Connecticut point guard Silas Demary is still dealing with a severe high ankle sprain injury that has plagued him throughout this NCAA tournament.

April 3, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy UConn Athletics)

INDIANAPOLIS — Connecticut starting point guard Silas Demary Jr. isn’t likely to be fully healthy for the national semifinal game against Illinois on Saturday night but does intend to play through his high ankle sprain.

The 6-foot-4, 195-pound guard has been playing through his injury in each of the last three NCAA tournament wins by the Huskies and UConn head coach Dan Hurley said Thursday he expects Demary Jr. “to be about 90 percent” on Saturday night (5:09 p.m. CST, TNT/TBS/truTV) against Illinois (28-8).

“This guy played at probably 65 percent the first weekend versus UCLA," Hurley said. "He probably got to 75 percent in the Sweet 16/Elite Eight game, and I think he's much better this week.”

Demary Jr., who is averaging 10.4 points per game, 5.9 assists per game and 4.5 rebounds per game this season where he was selected as BIG EAST first-team all-conference and all-defensive team pick, acting as the defensive leader of a team that has a Top 10 nationally-recognized defense by KenPom.com.

Back-to-back threes from Silas Demary Jr. with around six minutes remaining helped jumpstart a 19-point comeback against Duke in the regional foul this past Sunday. The shots by Demary Jr. cut its second-half deficit to seven, and a Solo Ball three-point play wrapped around the final media timeout had UConn within a possession for the first time since the opening minutes. Down four inside of the final minute, Alex Karaban hit his first 3-pointer of the night and cut the lead to 70-69. Duke scored on the next trip to go up three before a UConn timeout to draw up a set that led to Demary Jr. drawing contact and getting to the line, where he hit one of two with 10 seconds on the clock. On the ensuing inbound, Demary Jr. forced a steal that ended in the hands of Braylon Mullins with under five seconds to play. Mullins threw ahead to Karaban, who faced a double-team and pitched it back to Mullins. Both feet squarely in line with the ‘March Madness’ halfcourt logo, Mullins stepped up in rhythm and launched the shot that will be replayed for generations, a game-winning 37-foot 3-pointer, to secure the 73-72 victory over Duke.

Hurley confirmed Demary Jr. was still not practicing this week with the Huskies (33-5) and he wearing an ankle brace during UConn’s open locker room media session on Thursday.

In UConn’s 74-61 win over Illinois on Nov. 28, Demary Jr. had nine points, which was his second-lowest output of the season to that point, three assists, three rebounds, three turnovers and three fouls in 20 minutes of play inside Madison Square Garden.

Connecticut is playing in the Final Four for the eighth time in program history, reaching college basketball’s ultimate destination in 1999, 2004, 2009, 2011, 2014, 2023, 2024 and 2026. The Huskies are 12-1 on the Final Four stage, with that .923 winning percentage by far the best in the history of the NCAA tournament.

“If you want to hang a banner, you've got to get your eyes off social media, get your face out of the phone and get locked in on Illinois,” Hurley said Thursday. “Because Illinois is one of the best teams in the country and they're as big a threat to winning this tournament as any of the four teams.”