UConn freshman Alex Karaban swears he’s more athletic than he looks, and showed it in Thursday’s Sweet 16

LAS VEGAS – Earlier this season, after he dunked in a game, UConn redshirt freshman Alex Karaban made a comment that he is more athletic than he looks.

After all, it’s hard to notice the athleticism of the 6-foot-8 forward who “looks like the boy next door,” as head coach Dan Hurley said, when there is a freak athlete like Andre Jackson on the court with him.

But Thursday in one of his best games of the season, Karaban showed off his speed down the court and his ability to finish at the rim. He began highlight plays where it was impossible to take eyes off him.

“I joke around with the team sometimes saying that I’m the second most athletic kid on the team beside Andre,” Karaban said after the Huskies beat Arkansas to advance to the Elite Eight and a Saturday night meeting with No. 3 seed Gonzaga. “Which is obviously not true at all.”

In the first half Karaban took the ball away from five-star freshman Anthony Black just outside the paint and launched a football pass to Jackson at the other end of the court. Jackson then tossed a lob up to Donovan Clingan to finish the alley-oop. Later in the half Karaban jumped a pass from Devo Davis around the perimeter and sprinted to the other end, using a euro step to get a look at the rim.

“They just gotta see me be more athletic and open sometimes, you know? They gotta trust me on lobs, maybe. When Jordan (Hawkins) didn’t throw me a lob during Big East play, I’ll get on him. I’m just glad I’m able to develop into a player where I’m able to show more of my game,” Karaban said, only half joking.

The Southborough, Mass., native and unanimous Big East All-Freshman first-teamer finished with 11 points without missing a shot and, uncharacteristically, didn’t attempt a single 3-pointer. He also grabbed seven rebounds and made two steals.

“It’s definitely part of the confidence. I’m able to jump for that pick-six – even if I didn’t get it I know I’ve got whoever was behind me to help me in case I did miss on that gamble. It’s definitely just the trust in one another that we have, just the accountability that we’ve been holding each other to at this level to where we’re not afraid to say whatever we want to each other, in a respectful way,” he said.

“It’s definitely something I’ve never experienced on a team before.”