After their Maui nightmares, UConn men weren’t looking back—until Villanova came knocking. The Huskies, riding an eight-game win streak, faced their first challenge in weeks. And while Alex Karaban, their dependable star, usually leads the charge, this time, he let a golden opportunity slip. But his coach, Dan Hurley, thinks it’s time he takes a tough lesson. Because, well, you can’t have everything go your way all the time.

The ninth-ranked Huskies (12-4, 4-1 Big East) had their first game at Finneran Pavilion in nearly 30 years. They were fighting tooth and nail, trailing Villanova (11-5, 4-1), who have now won six of their last seven. With just 3.1 seconds left, Karaban—an 81% free throw shooter—stepped up to the line with the chance to tie. He missed both shots. 

The Wildcats escaped with a 69-66 win, snapping UConn’s streak and handing them their first loss outside Maui this season. Hurley didn’t mince words, saying– “It’s like life—sometimes you’ve got to eat sh*t. His first two years in college have been a fairy tale.” And honestly, he’s not all wrong.

Karaban’s been living the tale, winning two championships and averaging 13.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.5 assists last season. This year, he’s stepped it up even more, 16.3 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 2.8 assists.

It seems like just a bad day for Karaban, but lessons he gets to carry. But, till the captain missed those crucial free throws, the stage was perfectly set for UConn to pull off a comeback. After trailing by as many as 12 points in the second half, the Huskies clawed their way back. 

With just over two minutes to go, #11 drained a clutch three-pointer. Moments later, Solo Ball dished a slick pass to Jaylin Stewart for a reverse layup, cutting Villanova’s lead, and ignited the comeback with a series of clutch shots. Hassan Diarra snagged a big rebound after a Villanova miss, but Karaban couldn’t connect on a deep three with 24 seconds to play. Then came the ultimate opportunity but we know what happened next. Basically, UConn here had plenty of chances. 

Nevertheless, going undefeated in the Big East was always a stretch, especially without Liam McNeeley. The freshman is sidelined with a high ankle sprain, which is not ‘overly serious,’ but he is expected to be out for ‘weeks.’ Even so, UConn still looks like ‘the team’ to beat in the conference.

Dan Hurley & Co. climb to no. 9, thanks to big east wins

Despite the loss, UConn’s recent form has earned them a spot in the Top 10 of the AP Poll, rising from No. 11 to No. 9. This climb comes on the heels of two solid Big East wins last week. The Huskies kicked off 2025 in style, with Solo Ball absolutely lighting it up from deep. 

He dropped 22 points, going 7-for-9 from three-point range. Karaban was his usual reliable self, contributing 18 points. Big man Samson Johnson added 10 points in a comfortable win over the Blue Demons.

The next, vs. Providence (87-84), was a bit trickier. Down 37-27 at halftime, the Huskies roared back in the second half. Hassan Diarra led the charge with 19 points and eight assists. UConn’s balanced attack saw six players score in double figures, including Solo Ball (16 points) and Karaban (13 points). 

Bench players Aidan Mahaney and Tarris Reed Jr. stepped up big time. So, it’s safe to say that the Villanova loss stings, but the Huskies still remain Big East’s top dog unless they drop more games. We hope Karaban and the company don’t lose their momentum and bounce back to keep their rank moving up.