HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT – NOVEMBER 30: Jaylin Stewart #3 of the Connecticut Huskies is defended by Evan Johnson #3 and Jalen Ware #24 of the Maryland Eastern Shore Hawks during the first half of an NCAA basketball game at the XL Center on November 30, 2024 in Hartford, Connecticut. (Photo by Joe Buglewicz/Getty Images)
UConn defeated Maryland Eastern Shore, 99 to 45, on Saturday at the XL Center in Hartford.
The Huskies took the win in front of the sold-out crowd without their leading scorer, Alex Karaban, the only returning starter from last year's national championship team.
Around 30 minutes before the game started, UConn announced that he would not play.
Karaban had been taken to the hospital after suffering a head injury late in a loss to Dayton in the seventh-place game in the Maui Invitational.
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He was cleared to fly back to Connecticut at he was at the XL Center riding a stationary bike while his teammates warmed up for the game on Saturday.
Liam McNeeley and Jaylin Stewart led UConn with 16 points apiece and Tarris Reed Jr. and Jayden Ross both notched double-doubles, according to UConn Athletics.
UConn will end its non-conference slate on Wednesday at home against Baylor at Gampel Pavilion.
Dog House
This was just the second game that Karaban miss in his third season with the Huskies.
