Who is better than Alex Karaban? Karaban recently teamed up with Jared Kotler, host of the Connecticut Scoreboard Podcast, to talk about various topics related to the Huskies, including the controversial calls that left Hurley frustrated. Even though he didn’t have all the details, Karaban offered strong support for his coach.

“Whatever they were saying, I did hear that it did get blown out of proportion just with my friends… He’s passionate. He’s energetic on the sidelines, as he’s always been, and he just cares about winning. If he sees something he doesn’t like, he’s going to protect his guys and make sure we get a fair shake,” he explained. “If other teams or people don’t like how a coach manages things, that’s on them.”

Karaban definitely hits the nail on the head. Hurley is known for his emotional style—whether it’s thumping his head in frustration or yelling in celebration. Naturally, the officiating would have fired him up, especially during a critical moment when he was upset over an over-the-back foul call against forward Liam McNeeley.

With the score tied at 92 in the final minute of overtime, this call contributed to the No. 2 Huskies’ heartbreaking 99-97 loss to Memphis. Hurley dropped to his knees in disbelief, only to be assessed a technical foul for expressing his displeasure over the call. This led to PJ Carter hitting four consecutive free throws—two from the technical and two more for a personal foul—giving Memphis a late 96-92 lead.

“That was a joke. I just watched it,” Hurley remarked, adding that Memphis made “no attempt to box out” on that play. And just like that, UConn’s impressive 17-game winning streak dating back to last season was snapped. But the fireworks didn’t stop there.

It’s not just Alex Karaban sticking up for Hurley

Hurley is backing Karaban as well. After missing the last two games due to a mild concussion sustained at the Maui Invitational, Karaban returned to the court and was as dominant as ever. He finished with a team-high 21 points and 11 rebounds against the Texas Longhorns.

Later in the podcast, Hurley not just praised Alex Karaban’s performance but highlighted UConn sophomore Solo Ball, who made four 3-pointers and finished with 16 points on Sunday. “Having Alex back is essential for our success. He needs to lead the team and take some pressure off Liam, Solo, and the other guys,” Hurley shared about Karaban.

And he’s spot on—Karaban has been a crucial player for the Huskies every time they hit the court. Especially as he’s the only returning starter from Huskies last year’s national championship roster. Not just that, he’s even the top scorer for Huskies averaging 15.9 points per game.

In fact, he ties for the team lead with his 14 blocked shots. As of now, he’s only missed two games this season, and he’s back in his full form to lead the Huskies in their three-peat. What do you think? Will he be able to accomplish this goal?