University of Connecticut Athletics
University of Connecticut
USF
UConn Overcomes Slow Start to Take Down USF, 58-44
1/6/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Box Score | Notes | Photo Gallery 
Tampa, Fla. - University of Connecticut sophomore center Amida Brimah (Accra, Ghana) scored 13 points and senior guard Ryan Boatright (Aurora, Ill.) added 10 as UConn shrugged off a slow start to beat South Florida, 58-44, on Tuesday night. The Huskies improved to 8-5 overall and 1-1 in American Athletic Conference play with the win, while the Bulls (7-9) now sit at 2-1 in league play.
Connecticut completed a successful road trip to the Sunshine State, following up on last Saturday's come-from-behind win over Florida in a rematch of one of last season's national semifinals.
The defending national champions trailed by seven early but took control during a 21-2 run, including 14 straight points to open a 42-26 lead early in the second half.
Boatright's 3-pointer made it 51-33 and the closest USF got over the last eight minutes was 12. UConn won for the fourth time in five games, with the lone setback over the stretch a four-point overtime loss at home to Temple in their American Athletic Conference opener.
Corey Allen Jr. led USF with 12 points. In addition to leading UConn in scoring, the 7-foot Brimah had eight rebounds and a season-high six blocks. Boatright scored eight of his 10 points after halftime.
Boatright, hindered the previous two games by a deep thigh bruise that limited him to playing just 17 minutes against Temple, continued to struggle offensively for the Huskies. Despite scoring 14 and helping UConn overcome a 13-point second-half deficit to beat Florida, the senior guard missed nine of 11 shots from the field against the Gators.
He missed three of his first four shots against USF, which led most of the opening half before UConn closed on a 7-0 spurt to take a 28-24 halftime lead. Junior guard Omar Calhoun (Brooklyn, N.Y.) keyed the surge with a 3-pointer that ended a stretch of nine consecutive misses from beyond the arc by the cold-shooting Huskies, then followed with a 17-foot jumper to put his team ahead for good.
UConn's first eight field goals of the night were made by different players, and the Huskies continued to share the scoring load in the second half. Calhoun finished with eight points and Daniel Hamilton had seven.
Allen didn't have much help offensively for USF. The Bulls' other big scoring threats, Chris Perry and Anthony Collins, were held to five points apiece on combined 4-of-14 shooting.
The Huskies return to action Saturday when they host conference foe Cincinnati at the XL Center in Hartford. The game, which tips-off at 11 a.m., will be broadcasted by CBS Sports Network.
