Dan Hurley knew it all along.

To get back to the Final Four for the third time in four years, Connecticut basketball would need Tarris Reed Jr. to dominate at center, a vital position that helped secure the Huskies' back-to-back titles just two years ago.

"Tarris is the difference between us getting to the Final Four," Hurley said in early March after the Huskies’ Big East tournament quarterfinal win over Xavier.

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That wasn't the first — likely not the last — time Hurley made that statement this season. But it's a shot that keeps cashing in wins for the Huskies, as Reed has come out and put together a historic run through the Men's NCAA Tournament to get the Big East powerhouse to Indianapolis for Saturday's Final Four matchup vs. No. 3 Illinois.

It wasn't a matter of if Reed can get on a run as he has. It was a matter of just when.

The "when" picked up in the final weeks of the regular season, when he put up three straight double-doubles against St. John's, Seton Hall and Marquette. But it was a loss to Marquette on the final day of the regular season, which knocked UConn out of contention for a 1-seed, that flipped the switch for Reed.

"(It was like) one of the things, like, 'OK, we're at the end of the season. I've been playing OK, but there's still another level I could get to,'" Reed told USA TODAY Sports in Indianapolis on Friday during a breakout session. 

TARRIS REED DROPS THE HAMMER 🔨 pic.twitter.com/PfNKE1lTtK

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 28, 2026

Sure enough, that's exactly what Reed has done this postseason by muscling his way into the paint and being a stalwart presence around the rim for rebounds. He can even knock down a 3-pointer when needed.

Reed terrorized Furman's defense in the first round with his 6-11, 265-pound frame for 35 minutes when he finished with 31 points and 27 rebounds. No player had reached the 30-plus points and 25-plus rebounds mark in an NCAA tournament game since Houston's Elvin Hayes nearly 60 years ago. 

He did it again in the Elite Eight when he fueled UConn's historic comeback against Duke by taking over on the court, which featured possible No. 1 overall draft pick Cameron Boozer, in the second half. He scored 14 of his 26 points in the second half to go along with seven rebounds, three assists, two blocks and two steals in the final 20 minutes.

Tarris Reed tonight vs. Furman:

31 PTS
27 REB
12-15 FG

A HISTORIC night for the @UConnMBB big man 💪 #MarchMadnesspic.twitter.com/Ue6PnpIN0P

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 21, 2026

Reed was named Most Outstanding Player of the East Region after becoming the first player in the history of the NCAA Tournament to average at least 20 points, 13 rebounds and three assists in a four-game regional. 

"He's that bear inside that any great team needs," NBC Sports' John Fanta told USA TODAY Sports back in February.

Reed's showing in the past month has also been a culmination of a season-wide observation of the Huskies big man, who started just one game last season: He is flat out more comfortable and confident in Hurley's system this year than he was last year when he transferred from Michigan. 

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"There were days where I felt like I had a great game, and I'm getting cursed out and ripped out in film. It's always the standard," Reed told USA TODAY Sports last month. "Coach Hurley sets that standard, and he raises it every week, every level, every game.

"The biggest thing is just always being a level up and always wanting to achieve more."

Reed's emergence this season has also helped bring the Huskies' defense back to being a top-10 unit in adjusted defensive efficiency on KenPom. It has also helped open up their offense.

Third 20-point game of March Madness for the Big 🐻 … 👀 pic.twitter.com/jZQ6bHmDrw

— UConn Men's Basketball (@UConnMBB) March 29, 2026

"He's grown a lot, just as a leader, as a person, (and) understanding what he is to the team. There were times in the regular season we were just on him every day about how important he is," UConn guard Silas Demary Jr. told USA TODAY Sports on Friday. 

"Now he can dominate and really understand how good of a player he is, and just to see his leadership grow, it's just a testament to his hard work and him believing in himself. 

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UConn will need Reed to be an X-factor once again on Saturday against an Illinois team that ranks No. 1 in KenPom’s adjusted offensive efficiency metric and has carried them to the Final Four. 

“When he plays at the level that he’s capable of playing at, we can beat any team in the country, and he’s as good as any center in the country,” Hurley said of Reed last weekend. 

If he can do that, the Huskies will be playing in Monday’s national championship game and going for a program's seventh title. 

"It's my senior year. This is it for me. So I'm trying to go out there, swing for the fences every play, every possession," Reed said Friday. "My days are numbered, maximum two games."