No. 15 Connecticut 66, Bryant 53: Ryan Boatright scored a game-high 24 points and ignited a second-half comeback as the defending national champions rallied past the visiting Bulldogs.

Boatright, the American Athletic Conference preseason player of the year, poured in 16 points in the second half - 14 during a decisive 20-6 run - as Connecticut (1-0) overcame a six-point halftime deficit. Center Amida Brimah had 12 points and five blocked shots and Sam Cassell Jr. added 10 for the Huskies.

Dyami Starks led upset-minded Bryant (0-1) with 18 points and was joined in double figures by Dan Garvin with 10. The duo combined for 21 first-half points before the Bulldogs went cold in the second half

The Huskies appeared on their way to an early blowout when Daniel Hamilton knocked down a 3-pointer to make it 19-8 less than nine minutes into the contest. Bryant stormed back with an 18-0 spurt, hitting four 3-pointers and getting eight points from Starks, and carried a 34-28 lead into halftime.

Connecticut trailed by nine early in the second half, but Boatright scored seven straight points to cut the deficit to one and then hit a 3-pointer for a 52-45 lead with 6 1/2 minutes remaining. Cassell buried a 3-pointer as the Huskies built the advantage to 10 with just over four minutes to play.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Huskies C Brimah, who scored in double figures only four times last season, also had five rebounds. ... Garvin, who had 10 points in the first half, missed all seven shots after intermission. ... Huskies G Rodney Purvis, a transfer from North Carolina State, was suspended for the opener for playing in more than one summer league game - a violation of NCAA rules.