The Huskies, without Alex Karaban, are still rolling
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The Huskies, without Alex Karaban, are still rolling

Posted on by Amelia Pressman

HARTFORD, Conn. – Liam McNeeley and Jaylin Stewart each scored 16 points as the second-ranked UConn men’s basketball team ended a three-game losing streak with a 99-45 win over Maryland Eastern Shore on Saturday night.

UConn played without leading scorer Alex Karaban, who missed just his second game in three seasons. The Southborough native hit his head on the ground late in a loss to Dayton in UConn’s final game at the Maui Invitational. He was at the XL Center but did not play in the game.

“Alex is pretty good,” coach Dan Hurley said. “It was a pretty mild concussion. Everyone treated it as we should, with great caution. Alex was able to travel back with us. All his tests came back really clean and he is feeling much better.”

Stewart started in place of Karaban for the first time in his career, and UConn still held a 14-0 points lead in the first half.

Solo Ball had 12 points, Aidan Mahaney had 11 and four assists, Jayden Ross added 10 points and 10 rebounds and Tarris Reed Jr. finished the game with 10 points and 12 rebounds for UConn (5-3).

With a tough three-game stretch against Baylor (on Wednesday), Texas and Gonzaga, UConn improved to 35-9 at the XL Center in seven seasons under head coach Dan Hurley.

KC Shaw scored 13 of his 18 points in the second half for Maryland Eastern Shore (2-9).

Things got heated early in the second half when Maryland Eastern Shore’s Stewart and Evan Johnson had to be fended off by their teammates after an exchange of words. Technical fouls were assessed for both.

Karaban is the only returning starter from last year’s national championship team. He is the Huskies’ leading scorer with an average of 15.9 points per game and is tied for the team lead with 14 blocked shots.

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