HARTFORD, Conn. -- Rodney Purvis scored a career-high 30 points and UConn beat South Florida 77-66 on Thursday night in the first round of the American Athletic Conference Tournament.
Amida Brimah added 13 points and Christian Vital had 11 for the Huskies (15-16), who snapped a four-game losing streak.
Geno Thorpe scored 23 points for South Florida (7-23), which lost six in a row and 18 of its final 19 games to end the season.
UConn led by 13 points at halftime and 15 after a Brimah dunk to open the second half.