Reed, Karaban Present Unique Challenge for UCLA's Frontcourt

If UCLA wants to upset No. 2 seed UConn, it must be up for the challenge against the Huskies' big men.

Mar 20, 2026; Philadelphia, PA, USA;UCF Knights center John Bol (7) grabs a rebound againist UCLA Bruins center Xavier Booker (1) in the first half during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images | Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

The East Region of the NCAA Tournament features many talented frontcourts that make up a big chunk of their teams' production. UCLA passed its first test against such teams by beating UCF on Friday, although a couple of the Knights' forwards drove much of their scoring.

Now, the Bruins face a bigger challenge against UConn's experienced group, which features a couple of the best bigs in the country who have excelled in college basketball for multiple seasons.

𝐔𝐏 𝐍𝐄𝐗𝐓 …

The No. 7-seed Bruins (24-11) will take on No. 2-seed UConn (30-5) on Sunday evening in Philadelphia.

📍: Xfinity Mobile Arena
⏰: 5:45 p.m. PT / 8:45 p.m. ET
📺: TNT#GoBruins 🏀 pic.twitter.com/gK13Dg9WnU

— UCLA Men’s Basketball (@UCLAMBB) March 21, 2026

UConn's Challenging Frontcourt

The two main threats in the UConn frontcourt are senior center Tarris Reed and senior forward Alex Karaban. Both have been stellar for the Huskies this season, ranking among the team's top three scorers and doing so in very different ways.

Reed is more of a bruising and physical presence inside at 6-foot-11, 245 lbs. He's UConn's leading scorer with 14.3 points per game, making well over 60% of his shot attempts over the last two years with the Huskies after transferring from Michigan. He's also rebounding at a career-best rate this season and has become a defensive stalwart with two blocks and around one steal per game.

Mar 20, 2026; Philadelphia, PA, USA; UConn Huskies forward Tarris Reed Jr. (5) drives the ball down the court against Furman Paladins forward Charles Johnston (1) in the first half during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

"I got a chance to play against him my freshman year," UCLA center Xavier Booker recalled as he spoke with the media on Saturday. "I thought he's always been a very talented big. He can score down in the post. He's huge down there. It's definitely going to be a challenge for sure, but it's going to take a team effort. We've just got to ultimately all rebound together, play strong together, and communicate -- just do what it takes to win."

Booker and Michigan State played against Reed and Michigan twice that season, getting the best of the Wolverines by a wide margin each time. As a freshman, Booker wasn't the primary defender on Reed for those matchups, but the Spartans held him at bay in the first meeting, which may help Booker as he tries to repeat his first-round performance.

Mar 20, 2026; Philadelphia, PA, USA; UCLA Bruins center Xavier Booker (1) dunks the ball against the UCF Knights in the second half during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

If Tyler Bilodeau is unable to play again, he'll draw a second straight start and be a vital component of shutting down the Huskies' attack. But his biggest challenge will be handling Reed's physicality on the other end.

The most challenging matchup for the UCLA defense might be Karaban. Like Reed, he's tall and skilled. Unlike Reed, he's more of an outside threat that can stretch the defense, shooting almost 38% from beyond the arc for his career. Plus, he's already won two national titles.

Mar 20, 2026; Philadelphia, PA, USA; UConn Huskies forward Alex Karaban (11) makes a pass against the Furman Paladins in the second half during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images | Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

Karaban Brings Experience

His scoring is down slightly overall this season, but Karaban is still UConn's third-leading scorer with 12.9 points per game, and his unique skill set provides a challenge for which UCLA may not have a great answer, especially when factoring in the contributions of UConn's guards and the toll they will take on the UCLA backcourt throughout the game.

Size-wise, Eric Dailey Jr. (6-foot-8) and Brandon Williams (6-foot-7) match up best as they both have forward size but guard capabilities. Dailey Jr. is one of the Bruins who has stepped up on that end of the court during this late-season run, but this will be his biggest challenge in a while.

Mar 20, 2026; Philadelphia, PA, USA; UCF Knights guard Themus Fulks (1) dribbles the ball against UCLA Bruins forward Eric Dailey Jr. (3) in the second half during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images | Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

Add in the overall NCAA Tournament experience of UConn's duo, and UCLA has its hands full against a team capable of making a Final Four run. That hasn't mattered to the Bruins lately, but this time, they'll be sent packing if they don't rise to the occasion.