5
Apr
March Madness
Furphy's UConn in Big Dance, Dell'Orso heartbreak
Malachi Smith #0 and Braylon Mullins #24 of the UConn Huskies celebrate after defeating the Illinois Fighting Illini in the Final Four of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium on April 5, 2026 (AEDT) in Indianapolis, Indiana. Photo: Michael Reaves/Getty Images
Highlights
Jacob Furphy’s UConn reach NCAA title game after 71–62 Final Four win over Illinois.
- Full coverage of NCAA Men's and Women's Basketball
- Every Australian in NCAAW basketball in 2025-26
- Every Australian in NCAAM basketball in 2025-26
UConn Huskies 71, Illinois Fighting Illini 62 (Final)
Final Four — NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship
Tasmanian freshman Jacob Furphy's UConn advanced to the national championship game with a controlled 71–62 win over Illinois, building an early cushion and managing the game across both halves today (AEDT) in the United States.
Furphy is now just one win away from winning a NCAA National Championship in his first year of college basketball.
Game Snapshot
- Halftime: UConn 37–29
- Largest Lead: UConn +10
- Game Flow: UConn set the tone early, won the glass, and limited Illinois’ perimeter efficiency (6–26 3PT).
UConn’s frontcourt anchored the result, with Tarris Reed Jr. delivering a double-double (17 points, 11 rebounds) and controlling the paint on both ends. The Huskies complemented that with balanced scoring and improved three-point efficiency (12–33, 36%).
Illinois struggled to generate consistent offence, shooting just 34% from the field and 23% from three. Despite 20 points and eight rebounds from Keaton Wagler and 16 from Tomislav Ivisic, they were unable to close the gap after halftime.
Top Performers
Tarris Reed Jr. (UConn) – 17 points, 11 rebounds
Braylon Mullins (UConn) – 15 points, 4–7 3PT
Solo Ball (UConn) – 13 points
Keaton Wagler (Illinois) – 20 points, 8 rebounds
Tomislav Ivisic (Illinois) – 16 points, 7 rebounds
Australians — UConn
Jacob Furphy (Fr, Tasmania) – DNP
Furphy did not see the floor but remains part of UConn’s rotation and now sits one win away from a national championship in his freshman season.
Michigan 91 Arizona 73 (Final)
Final Four — NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship
Anthony Dell’Orso’s Arizona fall short in Final Four
Melbourne guard Anthony Dell’Orso’s Arizona fell 91–73 to Michigan in the Final Four, ending their NCAA championship run in Indianapolis.
Michigan blew the game open early, racing to a double-digit lead inside six minutes and never relinquishing control. The Wolverines led 48–32 at halftime and maintained separation throughout the second half.
Game Snapshot
- Halftime: Michigan 48–32
- Largest Lead: Michigan +21
- Game Flow: Wolverines dominated early, controlled the paint, and never allowed Arizona to recover
Michigan’s frontcourt set the tone, with Aday Mara producing a career-high 26 points and nine rebounds on 11–16 shooting. The Wolverines combined interior scoring with perimeter efficiency, shooting 48% from the field and 44% from three (12–27).
Arizona struggled to establish offensive rhythm, shooting 37% from the field and finishing with just five assists to 14 turnovers. Despite a double-double from Koa Peat (16 points, 11 rebounds), the Wildcats were unable to respond after the early deficit.
Top Performers
- Aday Mara (Michigan) – 26 points, 9 rebounds
- Trey McKenney (Michigan) – 16 points, 4–6 3PT
- Elliot Cadeau (Michigan) – 13 points, 10 assists, 4 steals
- Koa Peat (Arizona) – 16 points, 11 rebounds
- Jaden Bradley (Arizona) – 13 points
Australians — Arizona
- Anthony Dell’Orso (Fr, Melbourne) – 3 points, 1–5 FG, 1–2 3PT, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 17 minutes
Dell’Orso played rotation minutes off the bench, hitting one three-pointer as Arizona’s season ended one game short of the NCAA Championship.
Michigan now advances to face UConn in the national championship game, with Jacob Furphy’s Huskies awaiting in a matchup between two dominant tournament runs.
.jpg)
