HARTFORD, Conn. -- Connecticut went on a 13-0 run midway through the first half to erase a Cornell lead and held off the Big Red despite a game-high 26 points from Matt Morgan as the Huskies earned a 91-74 victory on Tuesday evening at the XL Center. UConn improved to 4-1, while Cornell dropped to 3-3.

Morgan's 26 came on 11-of-15 shooting and added four rebounds, two blocked shots and a steal in a losing effort. In the process, he moved into ninth on the Ivy League's all-time scoring list. Josh Warren scored 10 and both Troy Whiteside and Jack Gordon scored eight points, with Gordon adding four assists. The Big Red shot 46 percent overall and assisted on 17 of the team's 24 made baskets. 

Jalen Adams scored 21 points and Christian Vital chipped in 19 and had three of the team's 12 steals on the day to lead UConn. Tarin Smith (12), Alterique Gilbert (11) and Tyler Polley (10) also reached double figures for the home team. Connecticut connected on 51 percent from the floor and held a 35-29 edge on the glass.

Cornell led 23-20 midway through the first half, but a 13-0 UConn run put the Huskies in the driver's seat. The Big Red was able to consistently beat the home team backdoor for layups, outscoring the bigger UConn team 18-16 in the paint over the first 20 minutes. Morgan hit 5-of-8 shots for 11 points at the break, while Warren had eight points and Boeheim chipped in three points, three rebounds and three assists. Cornell hit 50 percent of its shots from the floor, but the Huskies were even better at 55 percent. Jalen Adams had 13 first half points and Christian Vital scored 11 to lead UConn.

The Big Red chipped away at a lead that grew to as many as 23 points, getting within 13 (65-52) on a feed from Gordon to Jake Kuhn for a reverse layup. After UConn called timeout, the home team scored on a layup, stole a pass in the backcourt that resulted in a dunk and never let Cornell closer than 15 points in the final 10 minutes.

NOTES TO KNOW
• Matt Morgan's 26 points moved him past Harvard's Don Fleming into ninth on the Ivy League's all-time scoring list (1,799).
• Morgan extended his streak of consecutive games scoring in double figures to 57.
• Junior Chaz Mack had seven points, a personal best in a Cornell uniform.
• Cornell head coach Brian Earl (Dan, VMI) and Connecticut head coach Dan Hurley (Bobby, Arizona State) are among five active sets of brothers who are at the helm of Division I men's basketball programs.

NEXT UP
• After a Thanksgiving break, the Big Red returns to action at Lafayette on Wednesday, Nov. 28 at 7 p.m. in Easton, Pa.
• The Leopards hold a narrow 11-10 edge in the series, though the Big Red has won three consecutive meetings.
• Cornell earned an 80-71 home victory over Lafayette last year behind 26 points from Matt Morgan.