UConn Stumbles in Maui: Karaban Hospitalized as Dayton Dominates
It was a tough night for the No. 2 UConn Huskies, and not just on the scoreboard. Forward Alex Karaban was taken to the hospital for a head injury during an 85-67 loss to the Dayton Flyers on Wednesday. The defeat capped off a winless 0-3 run for UConn at the Maui Invitational, a humbling experience for the reigning national champions.
Karaban’s injury occurred late in the game, with about 2½ minutes left on the clock. After being fouled, his head hit the floor hard. While he initially stayed in the game, he was later placed in concussion protocol and sent to the hospital for further evaluation. UConn team doctor Robert Arciero expressed optimism as they await test results, but the incident added another layer of concern to an already difficult week for the Huskies.
Karaban Shines Despite Injury
Before his injury, Karaban was one of the few bright spots for UConn. He drained four of the team’s eight 3-pointers and led the Huskies with 21 points, 15 of which came in the first half. His efforts kept UConn competitive early, but it wasn’t enough to stop the Flyers from pulling away.
“When you come to a tournament like this, and it’s three games in three days, it starts to go bad, there’s no way of fixing it because there’s no time to,” UConn head coach Dan Hurley said after the game. “You just have to deal with the situation. It was a humbling trip obviously for the program that’s accomplished what we’ve accomplished.”
Dayton’s Balanced Attack Overwhelms UConn
The Flyers, now 6-2 on the season, showcased a balanced offensive attack that proved too much for UConn to handle. Enoch Cheeks led the way with 20 points, shooting an impressive 8-of-12 from the field, including 3-of-5 from beyond the arc. He was joined by Nate Santos with 18 points, Posh Alexander with 16, and Zed Key with 15 points and a team-high nine rebounds.
Dayton’s depth and efficiency were on full display. After trailing 30-27 late in the first half, the Flyers closed the period on a 14-4 run to take a 41-34 lead into halftime. UConn managed to cut the deficit to 52-49 midway through the second half, thanks to a transition bucket by Solo Ball. But Dayton quickly regained control, with Alexander’s three-point play stretching the lead back to six points with just over 10 minutes remaining. From there, the Flyers never looked back.
A Tournament to Forget for UConn
The Maui Invitational was supposed to be a showcase for UConn, but instead, it turned into a nightmare. All three of their losses came against unranked teams, starting with a narrow defeat to Memphis on Monday, followed by another close loss to Colorado on Tuesday. The combined margin of defeat in those first two games? Just three points. But Wednesday’s blowout loss to Dayton was a different story, exposing deeper issues for the Huskies.
For a program that entered the season with sky-high expectations, the 0-3 showing in Maui is a reality check. UConn now sits at 4-3 on the season, and while there’s still plenty of time to turn things around, the team will need to regroup quickly to avoid further setbacks.
Key Takeaways from UConn’s Maui Struggles
- Injury Concerns: Karaban’s health will be a top priority moving forward. His scoring and leadership are critical for UConn’s success.
- Defensive Issues: The Huskies struggled to contain Dayton’s balanced attack, a problem that also plagued them in their earlier losses to Memphis and Colorado.
- Depth Questions: UConn’s bench production has been inconsistent, raising concerns about their ability to compete in high-stakes tournaments.
As the Huskies return home, they’ll need to address these issues and find a way to recapture the form that made them national champions just months ago. For now, though, the Maui Invitational will serve as a painful reminder of how quickly things can go wrong in college basketball.
Originally Written by: Associated Press
