Illinois’ Mia Zenere Performs National Anthem Inside the Arena
Illinois’ season ended in Indianapolis after a 71-62 loss to Connecticut in a Final Four semifinal at Lucas Oil Stadium. The Huskies advanced to the national title game and improved to 34-5 on the year.
Game recap
UConn led for most of the contest and built a double-digit cushion in the second half. Illinois rallied late but could not close the gap.
The critical sequence came in the final minute. Braylon Mullins hit a three to make it 66-59. Keaton Wagler answered with a step-back three, cutting the deficit to four at 66-62 with 44 seconds left. UConn sealed the win at the free-throw line over the final 40 seconds.
Key players and statistics
Keaton Wagler led Illinois with 20 points and added eight rebounds. Tomislav Ivisic contributed 16 points and seven rebounds.
Connecticut got 17 points and 11 rebounds from Tarris Reed Jr. Braylon Mullins scored 15 points, including four three-pointers. Solo Ball added 13 points.
Illinois finished 19 of 56 from the field, a 33.9 percent clip. UConn made 15 of 17 free throws down the stretch.
Starting lineups and season context
Illinois started David Mirkovic, Kylan Boswell, Keaton Wagler, Tomislav Ivisic and Jake Davis. UConn’s starters were Solo Ball, Silas Demary Jr., Tarris Reed Jr., Alex Karaban and Braylon Mullins.
The Illini reached the Final Four for the first time since 2005. Earlier this season, UConn defeated Illinois 74-61 on Nov. 28, 2025 at Madison Square Garden.
Coach and team reaction
Brad Underwood was coaching his first Final Four at age 62. The coach and players expressed clear disappointment after the loss.
Players and staff stressed pride in the season and in the group’s character. Emotions ran high in the locker room after the result.
Pregame atmosphere and fan presence
Lucas Oil Stadium hosted a largely orange crowd. Illinois fans traveled from Champaign-Urbana and Chicago for the semifinal.
Members of the Orange Krush were highly visible behind the north end zone. Some arrived early and secured front-row seats for the action.
Mia Zenere performs national anthem
Mia Zenere, a U of I sophomore guard, was among four student athletes who performed the national anthem inside the arena. Her performance drew loud applause from the capacity crowd.
Looking ahead
Connecticut will face either Michigan or Arizona in the national championship game on Monday. The Huskies will pursue their seventh national title since 1999.
For continuing coverage and features from Indianapolis, visit Filmogaz.com. Follow our staff for updates, photos and fan submissions from the Final Four weekend.
