Final Score: (2) Connecticut 80, Rutgers 49

Storrs, CT (Sports Network) - Hasheem Thabeet scored 15 points with a team- best eight rebounds as No. 2 Connecticut rolled past Rutgers, 80-49, at Gampel Pavilion.

Jerome Dyson picked up 14 points with four assists for the Huskies (12-1, 1-1 Big East), who had an easy time posting the victory after suffering their first loss of the year against Georgetown on Monday. Jeff Adrien added 13 points while Stanley Robinson chipped in 11 points with seven boards.

Greg Echenique led with 17 points and three blocked shots for the Scarlet Knights (9-6, 0-2), who have lost three straight games, but all of those contests coming against the top three teams in the nation. Mike Rosario added 10 points in the setback.

Rutgers began this tough stretch by falling to top-ranked North Carolina last Sunday, then lost to No. 3 Pitt on Wednesday.

UConn put the game away within the first 3 1/2 minutes of the second half, as Adrien began a 8-5 burst with a layup off the fast break, and Gavin Edwards ended it with a slam for a 37-23 game.

Rutgers never regained its balance from that point, only getting within 12 before the Huskies coasted to victory.

A.J. Price's free throw with 10:28 to play provided UConn's first 20-point lead of the contest, then another make from the line by Thabeet put the Huskies ahead 70-40 with 4:11 remaining. A slam from Edwards provided the final exclamation point for the perennial powerhouse.

Rutgers led by five early, but UConn quickly seized momentum with an 18-6 run to take a 20-13 lead with 4:49 remaining on a pair from the line by Thabeet.

JR Inman hit a jumper on the next possession, but Connecticut finished the half by scoring nine of the next 12 points and were up 29-18 at the break following Dyson's two free throws.

Game Notes

Connecticut head coach Jim Calhoun missed the second half with an unknown illness...UConn has won 32-of-45 matchups with Rutgers...Edwards scored 10 points off the bench for the Huskies...Price led all players with seven assists...Rutgers doomed itself by shooting 6-of-23 from the floor in the first half and finished at 28.8 percent (15-of-52).

01/03 23:00:45 ET