STORRS, Conn. -- Rashad Anderson found the perfect way to head into the holiday break.
The Connecticut swingman made all seven of his 3-pointers and scored a career-high 33 points Friday in UConn's 129-61 rout over lowly Morehead State.
He hit from every angle, whether he was wide open or had a defender on him.
"I just felt good. The last couple of weeks I've been in the gym a lot, before practice, after practice," Anderson said. "It's been paying off."
It's been a while since Anderson could say that. He was hospitalized with a life-threatening leg infection for nearly two weeks last season. He still has some weakness in the leg, he said, but against the Eagles, he never missed a beat.
His teammates poured it on as well.
Anderson was one of seven players to score in double figures for the second-ranked Huskies (9-0), who set a Gampel Pavilion record for offense. The 68-point margin matched the Eagles' worst loss. Michigan State handed the Eagles a 121-53 loss in the 1992-93 season.
Overmatched from the start, Morehead State (1-8) gave up the most points in school history and lost its eighth straight. It was beaten 128-91 by Utah State in the 1965-66 season.
Rudy Gay had 18 points for the Huskies and finished with a career-best eight assists and six blocks.
"They came out and pressed us and generally teams that press us allow to get ourselves going," UConn coach Jim Calhoun said. "And this was their third game in five days so it made it very difficult for them to stay with us."
The Huskies head into a six-day break then return with home games against Stony Brook and Quinnipiac. They don't figure to cause UConn any more problems than Morehead State did. The combined record of those three teams is 6-15, so the Huskies are likely to be 11-0 when league play begins Jan. 3.
The game was loaded with an assortment of highlight reel dunks, crisp passing and dominating post play against an overmatched opponent. The fans also got an extra treat with a Marcus Williams sighting.
The junior point guard, last season's Big East assists leader, finally joined his teammate on the bench after a semester-long suspension for his role in the theft of stolen laptops this summer. His criminal record will be erased if he successfully completes an 18-month special probation for first-time offenders.
A contrite Williams said he expects no sympathy from anyone when he returns. He just wants to move forward.
"I just wasn't thinking," he said. "I think it's made me more mature, a better person."
He began practicing with the team this week and will be eligible to play his first game when the Huskies open the Big East season Jan. 3 at Marquette. He said it was "wonderful" to be back.
"I can't wait to start playing," Williams said. "They welcomed me back with open arms. They embraced me and made me feel like it was last year again. They made me feel like I was part of the team."
Dressed in a suit and tie, Williams had a front-row seat during the rout.
UConn dominated from the opening tip.
Anderson had four 3-pointers in the first half and forward Ed Nelson dominated inside with 12 points in the period to help UConn to a 27-4 lead with just six minutes gone. It didn't get any easier for the Eagles, who trailed 67-30 at the break.
UConn outscored the Eagles 62-28 in the paint, outrebounding them 46-33, led by Jeff Adrien's career-high 10 boards. The Eagles couldn't match UConn's depth, either, as the Huskies' reserves outscored the Eagles' subs 73-25.
Shaun Williams led Morehead State with 25 points.
Anderson now has a team-leading 25 3-pointers for the season, shooting .595 from behind he arc. He did all his damage against the Eagles in just 22 minutes of play.
"These games mean a lot to us especially for guys who normally don't play to get their confidence," Anderson said.
Anderson had plenty of that on Friday. He was also very thankful.
"It's really been a blessing to be here. You never know if you're ever going to get back to the point where you were or beyond," he said. "Never take anything for granted in life."
