UConn may be a traditional powerhouse, but even giants can be slayed, as Villanova proved yesterday. After the Maui embarrassment of losing three in a row, the Huskies had improved that skid by winning 8 straight games. However, the streak came to an end yesterday as the Wildcats took a close 68-66 victory at Finneran Pavilion as UConn continued to play without freshman Liam McNeely. But the biggest surprise of the night was junior Alex Karaban and his surprise free throw misses.

Yes, misses. Plural. The first of his tenure with the Huskies. A starter in both his previous years at UConn, where the school won national championships, Karaban is also a career 84 percent foul shooter and was the most reliable choice for coach Dan Hurley to put at the free throw line when there was a chance to win the game. As Field of 68: After Dark host Kenny Frease points out, “The story of the game is obviously going to be the free throws being missed.”

He continues, “But when I was watching that game, throughout most of the game I felt like, ‘Man, UConn’s gonna lose.’ And that’s normally not what I think when I’m watching UConn play basketball.” The No. 9 Huskies had a chance to take the lead late several times, especially with Karaban shooting with 3.1 seconds left.

A starter in all of his 91 games at UConn, Karaban is usually a double-figure scorer and did so in each of his school’s back-to-back national champion teams. Against Villanova, he ended the night with 10 points.

Host Randolph Childress did hope that he would miss one to go into overtime, “I didn’t think he’d miss both but I was hoping he’d miss just one for overtime. I didn’t think he’d miss both of them but listen, man, Villanova was the tougher team. UConn knows they’re gonna get everybody’s best shot but credit to Villanova.”

Under coach Kyle Neptune, the Wildcats have missed the NCAA tournament in both of their last two seasons but are making a fair case for themselves this time. If Karaban had indeed scored even one throw, UConn might have rallied to take the win. But as Hurley said after the game, it’s just life.

After fairy tale seasons, “bad moments” had to happen for Alex Karaban

When Dan Hurley lost his temper, more than usual, after UConn lost to Memphis in Maui, it was because of a bad call. He did not seem to be blaming his team, and he did not do it to Alex Karaban last night. It was the Huskies’ fourth loss of the season as they played in front of Villanova’s home crowd in almost 30 years but Hurley had only one thing to say to his star player.

“It’s like life, sometimes you’ve got to eat sh–. Sometimes you’re gonna have bad moments,” the coach said. “His first two years in college have been a fairy tale.”

Hurley also advised his team a foolproof way of getting over the loss – get back home, look at the last two championship rings, and then get ready for the next challenge – Georgetown. It’s been a tough first half of the season for this squad is its only going to get harder. But Hurley will not let motivation run low.