In a soul-crushing second half, the UConn Huskies ran away from the Illinois Fighting Illini in their Elite Eight matchup.
What was the cherry on top?
When the Huskies kicked Illinois while it was already down.
Alex Karaban got a lob from guard Tristan Newton for an absolutely dynamite throw down dunk. Karaban then hung onto the rim for just a few extra seconds... maybe rubbing it in Illinois' face a little bit.
And-one for Alex Karaban. That’s a 28-0 run. 28-0. Absolutely insane. Not hyperbole…I think this is the most dominant stretch I’ve ever seen from a team in person at any level. pic.twitter.com/eC4ooH04T9
— Trevor Hass (@TrevorHass) March 30, 2024
UConn got people crazy with that 30-0 run 😳 pic.twitter.com/2KvJkUGPpk
— ✨Just Joe✨ (@JoeSteelerFan) March 30, 2024
Karaban really out here imitating Prince pic.twitter.com/pfo1DegZuI
— Morris Bankston (@mobanks10) March 30, 2024
Illinois was only trailing the Huskies by 8 points at halftime but it seems the locker room speech didn't do quite enough to bolster the Fighting Illini spirits.
With 7 minutes remaining in the game, UConn was dominating the court, the air, the ball, the sidelines, the crowd... you get the picture.
The Huskies had built up a 29-point lead as the minutes dwindled and it seemed the Illini had no fight left in them.
A 28-0 run will do that to team, and UConn had done just that – with the alley-oop to top it all off.
Alex Karaban gets the dunk and the foul & it's a 28-0 UConn run. Illinois has not scored in the 2nd half yet.
— Mike Mayer (@offthemike28) March 30, 2024
UConn is just showing off at this point.
This is an absolute beatdown. Karaban monster dunk, and-one. UConn by 28!
— Kyle Tucker (@KyleTucker_ATH) March 30, 2024
Dan Hurley, never satisfied, just screamed at all his players celebrating. "Hey! Hey! Shut up! Get on the foul line!" LOL.
ALEX KARABAN YOU ARE NOW THE PROUD FATHER OF A RIM AND BACKBOARD AT TD GARDEN
— The UConn Blog (@TheUConnBlog) March 30, 2024
ALEX KARABAN pic.twitter.com/OV7tws0Uv2
— K.BO XXV (@KBO_XXV) March 30, 2024