Final Four set
The 2026 NCAA Men's Final Four is set with Arizona, Illinois, Michigan, and UConn advancing to the Indianapolis semifinals—Arizona and Michigan are co-favorites in early odds and preview pieces. The matchups are being discussed as tightly contested, with analysts split on which teams will advance to the title game. (ncaa.com) (espn.com)
Semifinal pairings are UConn vs. Illinois and Michigan vs. Arizona in Indianapolis, with the men’s Final Four scheduled for Saturday, April 4 and the national championship on Monday, April 6 at Lucas Oil Stadium. (ncaa.com/news/basketball-men/article/2026-03-29/2026-march-madness-mens-ncaa-tournament-schedule-dates) Game times for the semifinal doubleheader at Lucas Oil Stadium are listed as Game 1 at 6:00 p.m. ET and Game 2 at 8:30 p.m. ET, with official ticket and hospitality packages available through the Final Four Indianapolis site. (lucasoilstadium.com/event/2026-ncaa-mens-final-four/) Arizona reached Indianapolis with a 79-64 Elite Eight win over Purdue, rallying from a halftime deficit to clinch the program’s first Final Four appearance since 2001. (espn.com/mens-college-basketball/game/_/gameId/401856575/purdue-arizona) Michigan overwhelmed Tennessee 95-62 in the Midwest Regional final behind a 21-0 surge and a 27-point game from Yaxel Lendeborg, earning the Wolverines their first Final Four trip since 2018 under coach Dusty May. (espn.com/mens-college-basketball/game?gameId=401856576) UConn’s trip to the semifinals ended with Braylon Mullins’ 35-foot buzzer‑beater with 0.4 seconds remaining to beat Duke 73-72, completing a 19-point comeback and marking the Huskies’ third Final Four in four seasons. (espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=401856577) Illinois closed its run with a 71-59 South Regional final win over Iowa as freshman Keaton Wagler scored 25 points, sending the Illini to the program’s first national semifinal since 2005. (nbcnews.com/sports/college-basketball/illinois-defeats-iowa-71-59-head-first-final-four-2005-rcna265647)
