Alex Karaban Stats Tonight: How did UConn star fare vs Colorado (Nov 26)

Junior forward Alex Karaban had his first single-digit scoring performance of the season as No. 2 UConn fell 73-72 to Colorado on Tuesday night at Lahaina Civic Center.

Heading into the game, UConn boasted four players averaging at least 12.8 points per game, with Karaban leading the way at 16.8 points per game. However, the Huskies’ depth wasn’t enough to overcome the Buffaloes. Karaban, who had been a key scorer in previous games, managed just six points on 1-for-8 shooting, along with five rebounds and a block in 28 minutes. Foul trouble plagued him early, as he picked up two fouls with 11:40 remaining in the first half and spent much of the half on the bench.

The game started with a fast pace, and Karaban contributed early, hitting a three-pointer to give UConn an 11-7 lead at the 16:21 mark. He later added two free throws after drawing a foul from Bangot Dak but was sidelined shortly after due to foul issues.

Coach Dan Hurley addressed the impact of foul trouble in his postgame remarks:

“We could not afford for Hassan (Diarra) and Alex (Karaban) to be in foul trouble in the first half. They put us in a very compromised position by sitting that whole first half.”

Karaban is now averaging 15.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.7 assists on 51.9% shooting for the season. The 4-2 Huskies will face Dayton on Thursday morning, with the matchup set to air on ESPN2.

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Huskies show signs of struggle

The No. 2 team in the nation is officially in trouble after dropping two games in two days by a combined three points to unranked opponents at the Maui Invitational. Coming into the tournament, UConn boasted a stellar 47-3 record in its last 50 games. Now, the team faces the possibility of falling out of the rankings entirely.

While some fans have raised concerns about officiating in Maui, the overarching issue is that the Huskies simply haven’t performed well.

One glaring problem has been UConn’s tendency to foul three-point shooters, a habit they must eliminate to contend as a top-tier team this season. Despite holding a 40-32 halftime lead and extending it to nine points early in the second half, UConn allowed Colorado to erase the deficit. Liam McNeeley led the Huskies with 20 points in the loss.

In the game’s final moments, head coach Dan Hurley called a timeout to set up UConn’s final possession. However, Colorado’s defense forced the Huskies into a tough, contested shot. Hassan Diarra missed a three-pointer just before the buzzer, sealing the loss for UConn.

This marks the first time the Huskies have dropped back-to-back games since consecutive losses to St. John’s and Seton Hall on Janu 15 and 18, 2023.