Live updates at the 2026 Final Four in Indianapolis
✌️ Seeing double in the Final Four
UConn’s men’s and women’s teams are back in the Final Four in the same season for the sixth time — 2004, 2009, 2011, 2014, 2024 and this year.
Even more, UConn is the only program in history to win both national championships in the same season, accomplishing the feat in 2004 and 2014.
The UConn women tip off at 7 p.m. ET Friday against South Carolina, looking to secure the program’s first unbeaten national title since 2016. On the men’s side, UConn could capture its seventh national championship in the past 27 tournaments and third in the past four seasons.
History's eyes are on UConn's doorstep this weekend.
To stay updated on the women's championship, follow along with live updates here.
đź‘€ Open practice sets the stage
Today is always an exciting day for college basketball fans: open practice.
Fans got the chance to step inside Lucas Oil Stadium and watch their teams up close before the Final Four tips off Saturday night.
Some even walked away with an autograph or two.
Alex Karaban signed a basketball for a young fan and his reaction tells you what it means 🥹
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB)
As you looked around the stadium, one color stood out above the rest: bright orange from Illinois fans, whose campus in Champaign is about 120 miles from Indianapolis.
Illinois’s campus is 120 miles from the Final Four in Indianapolis.
— Front Office Sports (@FOS)
This was the scene as the Illini took the court for open practice.
Those Illini cheers quickly turned to boos when UConn ran onto the floor, except when one Huskies name was announced
Who, you ask? Braylon Mullins.
The UConn freshman from Greenfield, Indiana, about 40 minutes from Lucas Oil Stadium, whose 35-foot game-winner against Duke will forever be etched into March Madness history.
It will be worth watching to see whether a crowd that feels heavily tilted toward Illinois has any impact on Dan Hurley’s team Saturday night
Good morning from Indianapolis đź‘‹
One step off the plane and it is clear — a college basketball champion will soon be crowned. Brackets are quite literally towering over. Just take a look at the JW Marriott Hotel.
Indy is ready 🤩
— NCAA Men's Final Four (@MFinalFour)
What started with 68 now ends with just four: Arizona, UConn, Illinois and Michigan.
Arizona returns for the first time in 25 years, while Illinois is back for the first time in 21. Michigan is seeking its first national championship since 1989, plus UConn returns for the third time in four years after losing to Florida in the second round in 2025.
Open practice tips off today, giving fans an close-up look at the Final Four before the games begin.
Then, it's semifinal Saturday. First up is . Can Connecticut continue its dynasty? Can Dan Hurley lead the Huskies to a third national title in four years? Illinois looks like a team that peaked at exactly the right time and earned its place on college basketball’s biggest stage. Now the question is whether the Illini can keep that momentum going.
Then it is . Arizona has waited 25 years to return to the Final Four, powered by a fearless freshman trio in Brayden Burries, Koa Peat and Ivan Kharchenkov. Now, the Wildcats will try to prove their young stars are ready for the sport’s biggest stage against a Michigan team that has been one of the nation’s most dominant all season.
If you couldn't make it to Indy for the Big Dance, no worries because we have you covered right here all weekend.
🛣️ The road ends here
The road ends here with four dominant teams searching for a title win.
Let's take a look at how the last four teams reached this stage 👉
Arizona
- First round:
- Second round:
- Sweet 16:
- Elite Eight:
Michigan
- First round:
- Second round:
- Sweet 16:
- Elite Eight:
UConn
- First round:
- Second round:
- Sweet 16:
- Elite Eight:
Illinois
- First round:
- Second round:
- Sweet 16:
- Elite Eight:
Let's hear from Dan Hurley and Dusty May 🗣️
On Wednesday, coaches shared how their teams are feeling as game day approaches.
For Dan Hurley, taking down Duke was one thing, but the message is clear: the job is not finished until a champion is crowned.
"We don't hang banners for Final Fours at UConn. We hang National Championship Banners" đź‘€
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB)
Dan Hurley knows the job is far from finished for UConn, despite an amazing run thus far 🗣️
Michigan's Dusty May gave us insight into how Yaxel Lendeborg has helped shaped this season, allowing for this team to come this far. Yaxel, Big Ten Player of the Year, has lead this team to a 35-3 season, but May doesn't think he knows how good he truly is.
"[Yaxel] still has no idea how good he is." 🗣️
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB)
Dusty May gives Lendeborg praise for his growth and unselfishness this season 🤝