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03/22 23:42 CDT Karaban scores 27 points and sends UConn back to the Sweet 16
with 73-57 win over UCLA
Karaban scores 27 points and sends UConn back to the Sweet 16 with 73-57 win
over UCLA
By DAN GELSTON
AP Sports Writer
PHILADELPHIA (AP) --- An outlier in the modern college basketball game, Alex
Karaban flirted with the idea of leaving UConn for the NBA each of the last two
seasons.
Yet the pull of chasing history --- of trying to join the rarified air of
three-time national champions --- always brought Karaban back for another run
with the Huskies.
"I ultimately came back here to win," Karaban said. "Every time I've had a
decision to come back, I came back just wanting to win and help this team out,
but also just enjoying every second I have in a UConn jersey."
He's not ready to say goodbye to UConn just yet.
Karaban scored a career-high 27 points and had Bill Murray and the rest of the
UConn crowd roaring with each splashed 3-pointer, helping send the
second-seeded Huskies back to the Sweet 16 with a 73-57 win over UCLA in the
NCAA Tournament on Sunday night.
The Huskies (31-5) will play third-seeded Michigan State in the East Region
semifinals on Friday night in Washington.
"When we got out of the first round, we become very dangerous because when
Huskies get out of the first round, you start believing that a run is coming,"
coach Dan Hurley said.
Hurley, who won consecutive national championships in 2023 and 2024, has the
Huskies back in a familiar spot after they were bounced in the second round a
year ago by eventual national champion Florida.
The Gators are gone already in March Madness. The games will go on for the
Huskies.
Karaban was about a one-man show for UConn in the first half with a pair of 3s
and 11 points and the fourth-year senior remains in the hunt for this third
national championship.
The Bruins (24-12) had no answer for Karaban or how to slow the rest of the
Huskies as they gamely tried to make due in the absence of leading scorer Tyler
Biloudeau. Xavier Booker led the Bruins with 13 points.
"Can't score, can't win," UCLA coach Mick Cronin said.
That's life in the fast-paced, slam-bang, live-on-the-razor's-edge games in the
NCAA Tournament.
Murray --- his son, Luke, is a UConn assistant coach --- got in on the fun
during the Huskies' game-changing 14-0 run and even did the " 6-7 " hand
gesture during a timeout.
Karaban, UConn's career 3-point leader, punctuated the spurt that made it 56-44
with his fourth 3 of the game and the Huskies were never seriously challenged
again.
Karaban is a rarity in college basketball in this name, image, likeness era
that has rewarded players with the freedom of yearly transfers as they chase
greater riches. He's played all four seasons --- and started all but one of his
147 games --- with the Huskies and has now been rewarded with yet another Sweet
16.
"No one's been better in college sports the last four years in terms of being a
winner," Hurley said. "So, thank you, Alex."
UConn's Tarris Reed Jr. would be hard-pressed to duplicate the monster
performance of 31 points and 27 rebounds he had in the opener. He followed with
a more workmanlike double-double of 10 points and 13 rebounds. Braylon Mullins
scored 17 points for UConn.
The Huskies entered March Madness in a bit of a slump by their championship
standard after a loss to St. John's in the Big East Tournament title game made
them 2-2 over their final four games.
UConn got the last laugh in Philadelphia --- well, at least 76ers center Andre
Drummond did when the former Huskies star came over to tease fellow Sixers
center and former UCLA standout Adem Bona in the waning moments.
UCLA plays without Tyler Bilodeau because of a sprained knee Bilodeau seemed on track to play but remained sidelined because of a sprained knee suffered last week against Michigan State in the Big Ten Tournament. He averaged 17.6 points and was an All-Big Ten third-team selection. "It doesn't matter if we didn't have Tyler or not," Booker said. "It's still 5-v-5. We still have guys capable of winning the game."
Mick Cronin gets a T Cronin was whistled for a technical foul when he chirped at an official late in the game. Perhaps his frustration had boiled over after the Bruins failed to get out of the first weekend for the third straight tournament appearance following their 2021 Final Four run. What needs to change for the Bruins? "I would like about five more million," dollars, Cronin cracked.
UConn gets good news, bad news on injury front Jaylin Stewart again sat out with a knee injury that's sidelined him since late February. Silas Demary Jr., a first team All-Big East selection, returned to the lineup and played 22 minutes after he sustained an ankle injury in the Big East Tournament.
Skyy Clark has plenty to chew on after tough loss for UCLA Skyy Clark could not cap his season with a Sweet 16. He only finished with a capped tooth. Clark lost a tooth in UCLA's first-round win against UCF and needed overnight dental surgery for repairs. Just like Steph Curry, Clark chewed on his new mouthpiece throughout the game. One UCLA fan bellowed at Clark, "keep firing, Skyy! Keep firing!" With his back to the stands, Clark nodded at the encouragement -- and kept firing. He buried a 3 for a 42-40 lead --- one of the last bright spots for UCLA --- and finished with 11 points.
Up next The Huskies continue their quest for their third national championship under Hurley. ___ AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness
UCLA plays without Tyler Bilodeau because of a sprained knee Bilodeau seemed on track to play but remained sidelined because of a sprained knee suffered last week against Michigan State in the Big Ten Tournament. He averaged 17.6 points and was an All-Big Ten third-team selection. "It doesn't matter if we didn't have Tyler or not," Booker said. "It's still 5-v-5. We still have guys capable of winning the game."
Mick Cronin gets a T Cronin was whistled for a technical foul when he chirped at an official late in the game. Perhaps his frustration had boiled over after the Bruins failed to get out of the first weekend for the third straight tournament appearance following their 2021 Final Four run. What needs to change for the Bruins? "I would like about five more million," dollars, Cronin cracked.
UConn gets good news, bad news on injury front Jaylin Stewart again sat out with a knee injury that's sidelined him since late February. Silas Demary Jr., a first team All-Big East selection, returned to the lineup and played 22 minutes after he sustained an ankle injury in the Big East Tournament.
Skyy Clark has plenty to chew on after tough loss for UCLA Skyy Clark could not cap his season with a Sweet 16. He only finished with a capped tooth. Clark lost a tooth in UCLA's first-round win against UCF and needed overnight dental surgery for repairs. Just like Steph Curry, Clark chewed on his new mouthpiece throughout the game. One UCLA fan bellowed at Clark, "keep firing, Skyy! Keep firing!" With his back to the stands, Clark nodded at the encouragement -- and kept firing. He buried a 3 for a 42-40 lead --- one of the last bright spots for UCLA --- and finished with 11 points.
Up next The Huskies continue their quest for their third national championship under Hurley. ___ AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness
