Your guide to the men’s March Madness Final Four

The GIST: No stranger to the March Madness spotlight, the Huskies are seeking their third championship in four years and seventh in school history (which would break a tie with UNC for third-most of any men’s program). Head coach Dan Hurley is one of the game’s best, and his trademark intensity has turned UConn into a bona fide blue blood.

📌 How they got here: It’s thanks to one of the most clutch shots of all time. The Huskies stunned No. 1 overall seed Duke 73–72 in the Elite Eight behind freshman guard Braylon Mullins’ last-second dagger from the logo. Between Duke and their Sweet 16 opponent No. 3 Michigan State, UConn arguably had the toughest path of all Final Four teams.

✅ Why they’ll win it all: History’s on their side — the Huskies are 17-1 in the past four NCAA tourneys. They’ve already beaten Illinois this season (a 74–61 drubbing on Black Friday), and Hurley knows how to motivate his guys for the big moments. Their gritty battle through the East region has them battle-hardened and ready for anything.

❌ Why they won’t: This season and this tourney have been dominated by physical play from big men in the paint, but that’s not UConn’s style. Even their superstar forward, 6-foot-8 redshirt senior Alex Karaban, is best from the perimeter, and they could have a hard time containing the height and muscle of the other remaining contenders.

The GIST: Few expected the Illini to make it this far — only 1% of submissions to our bracket challenge have them winning it all. They’re one of the best programs to never win a championship despite five previous trips to the Final Four, most recently in 2005. But after grinding it out in the ultra-competitive Big Ten, they’re peaking at exactly the right time.

📌 How they got here: But for a handful of possessions, Illinois would have been a favorite heading into the Madness: Six of their eight losses were by four points or fewer, and four came in overtime. The Illini cruised through the first four tourney rounds, most recently trouncing Cinderella squad No. 9 Iowa 71–59 in the Elite Eight to reach Indy.

✅ Why they’ll win it all: Two words: Keaton Wagler. Illinois’ aforementioned November loss to UConn happened before the freshman became a phenom. He caught fire later in the regular season and is now a second-team All-American and projected first-round NBA Draft pick. Supported by the tallest lineup in college hoops, he powers one of the country’s best offenses.

❌ Why they won’t: Those six narrow losses mentioned earlier could be a case of bad luck…or signal a problem closing the deal in high-pressure situations. UConn will be Illinois’ toughest challenge yet, and they should expect a, ahem, dog fight with the Huskies. Do the Fighting Illini have the stamina to finally hoist some hardware?

The GIST: Arizona’s always competitive, but they’re not exactly a blue blood. They won their only ’ship in 1997 and are back in the Final Four for the first time since 2001. Nonetheless, GISTers love the Wildcats — they were the most popular pick to win it all in our bracket challenge and in Monday’s newsletter poll — and it’s easy to see why.

📌 How they got here: The Wildcats have dominated all season, winning the regular-season and tournament titles in the extremely intense Big 12. After hardly breaking a sweat through the first three rounds, they ran into first-half struggles during their Elite Eight matchup with No. 2 Purdue. But Arizona came out swinging in the second half, eventually coasting to a 79–64 win.

✅ Why they’ll win it all: This roster is loaded with star power. Guard Jaden Bradley won Big 12 Player of the Year (POY), and a trio of standout freshmen — forwards Ivan Kharchenkov and Koa Peat and guard Brayden Burries — can score from anywhere on the court. They’re 14-2 against ranked opponents and have the physical big men to get the job done.

❌ Why they won’t: That Elite Eight matchup was cause for concern. Arizona trailed 38–31 at halftime but advanced thanks to a monster second half, overwhelming Purdue with airtight defense to outscore them 48–26 in the final 20 minutes. That slow start won’t fly against their Final Four opponent, Michigan, who won’t be pushed around in the paint.

The GIST: Michigan has appeared in eight Final Fours, yet they have only the 1989 natty (Taylor’s Version) to show for it. But if any squad can bring the title back to Ann Arbor, it’s this one: They’re considered the country’s most balanced team, led by forward Yaxel Lendeborg, the only first-team All-American and Naismith POY finalist still dancing.

📌 How they got here: Michigan won the regular-season title in the cutthroat Big Ten by a wide margin. An upset loss in the conference tourney final could have halted their momentum, but it seems to have only fueled them. Since March Madness tipped off, the Wolverines have outscored opponents by an average of 22.5 points —more than any other semifinalist.

✅ Why they’ll win it all: Michigan has few weaknesses on their roster. They score just as easily from the paint as from the perimeter, and only the very best offenses can eke out more than 70 points against their suffocating D. They’re elite in every position on the court, and have momentum plus immaculate vibes on their side as they come barreling into tonight’s matchup.

❌ Why they won’t: They have to get through Arizona, which on paper is the only team in the country that can match Michigan’s balance. We’re in for absolute cinema as these two powerhouses duke it out for a shot at confetti showers on Monday. So sat.