yahoo - 4/4/2026 9:47:34 PM - GMT (+2 )
Bill Murray is going to be present for the Final Four in the 2026 Men's NCAA Tournament on Saturday, April 4.
College basketball fans won't be too shocked by this development, as the actor and comedian has long attended Connecticut men's basketball games. That's because he's the father of Luke Murray, an assistant coach for UConn and future head coach of Boston College.
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However, Bill Murray also grew up a fan of Illinois men's basketball — the team UConn happens to play in the Final Four for a chance to compete in the March Madness national championship game.
So, who is the "Saturday Night Live," "Caddyshack," and "Groundhog Day" actor rooting for between UConn and Illinois?
Here's what Bill Murray said ahead of the Final Four meeting between Huskies and Fighting Illini:
Bill Murray grew up in Evanston, Illinois, and is a known longtime Chicago Cubs fan. And, despite attending Regis University in Denver, a private Jesuit school, he still grew up a fan of the Fighting Illini.
He has also been seen supporting Illinois basketball in the past, as evidenced by a 2005 photo of when Illinois last played in the Final Four:
The Tribune went back into the archives to find some photos of Murray at the 2005 Final Four. And look who’s next to him, over his right shoulder, when he was 17 and being heavily recruited by the Illini: pic.twitter.com/RdTOocvUXZ
— Andrew Carter (@_andrewcarter) April 4, 2026
That said, Bill Murray will be rooting for the Huskies for at least one more game.
“Go Huskies!” Murray wrote in a text message to a Chicago Tribune reporter earlier this week.
His son, Luke Murray, 41, is in his fifth season as an assistant coach to Dan Hurley. He has won two national championships in the role. However, last month, he was hired as the new head coach for Boston College.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Is Bill Murray a UConn or Illinois fan? What to know ahead of Final Four
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