Alex Karaban chases history as UConn's 'old dog that just won't die'

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Alex Karaban chases history as UConn's 'old dog that just won't die'

Jordan Mendoza, USA TODAY · USA TODAY Sports

Fri, Apr 3, 2026 ·

4 min read

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INDIANAPOLIS – Everyone can think of an old dog.

You know, the one that's kind of crusty, maybe losing sight or hearing — or both — hair matted, walks pretty slow and doesn't play fetch? The funny thing about them is, when it seems like they're in their final stages of life, they just don't die. You wait for the end, and you keep on waiting.

There's an old Husky lurking in the Connecticut locker room. It's Alex Karaban, and he just won't go down.

"Everybody knows that old dog that just won't die," said UConn center Tarris Reed Jr. "My auntie had an old dog, he lived for a while. He just wouldn't die. Just stayed around, it be hard to kill him. I feel like that's (Karaban)."

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UConn Huskies guard Braylon Mullins (24) hits a go-ahead three-point basket late in the second half during an Elite Eight game of the East Regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Capital One Arena.
(Geoff Burke, Imagn Images)

Braylon Mullins #24 of the UConn Huskies celebrates after shooting the game-winning three point basket during the second half of a game against the Duke Blue Devils in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Capital One Arena on March 29, 2026 in Washington, DC
(Emilee Chinn, Getty Images)

Braylon Mullins #24 celebrates with Malachi Smith #0 of the UConn Huskies after shooting the game-winning three point basket during the second half of a game against the Duke Blue Devils in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Capital One Arena on March 29, 2026 in Washington, DC.
(Patrick Smith, Getty Images)

UConn Huskies guard Malachi Smith (0) celebrates with UConn Huskies guard Braylon Mullins (24) after a game-winning three-point basket against the Duke Blue Devils in the second half during an Elite Eight game of the East Regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Capital One Arena.
(Geoff Burke, Imagn Images)

UConn Huskies guard Braylon Mullins (24) celebrates after making the game-winning three-point basket against the Duke Blue Devils in the second half during an Elite Eight game of the East Regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Capital One Arena.
(Geoff Burke, Imagn Images)

The UConn Huskies huddle up against the Duke Blue Devils prior to an Elite Eight game of the East Regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Capital One Arena.
(Amber Searls, Imagn Images)

Head coach Dan Hurley of the UConn Huskies reacts during the second half of a game against the Duke Blue Devils in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Capital One Arena on March 29, 2026 in Washington, DC.
(Emilee Chinn, Getty Images)

UConn Huskies guard Braylon Mullins (24) passes the ball against Duke Blue Devils guard Isaiah Evans (3) in the second half during an Elite Eight game of the East Regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Capital One Arena.
(Amber Searls, Imagn Images)

UConn Huskies forward Tarris Reed Jr. (5) goes to the basket against Duke Blue Devils center Patrick Ngongba (21)in the second half during an Elite Eight game of the East Regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Capital One Arena.
(Amber Searls, Imagn Images)

UConn Huskies forward Alex Karaban (11) shoots over Duke Blue Devils forward Cameron Boozer (12) in the first half during an Elite Eight game of the East Regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Capital One Arena.
(Geoff Burke, Imagn Images)

Silas Demary Jr. #2 of the UConn Huskies reacts during the second half of a game against the Duke Blue Devils in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Capital One Arena on March 29, 2026 in Washington, DC.
(Emilee Chinn, Getty Images)

UConn Huskies forward Tarris Reed Jr. (5) and UConn Huskies forward Jayden Ross (23) celebrate after a play against the Duke Blue Devils in the second half during an Elite Eight game of the East Regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Capital One Arena.
(Amber Searls, Imagn Images)

UConn Huskies guard Solo Ball (1) scores against Duke Blue Devils forward Cameron Boozer (12) and is fouled in the second half during an Elite Eight game of the East Regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Capital One Arena.
(Amber Searls, Imagn Images)

UConn Huskies head coach Dan Hurley celebrates after a play against the Duke Blue Devils in the second half during an Elite Eight game of the East Regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Capital One Arena.
(Geoff Burke, Imagn Images)

Tarris Reed Jr. #5 of the UConn Huskies reacts during the first half of a game against the Duke Blue Devils in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Capital One Arena on March 29, 2026 in Washington, DC.
(Patrick Smith, Getty Images)

Solo Ball #1 of the UConn Huskies dribbles against the Duke Blue Devils during the second half of a game in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Capital One Arena on March 29, 2026 in Washington, DC.
(Patrick Smith, Getty Images)

UConn Huskies head coach Dan Hurley reacts after a shot clock violation against the Duke Blue Devils in the second half during an Elite Eight game of the East Regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Capital One Arena.
(Amber Searls, Imagn Images)

Tarris Reed Jr. #5 of the UConn Huskies looks on against the Duke Blue Devils during the first half of a game in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Capital One Arena on March 29, 2026 in Washington, DC.
(Emilee Chinn, Getty Images)

Malachi Smith #0 of the UConn Huskies reacts during the first half of a game against the Duke Blue Devils in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Capital One Arena on March 29, 2026 in Washington, DC.
(Emilee Chinn, Getty Images)

Solo Ball #1 of the UConn Huskies drives to the rim during the first half of a game against the Duke Blue Devils in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Capital One Arena on March 29, 2026 in Washington, DC.
(Emilee Chinn, Getty Images)

Tarris Reed Jr. #5 of the UConn Huskies drives to the hoop against Patrick Ngongba #21 of the Duke Blue Devils during the second half of a game in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Capital One Arena on March 29, 2026 in Washington, DC.
(Patrick Smith, Getty Images)

Tarris Reed Jr. #5 of the UConn Huskies dunks against the Duke Blue Devils during the second half of a game in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Capital One Arena on March 29, 2026 in Washington, DC.
(Patrick Smith, Getty Images)

Tarris Reed Jr. #5 celebrates with Malachi Smith #0 of the UConn Huskies during the second half of a game against the Duke Blue Devils in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Capital One Arena on March 29, 2026 in Washington, DC.
(Emilee Chinn, Getty Images)

Jayden Ross #23 of the UConn Huskies reacts during the second half of a game against the Duke Blue Devils in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Capital One Arena on March 29, 2026 in Washington, DC
(Patrick Smith, Getty Images)

Tarris Reed Jr. #5 of the UConn Huskies reacts during the second half of a game against the Duke Blue Devils in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Capital One Arena on March 29, 2026 in Washington, DC.
(Emilee Chinn, Getty Images)

Alex Karaban #11 of the UConn Huskies reacts after shooting a three point basket against the Duke Blue Devils during the second half of a game in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Capital One Arena on March 29, 2026 in Washington, DC.
(Patrick Smith, Getty Images)

Alex Karaban #11 of the UConn Huskies shoots a three point basket against the Duke Blue Devils during the second half of a game in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Capital One Arena on March 29, 2026 in Washington, DC.
(Patrick Smith, Getty Images)

Braylon Mullins #24 of the UConn Huskies celebrates after shooting a three point basket during the second half of a game against the Duke Blue Devils in the Elite Eight of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Capital One Arena on March 29, 2026 in Washington, DC.
(Patrick Smith, Getty Images)

Well, that's one way to put it. That even threw off the dog himself.

"An old dog? Why an old dog," he asked his teammate before the explanation only left him speechless.

He's not exactly Old Yeller, but his coach offered him another title: baby sitter.

"He just babysits your team for 40 and a half years," said UConn coach Dan Hurley. "I mean, he's been the best babysitter."

Point is, this isn't Karaban's first rodeo, but it's certainly his last as he closes his storied college career trying to achieve something that hasn't been achieved by a player in more than 50 years: win three national championships .

Done eight times in history — all by those in John Wooden's UCLA dynasty in the 1960s and 1970s — the last time it was accomplished was in 1971-73 with Larry Farmer and Larry Hollyfield.

Now 53 years later, Karaban is the person two wins away from joining this prestigious list, and even though the 23-year-old gets clowned on, his teammates want him to get there.

What's remarkable about Karaban's time is it wasn't like he was some benchwarmer during the first two titles. A two-time captain, he has been a major factor in getting UConn on the cusp of a dynasty.

That's why he became the first active men's basketball player to be inducted into UConn's illustrious Huskies of Honor, and already the team's winningest player ever.

UConn Huskies forward Alex Karaban (11) reacts after defeating the UCLA Bruins in a second round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

As a redshirt freshman, he appeared in all 39 games — starting the last 38 — to lead the team in total minutes played, all while shooting 40.2% from 3-point land. The following season, he started every game, upped his scoring from 9.3 to 13.3 points per game and shot nearly 50% from the field.

"He's the greatest problem solver you'll ever have in practice, in game, and then, like, the tone he sets for your culture with his work habits, the peer pressure that that puts on everyone in the organization when your best player works as hard as he does," Hurley said.

Now in Indianapolis, the Huskies haven't stopped leaning on Karaban either. He had some fun reminding the first-timers this is his third Final Four, and having him around has really helped those newbies go about the biggest stage in the sport.

Whether it's dealing with playing in a football stadium, the pressure and endless questions from media, Karaban has given them tips on how to navigate it and not let it become too much. That's probably why if Reed and guard Silas Demary Jr. needed a teammate as an emergency contact, they both would put down Karaban.

"Having a guy like that to literally lead your team been here before, he's poised on this stage," Reed said. "Having that guy in your corner is really special."

Not many people get to be in Karaban's position, 4-0 in the Final Four with a chance to be 6-0. Even though he's achieved all of this success, he feels like the Huskies have a chip on their shoulder as they aren't the major favorite to win it all.

So, yes Karaban is an old dog, and he ain't ready to go down just yet.

"It's an interesting way to put it, but I mean, yeah, I don't want this to end. I want to keep going. I want to keep fighting and really keep wearing that Connecticut jersey across my chest.," Karaban said. "I guess the old dog wants to keep living for his treats — and my treat is a win — then, yeah, I'll keep fighting for it."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: At Final Four, Alex Karaban is UConn's 'old dog that just won't die'

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Alex Karaban chases history as UConn's 'old dog that just won't die'

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