UConn’s Alex Karaban Expects ‘Storrs North’ When Huskies Invade TD Garden

The UConn Huskies already have a home away from home in Madison Square Garden. They call it Storrs South.

And the top-seeded Huskies are expecting to have another decisive home-court advantage a little farther north starting Thursday when they make the quick trip up to Boston to face No. 5 San Diego State in the NCAA Tournament East Regional at TD Garden.

"I definitely think it will be Storrs North just because the UConn fan base they travel well no matter where we go," UConn forward Alex Karaban told NESN.com. "They travel extremely well in Brooklyn and MSG when we played there so far this season. Just doing this road trip, I think going to Boston is a way easier trip than going to New York. So, I'd expect more fans to come out there and I think UConn fans will really make sure that we have the advantage."

The TD Garden stands may well be a sea of navy and white when the Huskies and Aztecs square off in the Sweet 16. The travel to Boston for the two schools couldn't be any more different.

UConn's home campus in Storrs, Conn., is less than a 90-minute drive to TD Garden. Meanwhile, San Diego State needed a six-hour plane ride to make the 3,000-mile trip.

It's supposed to be a neutral site when UConn and San Diego State collide in a rematch of last year's national final, but all expectations are that it won't have that feel. Karaban, a Massachusetts native who started 34 games for the Huskies last season in their run to a national title, knows how much of a difference it will make having a strong contingent of UConn fans in attendance, especially for a game of this magnitude.

"It gives us a huge boost," Karaban said. "I think always being able to hear your school cheer for you, and hearing those UConn chants and hearing everything that the school provides for us spirit-wise, it's a huge benefit for us just because these teams are really good that we're playing now, and really any adrenaline boost or any sort of boost will help us out.

"The fans know how important they are to us and they've really helped us with a lot of success this year. So, we wouldn't be here without the fans and the fans are definitely going to lift us up during great and bad times during the games."