Final Four Preview: Can Dan Hurley do it again?

Following their miraculous win over Duke in the Elite Eight, Dan Hurley and UConn now face off against Illinois in the Final Four.

Since he arrived at UConn back in 2018, Hurley has completely transformed the program. He won back-to-back national championships in 2023 and 2024, and lost by two points to the eventual national champion Florida Gators in 2025 in the round of 32. Now, he is looking to capture his third title in the last four years and cement himself as one of the greats.

Against Illinois, it will be a battle. The Fighting Illini have one of the most efficient offenses in KenPom history. Yet so far in the tournament its been the defense that has been the star of the show. They have held three out of four of their opponents to under 60 points, including limiting Houston to shooting just 28.1% from the field.

The three ball battle will be one to watch. UConn has only made double digit threes once since Feb. 18. However, they have not allowed double digit threes throughout the same span. Illinois’s three point attempt is one of the highest in the country, so they may have to outshoot UConn in order to pull out the win.

Yet the most outlying factor for this matchup is the free-throw line. UConn is one of the worst teams at creating free throw attempts for itself, while Illinois is the No. 1 team in the country at defensive free throw rate. Once again, if Illinois can outshoot UConn at the line, they may pull off the win.

As for Hurley, it seems during March Madness he always find a way. The team was down 19 against Duke in the Elite Eight and yet scratched and clawed its way back to win. His intensity and grit is what makes him stand out.

If Hurley were to pull it off again today and go to his third championship in three years, he will forever be remembered as one of the greatest to ever do it. As for Illinois, they can be remembered as the ones who took down the king.

About the Author Published Apr 4, 2026

CAMERON JOYCE

Cameron Joyce is an NCAAF, NFL, NHL, and MLB beat writer for Ball Exclusives. Cameron also previously worked at The University of Alabama's newspaper, "The Crimson White," covering volleyball and baseball.