UConn Huskies guard Solo Ball (1) dribbles the ball during a practice session ahead of the Final Four of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect After a miraculous comeback win over Duke, UConn will try to keep its NCAA Tournament run alive and punch a ticket to the national championship game when it faces Illinois in Saturday’s Final Four.
If they want to pull it off, the Huskies would be helped by better shooting from Solo Ball.
Ball, who was one of the best shooters in the country last season, averaging 41.4 percent from three on 6.8 attempts per game, has been atrocious from behind the line this season.
And it’s not getting any better of late.
After shooting just 30.8 percent from three heading into the Big East Tournament, Ball has somehow gotten even worse from beyond the arc since then, shooting 21.1 percent (8-for-38) in UConn’s three conference tournament games and four NCAA Tournament games.
Against the Blue Devils, Ball went 0-for-5 from deep and just 3-for-11 overall.
Ball may still be dealing with the effects of his wrist injury, which he suffered in December, which could be impacting his jumper, but there isn’t much time for the Huskies to wait.
Solo Ball #1 of the UConn Huskies celebrates a three-point basket against the Michigan State Spartans during the first half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Capital One Arena on March 27, 2026 in Washington, DC. Getty Images The 6-foot-4 junior has made multiple threes just once in his last six contests.
Illinois’ length on the perimeter should only make life tougher, and if Ball isn’t finding a rhythm early, UConn figures to lean more heavily on its frontcourt and half-court defense – and perhaps even sit Ball down a bit more than usual.
Expect this troubling trend to continue against a tough Illinois defense that has allowed fewer than 60 points in each of its last three tournament matchups.
The play: Solo Ball Under two 3-pointers (+120, bet365 Sportsbook)
Dylan Svoboda is a versatile writer and analyst across many sports. He’s particularly knowledgeable about the big three — MLB, the NFL and the NBA.
