How UConn's Karaban Presents Matchup Quandary for MSU

This is the biggest unknown of Michigan State's game plan for Friday night.

The third-seeded Spartans are preparing to face 2-seed UConn in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. Several different members of the Huskies present unique challenges, but one big unknown is who will end up guarding Alex Karaban.

What Makes Karaban Unique

Mar 22, 2026; Philadelphia, PA, USA; UConn Huskies forward Alex Karaban (11) reacts in the second half during a second round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Xfinity Mobile Arena. | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Karaban is a fifth-year senior for Connecticut who has started for four seasons and has helped deliver two National Championships. He can score at multiple levels, averaging 13.3 points per game this season with 5.2 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and a 39.4% mark from behind the arc.

Carson Cooper said Monday that he moves like Steph Curry a bit out there, often running around screens on the perimeter when he's away from the ball, looking to get that open look. What is interesting about that is Karaban is 6-foot-8 and is technically supposed to be a power forward.

"He's just running around, non-stop movement," Cooper said Monday about Karaban. "He's shooting threes, he's getting to the basket. He's driving the ball. There's no way to relax. You can't take a play off."

"Even if the ball's on the wing and you're in the opposite corner, you can't relax like you can maybe with some other teams or something like that, because he's getting the ball back. He's gonna move, he's gonna cut, here's gonna get a screen here, there. Your antenna's gotta be up the whole game."

Michigan State center Carson Cooper (15) makes a jump shot against Louisville guard J'vonne Hadley (1) and forward Sananda Fru (13) during the second half of NCAA Tournament Second Round at KeyBank Center in Buffalo on Saturday, March 21, 2026. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

It's going to take some lineup shuffling for MSU to perhaps match Karaban's athleticism. Jaxon Kohler normally plays the four for the Spartans, and while Kohler contributes in many different ways for Michigan State, he's not a guy Tom Izzo wants to see chasing a shooter around on defense.

What MSU Might Do

Michigan State's Tom Izzo walks in with his staff against Louisville in the second round of the NCAA Tournament at the KeyBank Center on Saturday, March 21, 2026. | Starr Portice, Michigan State Spartans on SI

I wouldn't be surprised if you see some smaller lineups from Michigan State in this one. Izzo likes having Kohler and Cooper on the court at the same time, but Karaban is a good enough player to perhaps spur an adjustment.

One option could be having Coen Carr guard him a bit. Carr is athletic enough to keep up with anybody, and he also has the height. You could relatively easily have Carr play power forward, Kohler/Cooper at the five, and then fill the other spots with players like Trey Fort, Kur Teng, and Jordan Scott.

Michigan State's Coen Carr defends against Louisville during the second round of the NCAA Tournament at the KeyBank Center on Saturday, March 21, 2026. | Starr Portice, Michigan State Spartans on SI

Cam Ward coming off the bench a lot would also be a pretty natural choice, since he is also relatively athletic for a big man. Seeing Scott guard him wouldn't stun me, either. Scott is a two-guard, but he also stands at 6-foot-8 and is already used to getting tougher defensive assignments.

None of those ideas is necessarily ideal to me, but that's also why UConn is a 2-seed. Nothing about the Huskies is truly ideal to deal with. It could be one of these things, or a mix of all of them. We'll see on Friday night.

Michigan State's Jordan Scott watches a free throw go up during a Big Ten Tournament quarterfinal against UCLA at the United Center on Friday, March 13, 2026. | Starr Portice, Michigan State Spartans on SI