Alex Karaban scored 15 of his 18 points in the second half to help Connecticut rally for a 73-56 victory over Villanova in a Big East Conference Tournament quarterfinal at Madison Square Garden.

UConn, the two-time defending NCAA champs, open the Big East Tournament vs. Villanova at their home away from home - Madison Square Garden. Read our Villanova vs. UConn predictions and best bets here.

It was after 11:30 p.m. Wednesday when Kyle Neptune, Eric Dixon, and Jordan Longino walked off a podium inside Madison Square Garden and headed back toward the Villanova locker room. The third-seeded Wildcats got past a seven-win Seton Hall team in the opening round of the Big East tournament despite 16 turnovers and two separate spells of nearly eight minutes without a made basket.