RALEIGH, N.C. — The pursuit of a third consecutive national championship may seem unlikely for UConn, yet the possibility remains within reach. Alex Karaban played a vital role, sinking a crucial 3-pointer and delivering a floater in the lane during a pivotal late surge. This effort secured the Huskies’ 67-59 victory over Oklahoma on Friday night, advancing them in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
“Someone will have to eliminate us to succeed in this tournament,” remarked UConn coach Dan Hurley, despite his team’s tumultuous regular season that saw them drop from the AP Top 25.
Karaban contributed 13 points and seven rebounds for the Huskies (24-10), who hold the No. 8 seed in the West Region. Their triumph continued their March Madness winning streak to 13 games, matching Duke’s record from 1991-93 — the second-longest streak without missing a tournament.
The turning point came with Karaban’s 3-pointer from the right wing at the 3:40 mark, providing UConn a four-point lead. He soon followed with a floater at 2:18, pushing the lead to 64-58. Solo Ball added 14 points, aiding the Huskies’ advancement to face the top-seeded Florida Gators in the region, a popular choice to end UConn’s run and claim the national title.
“Once we get through the first round, we’ve been quite formidable,” Hurley added.
Freshman Jeremiah Fears stood out for the ninth-seeded Sooners (20-14), contributing 20 points, yet the team struggled, shooting 32.1% overall and only 3 of 17 from beyond the arc.
“I couldn’t be more proud of our defensive effort,” expressed Sooners coach Porter Moser.
Observations:
Oklahoma: The Sooners’ inclusion formed part of the Southeastern Conference’s historic 14 NCAA bids. Despite their inclusion, they had a disappointing conference season, going 7-14 after December.
UConn: The Huskies join the ranks of elite teams such as Duke (1991-92) and Florida (2006-07) as the only squads to achieve back-to-back titles since UCLA’s legendary streak from 1967-73. Their journey hasn’t mirrored the prowess of a title contender since suffering three consecutive losses in Maui last November. However, their journey for a three-peat remains alive, despite a challenging offensive performance highlighted by freshman Liam McNeeley’s struggle, missing 11 of 13 shots.
Finishing Strong:
Karaban, integral to UConn’s previous title victories, delivered in the closing moments, particularly when the Huskies led 57-56. His 3-pointer was decisive, as Karaban fired without hesitation. “I passed one up earlier in the corner, and I wasn’t going to repeat that mistake,” he noted.
Key Moment:
Oklahoma’s Jalon Moore tied the game at 54 with a layup around the six-minute mark, but the Sooners only managed one more field goal for the remainder of the match. Moser explained that the Sooners had several opportunities with their guards penetrating into the lane, facing UConn’s formidable interior defense during these critical stages. Oklahoma finished with only 12 successful layups out of 27 attempts (44.4%).
“I believe our persistence on every possession was remarkable,” noted Moser. “Guarding their movement isn’t easy, and I thought we executed well defensively. We simply faced a few tough sequences towards the end, challenging their imposing front line.”
Next for UConn:
The Huskies are set to take on the Gators on Sunday.