UConn's Alex Karaban Hits Marquette With Knockout Punch: 'Starting To Heat Up'

Wednesday night at Gampel Pavilion was pure, vintage Karaban

David Butler II-Imagn Images

UConn Huskies junior wing Alex Karaban won’t soon forget what transpired at Gampel Pavilion on Wednesday night.

Karaban came up huge for his Huskies as UConn defeated Marquette 72-66 in a colossal win for Dan Hurley’s club. Karaban scored seven-straight points for UConn in the game’s waning minutes and knocked down an iconic, dagger three-pointer with 24 seconds remaining in regulation to put the Huskies up 70-66.

The six-foot-eight forward finished with a team-high 21 points on the evening, and after the game, Hurley sang Karaban’s praises.

“That kid is an all-time player,” Hurley said of Karaban.

“One of the most decorated players to ever play in this program and one of the most decorated active players in college basketball. For him to hit that … shot, that was huge.”

“There’s not a college athlete that deserved that more than that kid, with the way that the year has gone. But it’s March, and Alex is starting to heat up.”

Karaban’s banner performance on Wednesday night featured a 16-point second half. He also finished 6-for-6 from the charity stripe.

Karaban has struggled mightily shooting the ball in recent weeks, and a game like Wednesday's against Marquette could spur the two-time national champion into a shot-making rhythm heading into the most important few weeks of the calendar year for UConn.

If Karaban can stay hot and help propel the Huskies toward a deep NCAA tournament run, any of his struggles this season will be dust in the wind.

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