Dan Hurley and UConn lose beloved veteran after getting Alex Karaban back

The joy of keeping Alex Karaban back was short-lived for Dan Hurley and the UConn Huskies. To say that this week has been an emotional roller coaster for the program would be a huge understatement.

The Huskies will get their star sharpshooter back for a little longer. Karaban was expected to pursue his lifelong dream of turning pro and declaring for the NBA Draft before withdrawing from the event.

Nevertheless, as big a news as that was, Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports reported that the Huskies will now lose veteran guard Aidan Mahaney, who will transfer to play for the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos.

Dan Hurley loses Aidan Mahaney To UC Santa Barbara

“UConn transfer Aidan Mahaney tells me that he has committed to UC Santa Barbara,” wrote Rothstein. “Significant Big West News.”

Dan Hurley head coach of the UConn Huskies

This will be his third program, as Mahaney also played for the Saint Mary Gaels for two years before joining UConn. He earned First-team All-WCC honors in both years there.

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Mahaney wasn’t much of a factor last season, averaging just 4.5 points and 1.3 assists per game in just 12.3 minutes. However, he was a strong candidate to take a big leap next season as an experienced veteran.