The UConn men’s team is the overwhelming favorite to win the Final Four this weekend, but they faced a setback when their scheduled charter plane to Phoenix experienced mechanical issues, resulting in a six-hour travel delay. Initially set to depart Storrs, Connecticut at 6 p.m. ET, they ended up leaving at midnight. Despite the delay, UConn athletic director Dave Benedict hinted at the possibility of leaving some members of the travel party behind to avoid refueling stops on a smaller replacement plane.
The Huskies will have a chance to rest before their first game at the Final Four as they are not scheduled to play until Saturday. Meanwhile, the UConn women’s team is also in the Final Four and will hopefully have a smoother travel experience. They advanced to the Final Four with a dominant victory over Illinois in the Elite Eight and will face Alabama in their first test at 8:49 p.m. ET on Saturday.
The other three teams that made it to the Final Four – Alabama, Purdue, and NC State – were already in Phoenix when UConn was supposed to depart. Alabama and Purdue arrived on Tuesday, while NC State got there on Wednesday afternoon. While these teams are not scheduled to play until Saturday, there are practice and appearance schedules that they must adhere to as part of the build-up to the event.
The NCAA issued a statement expressing disappointment with the situation caused by UConn’s travel delay and worked on alternative travel options for the team
