INDIANAPOLIS – Alex Karaban has not played his best basketball over the last two games.
UConn’s fifth-year forward is the team’s second-leading scorer and rebounder this season. He is third on the team in assists per game and is tied for the team lead in 3-point makes. In UConn’s three NCAA Tournament games leading up to the Elite Eight, Karaban averaged 22 points per game on 54.5 percent shooting from the field and 44 percent shooting from downtown. He was the motor of this Huskies offense.
That has not been the case lately.
Karaban has seen those numbers plummet in the last two NCAA Tournament games. In UConn’s Elite Eight and Final Four matchups against Duke and Illinois, respectively, Karaban shot a combined 3 of 18 from the field and 2 of 13 on 3-point shots. He only scored 14 total points across the two games despite his 36.5 minutes per game.
Yet, without him, UConn may not be playing for a national championship against Michigan on Monday.
Karaban’s impact goes beyond statistics and on-court production. He is an extension of the coaching staff, a representative of the UConn program, a mentor and a shoulder to lean on.
“It’s like hiring a babysitter for your team,” UConn head coach Dan Hurley said. “And he just baby sits your team for four and a half years. He’s been the best babysitter. I guess now we’re paying him in NIL.”
Karaban has seen it all.
After redshirting his freshman year, he has played in 150 games across his four years seeing the floor, starting in 149 and averaging 32.4 minutes per game along the way. UConn has earned 126 wins in Karaban’s time as a player and has made the national title game three times, winning twice with the third to be decided on Monday. His 18-1 record as a player in NCAA Tournament games ties his head coach’s brother, Bobby Hurley, for second-most all-time.
Karaban could have left for the NBA multiple times, but money and fame are not at the top of his priority list. Legacy remains No. 1.
“It's the reason why I came back,” Karaban said. “It's the reason why I've had extremely hard decisions to make throughout my career. I've always wanted to come back to win, to win championships, and to leave a legacy that's unmatched in college basketball.”
If UConn comes away victorious on Monday, Karaban would join an exclusive group. He would be the first-ever non-UCLA player to finish his college career with three NCAA titles.
Playing in the big games year after year is not just about the numbers. It brings familiarity and comfort. It is experience that can be passed on to inexperienced teammates.
That is what makes Karaban so valuable.
“Knowing that he's been through this twice, he’s the guy you look to. You can just tell he’s been through this,” freshman guard Braylon Mullins said. “Having that outlet on the floor, you have Coach Hurley coaching, but he’s that player-leader. You’ve just got to follow what he’s doing. He’s been through it. Just listen to him and he’ll get us to where we need to go.”
“He’s a big confidence booster,” freshman center Eric Reibe said. “Knowing that there’s someone who’s always composed and really, really confident and has faith in all of us. On and off the court he’s always a great example and leader.”
While Dan Hurley may be screaming, cursing and putting pressure on UConn’s young players constantly, Karaban teaches in a different way. He leads by example and serves as a calming presence on the floor. He represents everything the UConn program stands for and urges his younger teammates to do the same.
“It’s just realizing that every time someone steps into this program knowing what they're stepping into and what it means to wear the UConn jersey,” Karaban said.
With 150 games, 19 NCAA Tournament games and two national championships under his belt, Karaban is more than capable of making things run smoothly from within the lineup or locker room when his coaches cannot.
Like a babysitter.
Game 151 will be the final of Karaban’s college career. It is not just a chance to solidify his legacy. It is a chance to build the legacy of his teammates.
“It would mean everything,” Karaban said. “Leaving a legacy like that in college basketball is unheard of. It's a motivating factor to add a national championship to this program for the guys that haven't experienced one, and for my legacy, as well. It would mean everything to me. It would be a blessing.”
Regardless of whether he breaks out of the shooting slump or not, Karaban’s presence will play a major role in UConn’s charge to win its third national championship in four years. Game 151, the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship between UConn and Michigan, will tip off at 8:50 p.m. ET in Indianapolis.
It will be Karaban’s last in the UConn blue and white.
