PISCATAWAY, N.J. -- After losing by 14 points at Connecticut, Rutgers coach Gary Waters guaranteed things would be different when the No. 18 Huskies visited New Jersey.
It was, only worse.
Charlie Villanueva and Josh Boone each scored 21 points and Connecticut put on a show at both ends of the court in embarrassing Rutgers 85-63 on Saturday night. As the Scarlet Knights were getting pounded, some of their fans were chanting for Waters to be fired.
Denham Brown, who added 18 points, said the Huskies were reminded by coach Jim Calhoun of Waters' comments before the game.
"Shoot, this is our reaction," Brown said, motioning with his head toward the scoreboard. "Everything explains itself. We just came out more prepared than they were today."
Connecticut hit eight 3-pointers and made a couple of highlight-reel dunks in handing Rutgers (8-15, 2-11 Big East) its third straight loss and 12th in 14 games.
"This was definitely a statement game," said Villanueva, who also had a game-high 11 rebounds. "I remember back when we played them at Hartford, coach Waters said it was going to be a different game when we came down to the RAC. So we took that really to heart and we practiced like we were playing Duke."
Marcus Williams added 11 points and Rudy Gay had 10 for the Huskies (17-6, 9-3) who shot 52.5 percent from the field in winning for the fifth time in six games.
Calhoun said he could not let Waters slide for making his comment.
"It's in the third chapter, fifth paragraph of the coaching manual, that when someone says 'You got us, but we're gonna get you when you get to our place,' you've gotta say it to your kids. You just have to," Calhoun said. "It's probably an oath that you take, and I did just mention to them that they think they're gonna kick our butt down here, and let's make sure we jump on them right away."
Marquis Webb had 15 points and Manny Quezada added 12 for the Scarlet Knights, who have lost seven games at the Rutgers Athletic Center this season, the most in any year since it joined the Big East in 1995-96.
Webb said his coach's boast didn't put any pressure on the team.
"I guess he just felt like we were coming back to the RAC, and it's our comfort zone," Webb said. "Today was a different story. They got out and ran."
Waters defended his comment.
"What has happened is they have gotten much, much better than when we played them up there," Waters said.
Brown, Gay, Villanueva and Boone combined for 23 points in the 26-5 run that gave the Huskies a 37-13 lead with 3:49 to play in the first half.
The spurt ended with a three-point play by Villanueva. As the teams huddled at their benches during a television timeout, some students started chanting "Fire Waters."
Surprisingly, the Scarlet Knights responded by playing their best basketball. They got their transition game going and scored the next 12 points, with Quincy Douby converting a three-point play with 1:32 to go to get the Scarlet Knights within 37-25.
Villanueva hit four straight free throws and Boone converted a late three-point play to give the Huskies a 44-25 halftime lead.
Connecticut put the game away in the opening minutes of the second half with a 15-4 spurt that featured five points apiece from Brown and Williams, and a play that got Waters so angry he took four players out of the game.
Villanueva missed a 3-pointer from the top of the key, but, as Rutgers players stood watching the ball, he got the rebound and fed Gay for a dunk.
