis added that he hopes to be coaching “in the very near future.”

Davis, who played for UNC from 1988-92 before being a first-round pick by the New York Knicks in 1992, left the program with about $5.3 million still guaranteed from his contract, per ESPN.

Davis went 125-54 during his 179-game tenure with his alma mater, which included a first-year Final Four appearance during the 2021-22 campaign. The Tar Heels reached the national championship game, falling to the Kansas Jayhawks, who also overcame a double-digit deficit to be crowned champions.

Head coach Michael Malone of the Denver Nuggets looks on during the fourth quarter against the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on April 4, 2025. (Eakin Howard/Getty Images)

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 After missing March Madness in 2023, the Tar Heels earned themselves a No. 1 seed in 2024, but they were taken down by No. 4 Alabama in the Sweet 16, cutting their national title hopes short. Still, Davis earned himself the ACC Coach of the Year Award that year. 

The Tar Heels want to get back to the Roy Williams days, as the legendary UNC head coach led his squad to six NCAA titles during his tenure, the most recent coming in 2017.

South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley was disappointed how the Gamecocks’ season ended on Sunday afternoon in Phoenix, a 79-51 loss to the UCLA Bruins in the national championship game.

During her post-game interview, Staley was asked about what happened in the Gamecocks’ prior Final Four matchup against UConn, where she and head coach Geno Auriemma had a tense exchange after South Carolina advanced to the title game for the third year in a row.

Rather than hash out more of her thoughts, Staley had a classy response.

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Head coach Dawn Staley of the South Carolina Gamecocks watches during the first half of the NCAA women’s basketball championship game against the UCLA Bruins at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, Ariz., on April 5, 2026. (Ben Solomon/NCAA Photos)

“I don’t want – this is UCLA’s day, right? Let’s keep it UCLA, them winning the national championship,” Staley told reporters, via The Athletic. “… We’re not going to damper UCLA’s day with it.”

Before this national title contest, Staley was spotted having a cordial experience greeting UCLA Bruins head coach Cori Close — a much different experience than how Friday night ended with Auriemma.

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After the Gamecocks defeated the Huskies, Staley and Auriemma went viral with their interaction at midcourt, where Auriemma appeared to enrage Staley before walking off.

This time, Staley and Close hugged and shared a few words. During the exchange, Staley “looked around afterward like, ‘see??’”, per NBC Sports.

Staley was showing a bit of sarcasm, as she noted Auriemma didn’t shake her hand before the Final Four tipped off between the two teams on Friday night.

After the Gamecocks’ victory over the Huskies, Staley was asked what exactly happened with Auriemma, though she tried to explain her focus in helping her team lock in for the national title game. If they won, it would’ve been the fourth national championship in the last 10 years for South Carolina.

Head coach Cori Close of the UCLA Bruins watches during the first quarter against the South Carolina Gamecocks in the NCAA women’s basketball national championship at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, Ariz., on April 5, 2026. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

“For me, no distractions at this time. I’m concentrating on winning a national championship, that’s it,” Staley said at the time. “That’s a little disheartening. This is sports, sometimes things like this happen. Continue to focus on my team and ability to advance in this tournament and hopefully win another national championship.”

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Auriemma later released a statement, apologizing for his behavior after the loss.

“There’s no excuse for how I handled the end of the game vs. South Carolina. It’s unlike what I do and what our standard is here at Connecticut,” the Hall of Fame coach said in a statement on Saturday. “I want to apologize to the staff and the team at South Carolina. It was uncalled for in how I reacted. The story should be how well South Carolina played, and I don’t want my actions to detract from that. I’ve had a great relationship with their staff, and I sincerely want to apologize to them.”

Staley added she had “no idea” why Auriemma was angry after the game, though she guessed perhaps he was ticked off by the lack of handshake before the game on his own end. Either way, Staley was moving forward.

UCLA Bruins head coach Cori Close shakes hands with South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Dawn Staley after defeating South Carolina 79-51 in the NCAA women’s championship game at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, Ariz., on April 4, 2026. (Ronaldo Bolaños/Los Angeles Times)

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“I don’t know what he came with after the game, but, hey, sometimes things get heated. We move on,” she said.

For UCLA, it was the first time the women’s basketball program has won the national title, as their emotional celebration ensued following the game in Phoenix.

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North Carolina Tar Heels football coach Bill Belichick was sued on Thursday over an alleged incident that occurred at his Massachusetts home in June 2024.

Painter Andrew Jackson sued Forty Five Fair Street LLC, a company managed by Belichick, in Nantucket Superior Court. Jackson said in his lawsuit that “construction practices created an unsafe work area for workers at the premises” and, because of that, he suffered injuries after a fall.

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Head coach Bill Belichick of the North Carolina Tar Heels looks on during the first quarter against the Syracuse Orange at JMA Wireless Dome on Oct. 31, 2025 in Syracuse, New York. (Bryan Bennett/Getty Images)

“As a direct and proximate result of the fall, plaintiff sustained serious bodily injuries including a severe right ankle injury, together with pain, disability, medical expenses, lost wages, and other consequential damages,” the lawsuit stated.

The filing added that Jackson received workers’ compensation benefits after the fall but “retains his rights to pursue this third-party negligence action against non-employer responsible parties.”

The lawsuit said that Belichick’s company should have made sure the construction site was in a safe-working condition.

North Carolina football head coach Bill Belichick and General Manager Michael Lombardi in action, looks on from the sideline vs TCU at Kenan Memorial Stadium in Chapel Hill, North Carolina on Sept. 1, 2025.
(Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)

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“Defendant breached its duties by, among other things: a. causing, permitting, or allowing unsafe conditions to exist at the premises; b. failing to maintain the work area in a reasonably safe condition; c. failing to inspect the premises adequately; d. failing to remedy hazardous conditions it knew or should have known about; e. failing to warn Plaintiff of dangerous conditions; and f. otherwise acting negligently in the ownership, operation, management, supervision, maintenance, and control of the premises.”

Jackson is seeking nearly $300,000, according to the Nantucket Current, which first reported the lawsuit.

Fox News Digital reached out to Belichick’s representatives for comment.

North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Bill Belichick with the team before the game at Kenan Stadium. (Bob Donnan/Imagn Images)

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Belichick bought the Nantucket property for $4.8 million in 2024, according to Boston.com.

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The Michigan Wolverines men’s basketball team will return to the national championship for the first time since 2018 after a rout of the Arizona Wildcats, 91-73, in the Final Four.

Michigan jumped out to a 16-point lead midway through the first half and never had to look back from there. The high-percentage shooting from Aday Mara and Elliott Cadeau’s ability to knock down the long-range shot was more than enough for the Wolverines to get the win.

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Michigan guard Nimari Burnett celebrates a basket against Arizona during the first half of an NCAA college basketball tournament semifinal game at the Final Four in Indianapolis on April 4, 2026. (Abbie Parr/AP)

Wolverines star Yaxel Lendeborg was saddled with two fouls early in the first half and then suffered a tough-looking ankle injury during the period to keep him on the bench. He started the second half and hit two 3-pointers before he called it a night.

He looked as though he was struggling with the pain. He managed to score 11 points, including three 3-pointers in 14 minutes of play. As he struggled, Trey McKenney stepped up big time.

McKenney was hot from long range. He finished with 16 points on 4-of-6 from 3-point range.

Mara led Michigan with 26 points and nine rebounds. Cadeau had 13 points and 10 assists.

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Michigan forward Yaxel Lendeborg reacts after an injury during the first half of an NCAA tournament semifinal game against Arizona at the Final Four in Indianapolis on April 4, 2026. (Abbie Parr/AP)

Arizona was unable to find its rhythm throughout the night, and the continued missed shots sucked the air out of the building. The Wildcats only shot 37% from the floor.

Wildcats freshman Koa Peat scored 16 points to lead the team. He also had six rebounds.

Brayden Burries and Jaden Bradley each had 13 points. Motiejus Krivas had 11 points.

Michigan lost in the 2018 national championship to Jay Wright’s Villanova squad. Their appearance in the Final Four on Saturday night was their third since 1993. The team last won a national championship in 1989 when Glen Rice and the Wolverines knocked off Seton Hall in overtime.

The Wolverines will take on the UConn Huskies in the national championship game on Monday night. The Huskies defeated the Illinois Fighting Illini to receive the opportunity at the title.

Arizona’s Jaden Bradley reacts during the first half of an NCAA college basketball tournament semifinal game against Michigan at the Final Four in Indianapolis on April 4, 2026. (Michael Conroy/AP)

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If UConn wins, it will be the Huskies’ third title in four years.

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The UConn Huskies men’s basketball team is headed back to the national championship game for the third time in the last four years after defeating the Illinois Fighting Illini, 71-62, in the Final Four.

The Huskies, who were leading by as much as 14 points, fended off a late 10-0 run from Illinois to keep their championship hopes alive. Tarris Reed Jr. ended the run with a lay-up in the paint, then a turnover led to a Solo Ball one-handed slam.

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UConn forward Jayden Ross celebrates his shot against Illinois during the first half of an NCAA college basketball tournament semifinal game at the Final Four in Indianapolis on April 4, 2026. (Abbie Parr/AP)

UConn will be in a position to win three national championships in four years and give head coach Dan Hurley a place to call his program a dynasty.

The Big East champions, and the No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament, needed heroics from freshman Braylon Mullins to get past the Duke Blue Devils in the Elite Eight. Mullins stepped up in a big way against the Fighting Illini.

Mullins’ only made shot against Duke was the game-winner. It didn’t take him 40 minutes to score for UConn as he hit the first 3-pointer he attempted against Illinois. He had 12 points in the first half as UConn held a nine-point lead. He finished with 15 points.

Reed led UConn with 17 points and 11 rebounds. Reed’s poised play was needed as it looked like the Fighting Illini were going to come back in the game. He was 6-of-12 from the field and made each of the five free throws he attempted, despite being a 59% free-throw shooter.

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UConn’s Tarris Reed Jr., right, heads to the basket as Illinois’ Zvonimir Ivisic (44) defends during the first half of an NCAA college basketball tournament semifinal game at the Final Four, Saturday, April 4, 2026, in Indianapolis.  (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

It was Mullins and Reed’s performances that helped take some of the pressure off Alex Karaban.

Karaban had nine points, four rebounds and four assists. He was only 1-of-8 from the field.

Illinois cut the deficit to four points with 43 seconds left. The Fighting Illini shot themselves back into the game, but living and dying by the three ball ultimately cost Illinois in the end. As Illinois got cold, UConn was able to capitalize.

The Fighting Illini finished shooting 23% from long range.

Keaton Wagler led the team with 20 points. Tomislav Ivisic added 16 points. The teammates were the only ones in double figures.

Illinois guard Keaton Wagler, left, passes past UConn guard Solo Ball during the first half of an NCAA college basketball tournament semifinal game at the Final Four, Saturday, April 4, 2026, in Indianapolis.  (AP Photo/AJ Mast)

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UConn will await the winner of Michigan and Arizona in the other Final Four game to determine who they will face in the national championship.

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The UConn Huskies men’s basketball team is one win away from reaching their third national championship in the last four years.

The Huskies got to the Final Four after a stunning Elite Eight win over the Duke Blue Devils when Braylon Mullins nailed a long 3-pointer to give them the lead right before the final buzzer. Duke reached the game with a victory over the St. John’s Red Storm.

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Andrea Hurley, wife of UConn Huskies head coach Dan Hurley, watches the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame exhibition game between the UConn Huskies and Boston College Eagles at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn., on Oct. 13, 2025. (Erica Denhoff/Icon Sportswire)

Dan Hurley’s wife, Andrea, weighed in on St. John’s fans seemingly rooting against the Huskies as they took on the Michigan State Spartans in the other Sweet 16 matchup on that side of the bracket. It appeared the rivalry between the two schools is alive and well.

“OK, I’m gonna say it. St. John’s fans … When we went to the game, all those St. John’s fans were rooting against us,” Andrea Hurley said on “The Field of 68: After Dark.” “And that just broke my heart. … It’s really sad. … That’s crappy … That was crappy.”

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UConn head coach Dan Hurley talks with a referee during the first half of the Elite Eight NCAA tournament game against Duke in Washington on March 29, 2026. (Stephanie Scarbrough/AP)

Hurley said she was talking to Rick Pitino’s wife during the Big East Championship and asked her how she did it, seemingly forming a bond with the family over the rival school.She added that she may not have wanted to see the Red Storm in the tournament, but didn’t necessarily want to face the Blue Devils either.

Dan Hurley had praise for his wife earlier in the week after he said she was able to keep players from storming the court after Mullins’ shot went in against Duke. UConn may have received a technical foul for going on the court too early, which may have presented a different conversation from the media going into Final Four.

UConn head coach Dan Hurley speaks during a news conference ahead of the national semifinal NCAA college basketball tournament game against Illinois at the Final Four in Indianapolis on April 2, 2026. (Abbie Parr/AP)

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UConn will take on Illinois in their Final Four matchup. The winner will either play Arizona or Michigan.

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Across all sports and all levels, coaches tell their players to use their heads. However, Highland center fielder Jake Shields used his head in a completely different sense and had a Jose Canseco moment.

In Highland’s 8-4 loss to Butler in the first game of a doubleheader on Thursday at McDonald Stadium in Kansas, Butler designated hitter Tanay Vyas hit a high fly ball to right-center field with a runner on first base with two outs in the bottom of the third inning.

Shields ran over to make the play, shielding the sun with his glove and his sunglasses, but completely misjudged the ball. Instead of catching the fly ball, it landed on his head and bounced over the wall for an improbable home run to make it 3-1.

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Former Oakland Athletics player Jose Canseco speaks to fans as the Athletics inducted him into the team’s Hall of Fame before the game against the San Francisco Giants in Oakland, California, on Aug. 17, 2024. (Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

Shields’ blunder was reminiscent of Jose Canseco’s infamous outfielder blunder in 1988. Carlos Martinez, a designated hitter for the Cleveland Indians, hit a fly ball to the warning track in right field.

Canseco, an outfielder for the Texas Rangers at the time, ran to the wall to try to catch the ball, but missed it. The ball hit off his head and bounced up and over the wall for a home run.

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Former Oakland Athletics outfielder Jose Canseco stands on the field before the game against the Los Angeles Angels at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, California, on July 21, 2024. (Darren Yamashita/USA TODAY Sports)

Shields was well short of the warning track in the outfield when the ball hit his head, meaning the ball bounced at least 30 feet off his head and over the wall for a two-run home run. The college baseball player bent over and held his head.

“Oh! Right off his forehead,” the announcer said. “Oh my, Jake Shields is going to feel that for a long time.”

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Former Oakland Athletics outfielder Jose Canseco sits in the dugout before the game against the San Francisco Giants at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, California, on Aug. 17, 2024. (Darren Yamashita/USA TODAY Sports)

The main difference between Shields’ and Canseco’s miscues were how far the ball bounced off their heads. Canseco was right next to the wall, while Shields wasn’t even near the warning track.

Unfortunately for Highland, Shields’ blunder was the beginning of a tough four-game series against the Butler Grizzlies, as they swept the series.

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