University of Connecticut Athletics
Karaban's Versatility Key To Huskies' Success
1/15/2024 12:27:00 PM | Men's Basketball
By Phil Chardis
Special to uconnhuskies.com
HARTFORD – Now, Alex Karaban is just showing off.
After last season, everyone was well-aware that Karaban was an outstanding shooter, a major three-point threat, and had an impressive on-court basketball IQ as a freshman on the UConn men's basketball national champions.
This season, the redshirt sophomore has taken it up a notch – more scoring, more rebounds, high shooting percentage overall, from three-point range and from the foul line. He has been more of a vocal leader both on the court and in the locker room.
But, since star center Donovan Clingan has been out of the UConn lineup with a foot injury, Karaban has gone to a whole new level. In the Huskies' last four games, all wins, Karaban has averaged 19.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists and shot an amazing .659 overall, and a remarkable .667 from three-point range. That included a career-high tying 26-point, 5-rebound effort in Sunday's 80-67 win over Georgetown.
But the statistics are only part of the Karaban story.
Time and again against Georgetown, Karaban, along with Cam Spencer, hit big shot after big shot to stifle even the semblance of a Georgetown comeback. Throughout the past few games, it's Karaban who also provides perhaps a sharp pass, or a big rebound, or a momentum-changing steal, or numerous other plays that make the difference between a win or a loss.
But timely plays are also only part of the Karaban story.
With Clingan out, the necessity of sometimes playing Karaban at the five spot along with four guards, has given UConn Coach Dan Hurley a whole new alignment to use that has been a nightmare match-up for opposing coaches.
In short, Karaban's enormous versatility has been a backbone of the Huskies' success.
"Yeah, I'm excited to show what I can do," said Karaban, who usually has to be prodded to talk about himself. "A lot didn't come out last year because I didn't show it enough.
"But learning from my mistakes last year has definitely helped me a lot this year, whether it's on the defensive end, rebounding, physically. I'm just trying to do a lot better job than I did last year in the Big East and I think, so far, it's been good."
Good enough to lead the Huskies to a 15-2 record and a 5-1 start in the BIG EAST, UConn's first 5-1 conference start since 2008-09. Good enough to impress opposing coaches like Georgetown's Ed Cooley.
"He's as versatile as a player as there is in the country," Cooley said after Sunday's game. "He can play inside, he can play outside, they can run offense through him. He definitely is somebody who needs to be accounted for. He was great today. He was definitely a first round pick today. Wow."
"Connecticut, to me, is the best team in the country," Cooley added. "They've got a lot of weapons, they have a lot of answers. When they go small with Karaban at the five they're a really, really tough match-up. They can extend the floor, they move the ball, they have a purpose, they have physicality, they have athleticism. They're one of the elite teams in college basketball."
Karaban's own coach knows what he has in the 6-8 forward.
"Alex is one of the best players in the league -- always underappreciated," Coach Hurley said. "Talking about guys in the league having a great year – we've got three, Alex, Cam and Tristen (Spencer). But when you talk about Big East Player of the Year candidates, Alex is right there."       Â
