UConn star Alex Karaban's tearful reaction to Florida loss with future in question
03/23/2025 04:37 PM
UConn’s loss to Florida in the second round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament ended its hopes for a three-peat. It also might have ended the college basketball career of Alex Karaban.
Karaban, who will ponder entering the 2025 NBA Draft after three years at Storrs, was visibly emotional after the game. The forward said he did not “want to take this jersey off,” per David Borges of the CT Insider.
In what might have been his final collegiate game, Karaban notched 14 points, five rebounds, three assists and one steal in 36 minutes against Florida. He finished second on the team in scoring, behind Big East Freshman of the Year Liam McNeeley’s 22 points.
Karaban averaged 14.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.6 blocks as a junior in 2024-2025. He increased his numbers across the board each year at UConn and was a key member of the back-to-back national championship teams in 2023 and 2024.
As a 6-foot-8 stretch forward, Karaban projects to be a mid to late second-round pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. He initially declared for the 2024 NBA Draft after winning his second national title before withdrawing and returning to UConn.
Karaban was not the only member of the team showing emotion after the loss. Dan Hurley, Hassan Diarra, Solo Ball and Samson Johnson were all equally as upset with watching their season end.
UConn resets after first NCAA Tournament loss since 2022
UConn’s loss comes two days after Hurley said it was “normal” for his team to advance in the March Madness tournament. The result ended the program’s 13-game NCAA Tournament win streak, going without a loss since the 2022 postseason.
Hurley is now forced to rebuild his team for the first time in three years. UConn will likely have to start over from scratch, with the expected departures of Karaban, Diarran and Johnson. McNeeley and Ball are also candidates to potentially enter the upcoming draft.
In the college basketball transfer portal era, rebuilding is an annual tradition due to the uncertainty each team faces in the offseason. However, Hurley has managed to maintain cohesion throughout most of his run with the Huskies. Yet, all parties seem to agree on the belief that significant change is on the horizon for all parties.
While UConn’s season ends, Florida will advance to the Sweet Sixteen. The Gators will face either Maryland or Colorado State, who will tip off on Sunday night at 7:10 p.m. ET at the Climate Pledge Arena.
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