The Two Players Who Will Decide UConn Men's March Madness Tournament Run

If the UConn Huskies want to go far in the NCAA Tournament, these two players will have to do more and step up their game.

Feb 28, 2026; Storrs, Connecticut, USA; UConn Huskies forward Alex Karaban (11) reacts after a play against the Seton Hall Pirates in the second half at Harry A. Gampel Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images | David Butler II-Imagn Images

Dan Hurley and his UConn Huskies are recently coming off of a Big East Title Game loss to the St. Johns Red Storm where they looked lifeless at the beginning and had to battle back. But the Huskies' comeback came up short and they only got back within four before the Red Storm pulled away.

And the two players that the Huskies really needed to step up and do something in the Big East Title Game, did not do much of anything and were major contributors to the loss. Alex Karaban and Solo Ball are veterans on this UConn team and both players really struggled against the Red Storm.

Mar 14, 2026; New York, NY, USA; Connecticut Huskies guard Solo Ball (1) reacts during the first half of the men's Big East Conference Tournament Championship against the St. John's Red Storm at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Karaban shot 3-8 from the field with 7 points and 1-5 from three-point land and Ball shot 1-7 from the field with 3 points and 0-4 from three-point land. Hurley really relies on these guys to help his team win and they did the opposite of that in their most recent game.

But if UConn wants to advance far in March Madness and play like Hurley knows his team can, these two are really going to have to figure it out. Karaban and Ball know the levels they are capable of playing at, but they have not done that as of lately.

The Huskies are going to need them to do their thing and shoot well from the start of the first round against the Furman Paladins. Furman is a team that Hurley's squad cannot take lightly, so Ball and Karaban better be ready to help, as Tarris Reed Jr. and Braylon Mullins cannot do it all.

Ball and Karaban are more than capable of shooting well and helping the Huskies win

Ball and Karaban have been with Hurley and the Huskies for quite a while now and they both know what kind of play they are capable of. They both know what it takes to win a championship and now is the time.

Karaban is already a two-time National Champion and Ball has one National Title to his name. So both players, as veterans on the team, are held to a high standard.

Hurley relies on both players a lot in games as both are starters, but both have been shooting cold from the field in recent games. And now that they are in the March Madness Tournament, they need to fix that.

And with Hurley at the helm, he is going to make sure to get the best out of both of his veterans as their first-round matchup approaches. Karaban is about to move on to the NBA, and him getting one more National Title would be music to Hurley's ears.

Don't forget to bookmark UConn Huskies on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, recruiting coverage and more!