Illinois 62, at Connecticut 71

INDIANAPOLIS (Interstat) — In a grinding, physical contest defined by defensive pressure and offensive struggle, the Connecticut Huskies used a decisive first-half surge and superior execution down the stretch to defeat the Illinois Fighting Illini 71-62 in a men’s NCAA Division I playoff game Saturday at Lucas Oil Stadium. The Huskies, improving to 34-5, advanced by leveraging a significant advantage from the three-point line and capitalizing on Illinois’s offensive inefficiency. The Fighting Illini, who finish their season at 28-9, could not overcome a poor shooting night and a stark disparity in ball security, committing eight turnovers to Connecticut’s four. Connecticut… Read more...