ARIZONA, ILLINOIS, MICHIGAN, AND UCONN ARE IN THE FINAL FOUR

Everyone knows that the Big Ten has a compelling argument for being the top football conference in the country. Michigan captured the national title in 2023, followed by Ohio State with a championship in 2024, and Indiana most recently claimed the crown in 2025.

And now the Big Ten is on the cusp of establishing itself as the premier conference in basketball, too. The Big Ten placed four teams in the Elite Eight, and two of those squads made it to the Final Four.

Here’s how the Final Four teams got there this year.

This past Saturday, March 28, Illinois defeated Iowa, 71-59. In the other game that day, Arizona defeated Purdue 79-64, thanks to a strong defensive effort. Also, Koa Peat led the victorious Wildcats with 20 points. In the first of the Sunday games, Michigan thumped Tennessee 95-62, with Yaxel Lendeborg leading the way by posting 27 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 blocks.

The later game this past Sunday was the shocker. Duke was initially dominating UConn, leading by 19 at halftime. But the Huskies clawed their way back in the second half, finding themselves down by just 2 with 10 seconds left as the Blue Devils were taking out the ball. UConn pressed and deflected a pass attempt by Duke’s Cayden Boozer at the center line, and the Huskies’ Braylon Mullins drilled a three-pointer from just inside the half-court logo with 0.3 seconds on the clock. Duke couldn’t even get off a last-second shot attempt after that, and their year ended.

After the collapse, many basketball experts were critical of Duke coach Jon Scheyer, saying he had been outmaneuvered and outstrategized. In his own defense, Coach Scheyer emphasized that his team’s eight turnovers in the second half were pivotal, and that the game’s outcome should never have hinged on a single play.

Excuses aside, when all is said and done, the Final Four teams – Arizona, Illinois, Michigan, and UConn – promise to make this coming NCAA championship weekend one of the most exciting in history.

In the first semi-final game this coming Saturday, April 4, the Fighting Illini will face the University of Connecticut. Tip-off is set for 4:09 p.m. Central Time. In the second game that day, Arizona will go up against Michigan at 7:49 p.m. Central time.

I predict the Big Ten will show its dominance in these contests, and the title game will be between Illinois and Michigan. And after that, I see the Michigan Wolverines proving that they are the top team in college basketball by winning the NCAA Championship, their first since 1989. On top of that, my crystal ball shows that Yaxel Lendeborg of Michigan will win the 2026 NCAA Men’s Tournament Most Outstanding Player award.