UConn basketball pushed to the limit against Seton Hall.
Emotions were high for UConn basketball in Gampel Pavilion as the seniors were honored in a touching Senior Day Ceremony.
For the cherry on top, Alex Karaban was immortalized into the UConn Men’s Huskies of Honor in what was a tearful moment for the entire team pregame.
It was a back-and-forth affair over the first half with both teams exchanging blows. Neither team could separate as no team led by more than five points.
Alex Karaban did not let his emotions get the better of him as he was on fire, scoring 15 first-half points while being on the floor for the entire 20 minutes.
Seton Hall took a 33-32 lead into the halftime break following a last second layup.
Seton Hall used sharpshooting led by Mike Williams and A.J. Staton-McCray to pull Seton Hall ahead 54-46 at the under 10-minute mark of the second half.
Alex Karaban and the UConn Huskies would not be denied as Karaban put UConn on his back to pull them back out in front.
Solo Ball and Alex Karaban closed the game out down the stretch, hitting every big free-throw to give UConn a 71-67 victory.
WALL HIM.
Alex Karaban, your newest Husky of Honor 🙌 pic.twitter.com/KaZrggRuIs
— UConn Men’s Basketball (@UConnMBB) February 28, 2026
Senior sendoffs.
Five players were recognized in Saturday’s Senior Day Ceremony. Dwayne Koroma, Alec Millender, Malachi Smith, Tarris Reed Jr., and Alex Karaban each stepped onto Gampel Pavilion for their final times as UConn Huskies.
These UConn basketball players had combined for 5,400 career points, 2,447 rebounds, and 1,374 assists throughout their careers coming into the game.
Alec Millender has appeared in 13 games for UConn in a reserve role after transferring from the IU Indianapolis Jaguars this season.
Dwayne Koroma has appeared in 14 games for UConn in a reserve role after transferring from the Le Moyne Dolphins this season.
Both players have had impacts on the team far beyond what a box score will show as they have been integral parts of the bench and locker room.
Malachi Smith has appeared in every game for UConn this season after transferring from the Dayton Flyers. Smith has been huge for the Huskies as a great sparkplug off the bench and providing solid defense and facilitating the offense in the backup point guard role.
“They’ve meant everything to us, their locker room presence… they’re people you want to have relationships with for the rest of your life,” said Alex Karaban post-game when asked about Smith, Koroma, and Millender.
Tarris Reed Jr. has spent his last two seasons with UConn basketball after transferring from the Michigan Wolverines. He was the back up center last season, winning Big East Sixth Man of the Year.
This season he has stepped up and is one of the best centers in college basketball and is the key to UConn basketball’s NCAA Tournament hopes.
And then there’s the 6′ 8″ senior from Southborough Mass, Alex Karaban. It is impossible to put into words what he has meant to the UConn basketball program.
He is a two-time champion and is the embodiment of what it means to “Bleed Blue” as a UConn Husky.
Implications for Seton Hall’s NCAA Tournament chances.
Seton Hall came into the contest firmly on the NCAA Tournament Bubble and having won three of their last four games. A win over UConn would have elevated Seton Hall’s chances at securing an at-large bid.
Seton Hall on the season ranked 336th in the country in 3-point shooting percentage but shot the ball as well as they have all season going 50% from deep against UConn.
They did all they could but ultimately fell just short as their NCAA Tournament hopes dwindled.
They have two remaining regular season games, against Xavier and St. John’s, and will have to win both of those as well as make a deep Big East Tournament run if they want to have any chance of securing an at-large bid.
This team has proved that they can compete with the best of the best in the conference but they now leave themselves with no margin for error.
Next for UConn basketball: @ Marquette (Sat., March 7 at 12:30 p.m. EST)
Next for Seton Hall: @ Xavier (Tues., March 3 at 7:00 p.m. EST)