Both UConn and USF picked up home American Athletic Conference men's basketball wins Wednesday night (Feb. 26).

UConn 81, UCF 65 - Box Score
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — UConn could drop the rest of its games this season and still avoid a losing record for the first time in four years.

Isaiah Whaley tied a career-high with 18 points and pulled down 11 rebounds to help Connecticut to an 81-65 win over UCF Wednesday in the American Athletic Conference.

Christian Vital also had 18 points and James Bouknight finished with 16 for the Huskies (16-12, 7-8 American Athletic Conference), who have three games left in the regular season and at least one in the conference tournament.

“Everybody is in good spirits right now,” Whaley said. “We're still playing for stuff right now. We're still playing meaningful games.”

UConn led by just four points at halftime, but broke the game open with a 12-2 run early in the second half.

A Vital drive gave UConn its first double-digit lead at 53-42 and a second-chance dunk by Whaley put the Huskies up 60-43 lead midway through the second half.

Whaley, who came in averaging 4.7 points, hit seven of his nine shots from the floor and made all four of his foul shots.

“He was relentless on the boards, creating second and third opportunities for them,” UCF coach Johnny Dawkins said.

A 3-pointer by UCF's Darin Green Jr. capped a 7-0 run that cut the deficit to 10 points before the Huskies stretched it out again.

Collin Smith had 17 points to lead UCF (14-13, 5-10), which had won three of its previous four games, including victories over AAC leaders Cincinnati and Tulsa. Ceasar DeJesus added 14 points for the Knights.

UConn opened strong. Whaley had two early buckets, UConn scored its first eight points in the lane and jumped out to an 11-4 lead.

Smith hit three shots during a 10-3 run that tied the game and a drive by DeJesus around Vital gave UCF a lead at 18-16.

But the Huskies scored the next nine points, holding UCF off the scoreboard for 3 1/2 minutes.

The Bulls kept the game close and trailed 36-32 at halftime.

The Huskies, led by Whaley, won the game down low, outscoring UCF 48-38 in the paint and outrebounding the Knights 36-28.

Vital said the Huskies, who have now won three of their last four, are thinking about much more than a .500 record.

“I thought that was expected at a program like this,” he said.

USF 73, ECU 68 (OT) - Box Score
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Justin Brown scored five of his 18 points in overtime to lift USF to a 73-68 victory over East Carolina on Wednesday night.

Capping a second half that featured six ties and five lead changes, the Pirates' Tremont Robinson-White made a layup to even the score at 59 with 24 seconds left in regulation and send the game to overtime.

Brown made four 3-pointers and grabbed nine rebounds. Michael Durr added 15 points and eight rebounds for South Florida (12-16, 5-10 American Athletic Conference), which ended its four-game losing streak. Laquincy Rideau had 14 points. David Collins had 11 points and six rebounds.

Jayden Gardner had 19 points for the Pirates (11-18, 5-11). Brandon Suggs added 13 points. Tristen Newton had 10 points.

The Bulls evened the season series against the Pirates with the win. East Carolina defeated South Florida 62-59 on Jan. 7.