UConn women's basketball will play in the opening game of the 2026 Final Four from Phoenix Friday evening, ESPN announced Monday.

After being down by as many as 19 on Sunday, Braylon Mullins retrieved a loose ball near midcourt in the waning seconds against Duke and hit a three-pointer from 35 feet away to take the lead.

Fans are making plans and trying to get their hands on Illini merch as the team heads to the Final Four for the first time in 21 years.

Illinois and UConn played back in November, but the makeup of both teams significantly changed over the following months

The Huskies’ record in their last 18 NCAA tournament games overall: 17-1 (including 15 double-digit blowouts). Their record in their last 18 tournament games from the Sweet 16 onward: 18-0 (the most recent being Sunday’s miraculous Elite Eight comeback against No. 1 overall seed Duke).

Two airlines said nonstop flights out of Bradley International Airport are available to help UConn fans get to both Final Fours.

Elite Eight win over Duke was Huskies head coach Dan Hurley's strange behavior in the final moments. He came face-to-face with an official on the court for a stare down, drawing many to believe there should've been a technical foul called for his antics.

The Final Four teams standing in the 2026 men's NCAA Tournament bracket comprise some of college basketball's very best. Between top seeds Michigan and Arizona, second-seeded UConn and third-seeded Illinois, you have four teams ranked among the nation's nine most efficient teams, per KenPom.com.