UConn fends off Michigan State in thriller, sets up Elite 8 showdown with Duke

Jason OwensSat, March 28, 2026 at 4:59 AM UTC

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UConn took early control with a 19-point lead in Friday’s Sweet 16 game against Michigan State.

It then fended off a late MSU rally in a thriller for a 67-63 win to secure its spot in the Elite Eight. The No. 2 seed Huskies advance to take on No. 1 Duke in an East regional final featuring two of the winningest programs in college basketball history. Duke beat St. John’s earlier Friday night.

There, the Huskies will seek a third Final Four in four seasons in search of their seventh national championship. Duke will seek a return trip to the Final Four with a sixth national title as its goal.

UConn builds, then blows big early lead

But before the Huskies could think about Duke, they had to take on a game Michigan State team that battled back after struggling early Friday night.

UConn seized early control with a 25-6 lead out of the gates. But Michigan State closed the half on a 21-10 run to go into halftime with a much more manageable 35-27 deficit. The Spartans then held Huskies scoreless for the first 3:49 of the second half and eventually took a 45-44 lead, their first since an early 4-3 advantage.

Alex Karaban 3 helps Huskies ice win

But UConn withstood the rally and retook the lead that it extended to 64-60 with an Alex Karaban 3 in the final two minutes.

Jeremy Fears Jr. answered with a 3 on the other end to cut UConn’s lead back to 61-60 and hit a pair of free throws on MSU’s next possession to again cut the deficit to one point.

But Karaban, a senior who started on two NCAA championship teams for UConn, hit two free throws to extend UConn’s lead back to three points with 22 seconds remaining. And Michigan State was out of answers after a botched late possession resulted in a badly missed 3.

UConn held on for the win after a pair of Tarris Reed Jr. free throws with 4 seconds remaining extended the lead back to four points. Ultimately, it secured the win on the strength of its defense alongside some clutch shooting from its veteran leaders down the stretch.

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UConn’s seniors step up

UConn limited Michigan State to 40% shooting from the field and a 25% effort (4 of 16) from 3. The halftime numbers were even worse for the Spartans, who went into the break shooting 34% from the floor and 1 of 8 from 3.

A veteran team coached by Hall of Famer Tom Izzo, Michigan State didn’t wilt. But it appeared to expend too much energy fighting back from its early hole. UConn was the more composed team down the stretch.

Karaban’s late 3 acted as an extension of his sterling NCAA tournament résumé that features his aforementioned two championships.

It also includes a career-high 27 points on a 4-of-8 effort from 3 in a second-round win over UCLA last week. Karaban has made a career out of hitting timely shots and will be one of the most dangerous weapons in the Elite Eight.

Karaban finished Friday night 17 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists while shooting 6 of 12 from the field and 3 of 8 from 3.

Then there’s Karaban’s fellow All-Big East forward teammate Reed, who opened this year’s NCAA tournament with a monster 31-point, 27-rebound effort in the first round. Reed led the Huskies Friday night with 20 points alongside 5 rebounds and 4 assists.

A 58.6% shooter, Reed struggles at the free throw line. But when UConn needed two late free throws to ice the game, Reed hit them both.

As a team, UConn shot 46% from the field and 42.8% (9 of 21) from 3. It assisted on 20 of its 24 made field goals and rode its defense to overcome a 39-30 rebounding deficit.

Four Michigan State starters scored in double figures, led by Carson Cooper’s 14 points and 7 rebounds. Fears added 13 points and 7 assists but turned the ball over 4 times and struggled with his shot (5 of 15 from the field). Coen Carr added 13 points, and senior center Jaxon Kohler tallied 12 points and 8 rebounds in his final game at Michigan State.

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Source: “AOL Sports”