Storrs — Geno Auriemma said it's something he and his UConn women's basketball staff members have been discussing the last few weeks: how to give the players who don't usually start a sense of urgency, a sense of ownership in the team that has now won 62 straight games.

So while reigning national player of the year Breanna Stewart, along with fellow stars Moriah Jefferson and Morgan Tuck earned a spot on the Wooden Award Late Season Top 20 list, none of them were in UConn's starting lineup Wednesday night for an American Athletic Conference game against Cincinnati, coached by former UConn player and assistant coach Jamelle Elliott.

Top-ranked UConn, tied 15-15 in the first quarter when Auriemma, the Huskies' Hall of Fame coach, subbed out all five starters and inserted the stars, routed Cincinnati anyway 88-34.

Auriemma's hoping it did some good for his starting lineup of Napheesa Collier, Katie Lou Samuelson, Natalie Butler, Kia Nurse and Saniya Chong.

“There's a tendency for kids to just defer all the time. 'When I come in, we'll already be up 25,'” Auriemma said before adding with a laugh, “plus we were starting to lag a little bit in bench points.

“It was what I thought it would be, we wouldn't have a problem scoring, but the five people we had on the floor, none of them are guarding Courtney Williams (of South Florida) a week from Monday. We knew we would struggle a little bit on the defensive end.”

Stewart, a senior, who missed starting for the first time since her freshman season, said she's certain the lesson will help.

“There's a little extra chip on their shoulder,” Stewart said of Wednesday's starters. “They want to make sure they're really focused. … They came to UConn to make an impact, not just watch others. I think they're starting to understand. I don't think it's going to happen overnight.”

For one thing, Stewart, Tuck and Jefferson, who came into the game with 3 minutes, 26 seconds left in the first quarter along with Gabby Williams and Courtney Ekmark, entered with a vengeance.

From the time Cincinnati's Bianca Quisenberry scored to pull the Bearcats within 20-19 with 59 seconds to go in the first quarter, UConn outscored them 68-15 the rest of the way.

Butler finished with 14 points and 10 rebounds, the most assertive she has been, Auriemma said, and Stewart added 14 points, eight rebounds (tying Elliott at fifth on UConn's career rebounding list with 1,054), five assists and two blocks in 21 minutes.

Jefferson had 11 points and three assists, Collier 11 points and eight rebounds and Samuelson 10 points, three assists and three steals, giving the Huskies (25-0, 14-0) five players in double figures.

Stewart, meanwhile, was also the team spokesman after the game, when she addressed the 8,461 fans at Gampel Pavilion. On what was UConn's “Play4Kay” game, with the Huskies wearing pink-trimmed uniforms that will be auctioned off to benefit cancer awareness, Stewart paid tribute to ESPN reporter Holly Rowe, who is battling cancer.

“When you see someone going through that, you want to wish them the best,” Stewart said of Rowe. “It's unbelievable how strong she is.”

UConn allowed just nine points in the second half, going on a 20-0 run to start the third quarter and outscoring the Bearcats 28-5 overall in the third, including back-to-back 3-pointers by Samuelson and Stewart.

Butler, for one — a 6-foot-5 center who sat out last season after transferring from Georgetown, where she was Big East Conference Freshman of the Year — seemed to take the starting role for this game with the utmost seriousness.

“I think I was more physical. I know I need to add more physicality,” Butler said. “The group we had out there starting, I think it was eye-opening for us. For us, it was really important.”

“If she can just do that every night, she helps us,” Auriemma said.

Quisenberry had nine points to lead Cincinnati (7-18, 3-11).

UConn next plays Saturday at East Carolina (8 p.m.).

v.fulkerson@theday.com

Twitter: @vickieattheday