Alex Karaban stats today: How veteran forward led UConn to Sweet 16 with career-high performance vs. UCLA
Alex Karaban Stats Today: How the veteran forward led UConn to the Sweet 16 with career-high performance against UCLA originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as your preferred source by clicking here.
Under Dan Hurley, all the UConn Huskies did was win. In 2026, it once again looks like they will be in the mix for a deep NCAA Tournament run.
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UConn beat UCLA in the second round of March Madness on Sunday, earning an 82-71 victory to advance to the Sweet 16. Hurley still has a few players on his team who were there for the team’s title run in 2024 — including veteran Alex Karaban, who contributed significantly to the Huskies’ two recent championship runs.
On Sunday, Karaban was at the center of all of UConn’s success against UCLA. He posted a new career high in scoring, leading the Huskies to a double-digit victory.
Here’s a look at Karaban’s big game in the second round of the NCAA tournament and what you need to know about his potential future in the NBA.
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Alex Karaban’s stats today
During the season, Karaban averaged 12.9 points per game – on a UConn team that still has plenty of depth, he was the Huskies’ second-leading scorer. But on Sunday, Karaban was the go-to offensive hub for Hurley’s unit.
He scored 27 points, a new career high, including four 3-pointers. Karaban’s 6-foot-8 frame with shooting touch proved too much to handle for a UCLA team that was missing its leading scorer, Tyler Bilodeau.
UConn has now seen two of its key players step up for each of its NCAA Tournament games. In the first round, Tarris Reed Jr. had a historic performance, posting 31 points and 27 rebounds against Furman. In the second round, it was Karaban who had a career night.
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Alex Karaban takes stock against UCLA
Karaban couldn’t help but put the ball in the basket for UConn on Sunday — and UCLA had no answer.
On drives to the rim, he was relentless, including on the offensive glass.
He particularly caught fire in the second half, connecting on 3-pointers several times.
Perhaps his most impressive shot of the evening came near the “March Madness” logo on the field.
At the end of the night, it was a great performance for Karaban and the Huskies, and they will now face Michigan State in the Sweet 16.
Alex Karaban NBA Draft
Karaban, a senior who spent all four of his college seasons at UConn, is expected to be eligible for this year’s NBA draft. He’s not the Huskies’ top prospect for 2026, as guard Braylon Mullins is a potential lottery pick, but Karaban is projected as a potential second-round pick.
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Tankathon has Karaban ranked 44th in its 2026 Big Board draft. He will enter the league as a winning player who did a little bit of everything in the frontcourt for the Huskies, capable of knocking down threes, moving the ball and scoring when needed.
Karaban appears to have a future as a strong player in the NBA, despite little shot creation or athleticism. But he will be a high-level prospect who has a proven track record as a contributor to UConn’s elite teams.
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