Bill Murray supports son Luke at NCAA UConn vs. Florida basketball game

Bill Murray seems to have a solid connection with basketball.

The actor was back in the March Madness spotlight over the weekend, but not for his usual comedic antics—this time, he was there as a proud dad.

The Ghostbusters star was spotted courtside on Sunday, March 23, at the NCAA men’s basketball game between the University of Connecticut and top-seeded Florida. 

And while fans might have wondered what brought the Hollywood icon to the big tournament, the reason is simple, his son, Luke Murray, is an assistant coach for UConn’s men’s basketball team.

Bill has been a familiar face at UConn games since Luke joined the coaching staff, but this high-stakes March Madness appearance certainly turned heads. Unfortunately, despite the legendary actor’s presence, UConn fell to Florida, knocking them out of the NCAA tournament while Florida advanced to the Sweet 16.

This isn’t Bill’s first time showing up to support his son during the tournament. 

Back in 2017, he was seen enthusiastically rooting for Xavier University when they pulled off an upset against the University of Arizona. At the time, Luke was an assistant coach for Xavier, and Bill couldn’t hide his excitement after the game.

“Oh, it was great. It was really like a great platoon movie, you know like The Dirty Dozen or something where a different guy comes in and saves everybody’s bacon. One after another, they all took turns. And gosh it was fun to see a win,” Bill shared in an interview with Xavier Gameday.

Unlike his dad, who’s built a career on comedy, Luke Murray is all business when it comes to basketball. 

In an April 2024 interview with CT Insider, he kept his focus strictly on the game, showing the disciplined approach that has made him a respected figure in college basketball coaching.

Luke has been with UConn for four seasons after previously coaching at Louisville. Head coach Dan Hurley has praised his contributions to the team, highlighting his expertise and commitment to the program’s success.

While this year’s March Madness run may be over for UConn, one thing is certain: Bill Murray will always be there to support his son—whether it’s on the sidelines or cracking jokes after the game.