UConn head coach Dan Hurley has led the Huskies to a third Final Four appearance in the last five years. The Huskies overcame a 19-point second-half deficit, with freshman Braylon Mullins knocking down a 35-footer after a deflection led to a Duke turnover with just five seconds to play.
Illinois had a very impressive run of its own, as it prevailed in each of its four tournament contests by double-figures. The Illini ultimately made their first Final Four appearance since the Dee Brown era in 2005.
With the stage set, here's my college basketball parlay and Illinois vs Connecticut picks for Saturday, April 4.
College Basketball Parlay for UConn vs Illinois
- Tarris Reed Jr. 15+ Points
- Keaton Wagler Alt 15+ Points
Parlay Odds: +165 (DraftKings)
Remember, parlays are long shots for a reason, so please bet responsibly.
UConn vs Illinois Parlay Picks
Tarris Reed Jr. 15+ Points
Tarris Reed Jr. was incredible against Duke on Sunday, finishing the contest with a remarkable 26-point performance against the most difficult frontcourt matchup in the country.
If the Huskies are to advance to their third National Championship in the last five years, they'll require another big-time game from their 6-foot-11 star center.
Though Illinois boasts tremendous size, with bigs who can really stretch the floor, the Illini forwards are far more impressive on the offensive end of the floor.
Upon completely dismantling a Duke defensive frontcourt featuring the likes of Cameron Boozer and Patrick Ngongba II, I have a ton of confidence backing Reed in this spot.
I expect UConn’s senior center to present an overwhelming defensive matchup for Brad Underwood’s forwards, given Reed’s physicality in the post.
While Illinois has far more versatility offensively, I expect Reed to have another dominant showing on Saturday.
Keaton Wagler Alt 15+ Points
After Illinois' starting point guard Kylan Boswell got hurt mid-way through the season, Underwood had to rely on his freshman phenom — Keaton Wagler — to carry a ton of weight on the offensive end of the floor.
Wagler showed zero nerves stepping into this role as the primary scorer on the nation’s most efficient offense, and he quickly established himself as one of the best scorers in all of college basketball.
In UConn’s upset victory over Duke, the Huskies' defense showed some vulnerability on the perimeter, as Duke completely dominated the first half, connecting on several triples resulting from second-chance opportunities.
For an Illini bunch with tremendous size and elite rebounding prowess, I expect Illinois to generate a ton of second-chance opportunities of its own. That'll allow the Illini to kick it back to their freshman guard who lights it up from downtown.
While Saturday’s Final Four matchup could have fewer points than expected (the Hawkeyes just had some great success slowing their Elite Eight matchup down to their preferred pace versus the Illini), I still think Wagner’s scoring chances will be plentiful.
If the Illini are to reign supreme and advance to the team’s first National Championship since 2005, it'll undoubtedly be on the back of its star freshman, who's coming off an exceptional 25-point performance in the Elite Eight.
