Hartford, CT -- (Sports Network) - Craig Austrie scored 21 points, and the second-ranked Connecticut Huskies routed the Hartford Hawks, 99-56, in early- season action at XL Center.

Kemba Walker had 21 points, while Jerome Dyson added 18 in the win for UConn (2-0), which opened up its season with a 81-55 victory over Western Carolina. Jeff Adrien contributed 12 points and 15 rebounds, and Hasheem Thabeet had nine points and eight rebounds in the win.

Morgan Sabia scored a team-high 15 points for the Hawks (0-2), who dropped a 63-62 decision to Quinnipiac to open the season. Joe Zeglinski had 11 points, while Jaret Von Rosenberg added nine points in the loss.

Dyson's three gave the Huskies an early 12-4 lead just five minutes into the contest. Zeglinski's layup three minutes later pulled the Hawks to within four, but Charles Okwandu's jumper gave UConn a 30-19 advantage with under seven minutes left in the half.

Austrie led all scorers at the break with 11, and the Huskies held a 41-32 edge.

The Hawks stormed out in the second half with a 12-4 run, cutting their deficit to one point at 45-44 after Kevin Estes' hook shot was good a little over three minutes into the half.

An Estes layup got Hartford to within four at 53-49, but UConn proceeded to take control of the game with a 12-0 run, as Walker's three-pointer extended the Huskies' lead to 16.

The Hawks would not come within 15 for the rest of the game, and UConn cruised to the victory.

Game Notes

Hartford won the first matchup between the schools, but UConn has won the 13 subsequent meetings...The Huskies and Hawks met for the first time since 1998...UConn has recorded 63 straight wins against in-state opponents, dating back to 1986.