The UConn Huskies (33-5) are back in another Final Four, hoping to win their third national title in four years to set up dynasty talks. They’ve already beaten several blue-blood caliber programs to get to this point, beating Furman, UCLA, Michigan State, and the historical comeback win over Duke in the Elite 8 on its path to Saturday’s game.
UConn’s next opponent is Illinois, a team they defeated by 13 points in their regular-season matchup. Here are some keys to the game for the rematch, with a spot in the title game on the line.
1. Solo Ball ending his funk
The junior guard Ball is averaging 12.9 ppg on the season, even on 39% FG shooting. He’s struggled in the past few weeks, shooting 13/81 from the field (16%). While Silas Demary is back from his injury, the Huskies can’t afford a key starter to continue struggling on offense.
2. Tarris Reed against the Illini bigs
The senior big man has made the case for being the best player in the entire NCAA Tournament. Reed is averaging 22 ppg through four games, including a 31-point and 27-rebound performance against Furman. He’ll go up against Illinois frontcourt, which features several key forwards, including the Ivisic brothers, both of whom are 7+ feet.
In the first meetup, Reed wasn’t effective, returning from an injury. And yet, UConn won handily. If the senior big man can score well in this game, that should help them get the season sweep.
3. Winning the 3-point battle
Illinois is one of the most prolific three-point shooting teams in the country, ranking top-20 nationally in average attempts and makes, around 11/30 a game. That plays into UConn’s strength on the defensive end, ranking in the top 30 in three-point defense, allowing under 6 total makes per game.
In the first matchup, Illinois went just 6/29 from deep. If that happens again, it’ll be the Huskies in the title game.