CINCINNATI -- Kyle Washington scored a career-high 27 points and Gary Clark added 20 points and 11 rebounds as No. 14 Cincinnati defeated Connecticut 82-68 before a sellout crowd of 13,428 on Saturday at Fifth Third Arena.

Coach Mick Cronin was only worried about one number, and that was the 18 deflections the Bearcats amassed. That figure, he said, was pitiful.

"If we have a game with 18 deflections that's not in this building, we will lose. We'll be done in March," said Cronin, who considers 40 deflections the benchmark for any game.

"UConn's playing freshmen. They've got injuries. They're trying to fight through it. We made every shot tonight. Obviously, Kyle and Gary combined tonight for 19 field goals. We're supposed to win.

"But I thought defensively we played well for about 10 minutes where we pulled away. I thought that's the only time we played well on the defensive end."

Cronin described the Bearcats' offense as "efficient." The team, off to its best start under the 11th-year UC coach, led by as many as 26 points. UConn outscored Cincinnati 12-5 in the last five minutes but did not seriously threaten.

The Bearcats (21-2, 10-0 American Athletic Conference) claimed a 14th straight victory -- and 22nd consecutive win at home, dating to last season -- by outplaying the Huskies (10-12, 5-5) on the glass and scoring 16 points off turnovers.

Then there was Washington, who was a one-man wrecking crew. He eluded defenders from the paint to the perimeter, where he buried a career-high three 3-pointers. He scored 13 of Cincinnati's first 17 points and finished with a team-second eight rebounds.

Connecticut coach Kevin Ollie said UConn did little to stop Washington.

“To have him go over his right shoulder over and over again, which the scouting report said make him go the other shoulder, means (UConn players are) not following coaches' instructions and you're not playing tough enough," Ollie said. "You've got to do that to win games against Cincinnati and a lot of teams in the conference. You have to do that, and you have to be tough."

Although the Huskies missed 9 of 11 shots from the field during one stretch, Clark said the Bearcats never considered UConn down and out. They've experienced Huskies comebacks far too often in the series rivalry.

"You tried to get a keep a good perspective on it," Washington said. "They've been struggling a little bit, but they're still UConn, coached by a great UConn player himself and he played in the NBA. They have NBA-caliber talent. And like Gary said, we have to stay humble and hungry, honestly."

The Huskies emerged from a timeout in a zone defense, but Jarron Cumberland made them pay with a 3-pointer that stretched Cincinnati's lead. Kevin Johnson hit a 3-pointer, extending an 8-0 run, and Ollie called a timeout with 4:27 left in the first half.

Clark delivered an electrifying dunk that ensured a 34-26 lead heading into the break, and then picked up offensively where he left off in the second half. He energized Cincinnati with a 3-pointer and layup that forced another UConn timeout.

The Huskies chipped away at the lead and went on an 11-0 tear with 3:23 left, but UC held on to win. Rodney Purvis, who led UConn with 20 points, scored six points in the run.

The teams play again March 5 at UConn in a regular-season finale. Cronin said UC must be a better version of itself in the rematch.

"If we don't play 40 minutes, we'll lose at UConn. I can promise you that," Cronin said. "We made so many shots that that's what broke their spirit. That’s what broke them."

NOTES: Cincinnati wore Under Armour throwback uniforms of the program's 1991-92 season, which featured a run to the Final Four. That team was honored Saturday in a presentation that included video messages from former coach Bob Huggins and past greats Erik Martin and Nick Van Exel. ... UConn has faced two ranked teams this season and lost to both. It fell to No. 13 Oregon in the Maui Jim Maui Invitational and then to No. 14 UC on Saturday. ... Nysier Brooks watched the game from the Bearcats' bench in plain clothes. The freshman center hyperextended a knee two games ago in a victory over South Florida. ... Troy Caupain logged his 100th assist and had six total assists against UConn. This marks Caupain's third season with at least 100 assists, which puts him in rare company with former Cincinnati players Cashmere Wright (2011-13) and Deonta Vaughn (2007-10).