Karaban’s 26 points lead No. 4 UConn to an 80-67 win over Georgetown and a claim to poll’s top spot

HARTFORD, Conn. — Alex Karaban tied a career high with 26 points and No. 4 UConn made its case to be considered the nation’s top team with an 80-67 win over Georgetown on Sunday.

Cam Spencer added 20 points for the Huskies (15-2, 5-1 Big East) who won their fifth straight game, all without starting center Donovan Clingan, who remained sidelined with a right foot injury. Freshman Stephon Castle added 14 points.

Coach Dan Hurley said the Huskies have earned the right to be ranked No. 1 and embrace the “target” that would come with that.

“We’ve got the will and the confidence of a championship program, in the brutalist league in the country,” he said.

Supreme Cook had 18 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Hoyas (8-9, 1-5). Jayden Epps added 16 points and Dontrez Styles added 11.

UConn opened the game on a 6-2 run, with 3-pointers from Spencer and Karaban, a harbinger of things to come.

But without Clingan, UConn had a tough time containing Cook. The Fairfield transfer hit his first four shots and scored Georgetown’s first 10 points, keeping the Hoyas in the game early.

Cook had 16 points and 10 rebounds by halftime, but fouled out with more than six minutes left in the game.

“I’m proud of him,” coach Ed Cooley said. “Because he’s in there battling. We need some other battering rams in there. The Hoyas have got to do a better job helping him.”

Karaban had five of his six 3-pointers in the first 20 minutes. His fourth of the game gave the Huskies their first double-digit lead at 32-22 and the Huskies led 40-31 at halftime.

The 6-foot-8 sophomore has spent much of his time playing at center with Clingan out, which has created a lot of mismatches on both ends of the floor.