San Juan, Puerto Rico - If UConn is going to have a chance to defend its national championship, the Huskies will need to get a lot out of senior guard Ryan Boatright.

So far he's proving up to the challenge.

Boatright had 19 points, Daniel Hamilton added 15, and the No. 17 Huskies held off College of Charleston 65-57 in the first round of the Puerto Rico Tip-Off on Thursday.

"Good game plan, we didn't execute like we wanted to down the stretch ... but we'll take this win," UConn coach Kevin Ollie said. "Good effort from our guys. I really like our rebounding. We were plus-10 on the backboard. That was one thing that we tried to stress."

Amida Brimah added 14 points for the Huskies (2-0), despite struggling down the stretch with foul trouble.

Charleston (1-2) got within four in the final minute, but couldn't get any closer after losing big man Adjehi Baru to right leg injury.

UConn led by as many as 12, though Charleston's three-guard starting lineup was able to run with the Huskies for most of the game.

The Huskies went smaller in the second half and were able to spread out the feisty Cougars. UConn hit 15 of its final 23 shots.

The Huskies only had two turnovers at halftime, but had 11 turnovers in the second half.

Seeing his team's response with the game in doubt, Ollie said gives him a lot of confidence heading into a matchup today with Dayton, an Elite 8 team last season.

Boatright said he's focusing on getting more involved when his team needs an offensive boost.

"It's just working out," Boatright said. "It's all repetition on shots and taking game shots that I know I'm going to get in the offense, and watching a lot of film knowing that coach likes to run a lot of ball screens. And getting a lot better as a point guard learning to read defenses."

Anthony Stitt led the Cougars with 17 points. Baru and Joe Chealey each added 12.

The Cougars used the 6-foot-9 Baru to keep Brimah honest, putting more pressure on UConn's backcourt.

But when Baru left with less than minute to play after a hard spill, the Huskies immediately took advantage with a layup by Brimah that stretched its lead to seven.

Shots in the paint early on were hard to come by, as UConn forced Charleston into some off-balance jumpers. But the Cougars' shooters, particularly Stitt, were able to start making some outside shots in the second half.

"We gave great effort, but we gotta make it where we defend with greater discipline and not foul as much," Charleston coach Earl Grant said.

Boatright and Hamilton carried the scoring load for the Huskies in the first half, combining for 18 of their 30 points.

It helped mask a paltry 9-for-29 (32 percent) shooting performance in the half.

The Cougars weren't much better at 33 percent (7-for-21) with starters - Pat Branin, Cameron Johnson and Terrance O'Donohue - held scoreless.

No. 17 UConn vs. Dayton

Location: Coliseo Roberto Clemente, San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Tip: 2:30 p.m. (ESPN2).

Records: UConn 2-0, Dayton 2-0.

Last game: UConn beat College of Charleston 65-57 in Puerto Rico Tip-Off first round Wednesday; Dayton defeated Texas A&M 55-53.

Probable starters: UConn, 6-0 sr. guard Ryan Boatright (21.5 pts, 7 rebs, 5 assists), 6-4 rs so. guard Rodney Purvis (9 pts), 6-7 fr. forward Daniel Hamilton (12 pts, 6 rebs), 6-9 so. forward Kentan Facey (3.5 pts, 7.5 rebs), 7-0 so. center Amida Brimah (13 pts, 4.5 rebs, 3 blks).

Dayton, 6-0 so. guard Kyle Davis (11.5 pts), 6-2 so. guard Scoochie Smith (6 pts, 6.5 assists), 6-4 rs sr. guard Jordan Sibert (9 pts), 6-6 jr. forward Dyshawn Pierre (15 pts, 6 rebs), 6-9 jr. center Devon Scott (8 pts, 8 rebs).

Notes: Huskies face their first big test, playing a team that won 26 games and went to the NCAA Elite Eight last season. Flyers return two starters, Sibert and Pierre. ... Series: UConn trails 2-0, losing last meeting 80-66 in 2000. ... Dayton won tourney opener on Scott's tip-in with 1.2 seconds left, forced 21 turnovers but was outrebounded 47-26 and shot 36 percent. Pierre (14) and Davis (10) only players in double figures. ... Top reserve: fr. guard Darrell Davis (10 pts). ... Boatright led UConn in scoring in each of first two games. Purvis scored nine points in his debut vs. Charleston. .... Brimah hit double figures in consecutive games for first time in his career. ... Huskies yet to allow more than 57 points. ... Up next: UConn gets a day off Saturday before playing Sunday in either consolation or championshp game.

— Gavin Keefe