When Alex Karaban decided to return to UConn for another season, his fifth with the program, the clear and obvious goal was to win another national championship. Now a redshirt senior, Karaban entered the 2025-26 campaign having already won two titles with the Huskies. And after the chance for a three-peat fell short last spring, the star forward bypassed the chance to turn pro for one more run alongside head coach Dan Hurley.
There were three championships to chase for a team that entered the year with sky-high expectations: a Big East regular season title, a Big East Tournament title and the school’s third national championship in four years. The first two opportunities came and went. UConn stumbled in its final regular season game against Marquette, which handed St. John’s the outright title, and then got walloped by the Red Storm in the Big East title game last weekend.
Now, the only championship remaining for Karaban to chase is the sport’s ultimate prize. The Huskies earned a No. 2 seed in the East Region and will begin their pursuit on Friday night against No. 15 seed Furman in Philadelphia. It’s officially Karaban’s last dance.
“I feel no pressure whatsoever,” Karaban told me this week during an interview that also promoted his brand partnership with Great Clips. “Yes, we didn’t accomplish the goals that we wanted, but that only means that people don’t believe in us. People [picked] us to win the Massive East, individuals noticed all these accomplishments for us, and we didn’t do it. We didn’t do it. It was our fault. It’s clearly a disappointing feeling that now we have. However on the finish of the day, I believe that simply made individuals not imagine in us. So if individuals don’t wish to imagine in us, that’s their alternative.”
This is our dialog, which has been condensed and edited for readability.
(Photograph by Sarah Stier/Getty Photos)
You’ve gone by way of a couple of Choice Sundays by now. What was the emotion for you understanding that this was your final one?
Karaban: It was cool going by way of Choice Sunday. I believe the nerves by no means actually change. You at all times get excited simply understanding who you’re going to play and the place you’re going to go. March Insanity, it’s nearly like a brand new season in a method, and it’s an thrilling feeling. It’s thrilling to see your teammates that haven’t been part of March Insanity type of really feel these feelings as effectively. You’re employed so onerous the complete yr for March Insanity, so it’s thrilling. And now it’s actually time to lock in a single recreation at a time.
What’s the temper of the group after the Massive East title recreation didn’t go your method? You’re nonetheless 29-5. How are you feeling about the place the group is mentally proper now?
Karaban: We’re in a great place. Clearly, Saturday didn’t go the way in which that we wished to, and numerous disappointment and actually making an attempt to nonetheless flush that recreation out of our system. However on the finish of the day, we’ve gotta transfer on, understanding the chance that now we have forward of us and the way thrilling March Insanity is for everyone. I used to be a part of a group the place we didn’t win the Massive East Event, and we had been in a position to flip that to successful a nationwide championship [in 2022-23]. We are able to’t let what occurred on Saturday outline how our season goes, and we’ve actually simply bought to proceed to maneuver ahead and study from it — but additionally make it possible for doesn’t occur once more.
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Each championship groups throughout your time at UConn had been very dominant within the NCAA Event. What had been a number of the keys to discovering that degree of consistency to win six straight video games?
Karaban: We by no means seemed forward within the bracket. We began one recreation at a time. For us, it is going to be Furman to start out [this run]. Simply locking in and actually blocking out all the surface noise. We didn’t wish to hear something from different individuals in addition to the individuals in our circle. These had been the one voices that mattered. We stayed with it, we had a constructive angle each single day, and actually simply trusted each other, trusted the coaches and leaned on one another as teammates to finally get what we wished.
There are numerous instances all year long when Coach Hurley talks about how a lot credit score he offers to the teaching workers for drawing up recreation plans and scouting. Is that facet of the sport amplified throughout these fast turnarounds within the NCAA Event?
Karaban: I at all times trust within the teaching workers. Each single recreation this yr, I felt greater than ready, and I felt prepared for each single recreation. It’s simply on us as gamers to go on the market and execute what they need us to do. No matter assistant [coach] has the scout at all times does an amazing job, and all through my expertise in March Insanity, they’ve been making ready nonstop for any opponent. So I really feel greater than prepared. I do know we’ve bought the very best coaches, and Coach Hurley additionally chimes in, too, for the scouts on each single recreation and makes positive that we’re locked in for it. It’s at all times a collective effort from the coaches, they usually’re the very best. They’re really the very best coaches.
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The non-conference schedule that you just performed early within the yr included quite a few groups that are actually seeded fairly excessive within the NCAA Event. How effectively do you assume that ready you for a number of the groups you’ll see now that aren’t essentially from the Massive East?
Karaban: Oh, that ready us rather a lot. All the faculties that we performed — Arizona, Kansas, BYU — simply all these elite, non-conference opponents that we performed, one, it offers us confidence in how good of a group we’re. But in addition, [it showed us] what it’s prefer to play towards the very best. We felt like we had the very best non-conference [schedule] to organize us for moments like March Insanity. We’ll be prepared. We’re going to organize. We’re actually going to have our sights locked in on Furman and transfer ahead. I’m excited. I believe there’s only a complete perception system going by way of our program, understanding what we did within the non-conference may actually translate to March.
Within the moments this season when UConn has performed its greatest basketball, what clicks for this specific group?
Karaban: I believe we had been on the market simply actually leaning on one another. We had been on the market giving one another confidence. We had been on the market having enjoyable. And we had been actually enjoying like we simply let free on the market. Actually simply enjoying as if there was no fear on this planet. You noticed the enjoyment that we had, you noticed the thrill. However actually, I believe it began on the defensive finish, too. We had been actually purchased in defensively. We had been caring for the basketball and simply performed off each other. I believe that’s one thing we’ve bought to do in March and actually simply take pleasure in the whole lot that we’re a part of.
(Photograph by Patrick McDermott/Getty Photos)
Why do you assume the fashion of UConn’s offense, which incorporates so many actions and actions, is so tough for groups to defend within the NCAA Event?
Karaban: I believe it begins with we’re undoubtedly the group that makes use of probably the most off-ball motion and all these sophisticated actions. There’s not likely different groups in different conferences that do as a lot off-ball [movement] as we do. I believe that may throw groups for a loop understanding that almost all [of the time] they’re simply guarding ball screens or simply guarding a single pin down, when now we have so many actions with so many counter-punches to a sure motion, too. I believe that’s extraordinarily tough. After which additionally, if we’re in a position to win on Friday, you get a one-day prep as effectively for us. And I believe having such a brief prep for us can actually be a bonus for us with groups not in a position to see us the complete yr.
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Whenever you get an opportunity to speak to a few of your teammates who haven’t performed within the NCAA Event but, whether or not these are freshmen or a number of the transfers, what do you inform them in regards to the seriousness it takes — but additionally what it’s prefer to benefit from the expertise?
Karaban: There’s clearly a degree of seriousness that it is advisable have. Each group that makes March Insanity is nice. I imply, they’re all in it for a motive. So that you’ve bought to have a degree of seriousness and supreme respect for anybody you’re going to play towards. However you’ve bought to have enjoyable with it, too. You’ve dreamed of enjoying in March Insanity. All of us dreamed of enjoying school basketball, and all of us watched March Insanity rising up. So to be part of it’s at all times particular, it’s at all times a blessing, and you’ll’t take it without any consideration.
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