Orlando, Fla. — UConn took a victory lap around the Amway Center to show appreciation to happy Husky fans that stuck around for a post-championship party on Sunday.

Just two days earlier, the Huskies were just trying to stay out of breakdown lane.

Now a fine-tuned machine, they motored past all the competition, crossing the finish line by downing sixth-seeded Memphis, 72-58, in the American Athletic Conference tournament championship game. UConn, which lost in the previous to finals, won its first ACC title and earned the league's automatic NCAA tournament bid.

"It feels great," coach Kevin Ollie said. "I haven't won a conference championship yet as a head coach. To win the first one with this group, with all the ups and downs this season, it really makes it worthwhile.

"... I'm really so happy for these guys because they've been scrutinized a lot. And for them to come together like they did and play so hard for these three games and go into four overtimes, it really shows our toughness, our resiliency and what UConn is made of."

It's been a wild and unpredictable ride.

UConn was in jeopardy of missing out on the NCAA tournament for the second straight year after dropping three of their last five regular-season games.

Then the AAC tournament began, and the Huskies finally delivered on all their promise and potential. They received a huge shot of momentum from outlasting Cincinnati, 104-97 in four overtimes, in Friday's quarterfinal.

A bit of good fortune in the form of freshman Jalen Adams' game-tying miracle shot in the third overtime against Cincinnati saved UConn from elimination and kept its championship hopes alive.

"Thank God that shot went in because without that, none of this would be possible," Adams said.

After disposing of Temple (77-62) on Saturday, fifth-seeded UConn completed the arduous journey Sunday, overcoming rough offensive stretches and foul trouble to its frontcourt.

Sophomore Daniel Hamilton put the finishing touches on his brilliant tournament, contributing 12 points, 11 rebounds and six assists. He earned most outstanding player honors, averaging 21 points and 11.3 rebounds. Shonn Miller (13 points) and Adams (four points, four assists) made the all-championship team.

"Last year we came up short," Hamilton said. "So this year we just wanted to come in and make sure we won it. ... We came out with a lot of intensity and we came out with the victory."

As has been the case during tournament play, UConn relied on smothering defense to weaken its opponent, holding Memphis to 23.1 percent (6-for-26) in the first half and 37.5 percent overall, and turned up the intensity whenever challenged, especially after the Tigers cut a 16-point lead to just four (40-36) with 11 minutes, 42 seconds left.

What happened next was a thing of beauty.

With a surge of energy, the Huskies blasted off. Five different players contributed to a killer 15-2 spurt and Memphis couldn't buy a basket. Sterling Gibbs (13 points) buried his second three in that stretch and Hamilton scored to make it 55-38.

The finish line was in sight.

The bench brigade played a vital role, outscoring their counterparts 22-4. Senior Omar Calhoun had 10 points while juniors Kentan Facey and Amida Brimah and freshman Steve Enoch pitched in when their teammates were in foul trouble.

"The bench was definitely important," Calhoun said. "Every game coach tells us to stay ready. ... Everyone was staying focused."

UConn celebrated like champions, exchanging hugs and taking pictures with family members. A beaming Rodney Purvis (12 points) posed for the cameras while standing on the ladder after he cut a piece of the net. Brimah carried around the trophy during the victory lap. Several Husky basketball family members, including Shabazz Napier, Ray Allen and Boo Willingham, attended the game.

By the time their plane landed back in Connecticut Sunday night, the coaching staff shifted its focus to the NCAA tournament. As a No. 9 seed, UConn plays No. 8 Colorado at 1:30 p.m. Thursday in Des Moines, Iowa.

They're not satisfied with winning the program's eighth conference championship — the first seven came as members of the Big East Conference.

"It feels great, but we've got a lot more work to do," Purvis said. "We're going to get better ... I feel like we're jelling at the right time."

g.keefe@theday.com

A SNEAK PEAK AT COLORADO

Coach: Tad Boyle (6th year)

Conference: Pac-12

Record: 22-11, 10-8 (fifth place)

NCAA history: 14th appearance, fourth trip in five years

Last game: Lost to 15th-ranked Arizona, 82-78, in conference tournament quarterfinal on Thursday

Top players: 6-10 sr. forward Josh Scott (16.1 pts, 8.7 rebs), 6-6 redshirt so. guard George King (13.8 pts, 4.8 rebs), 6-5 redshirt jr. guard Josh Fortune (10.8 pts, 4 rebs), 6-9 redshirt jr. forward Wesley Gordon (7.2 pts, 7.6 rebs)

Quote: "We're at the point now where we're not happy to be in the tournament," Boyle told the Denver Post. "We want to advance in the tournament and make some noise."

Noteworthy: Earned at-large bid. ... First meeting between the two programs. ... Common foes: Beat SMU, 70-66, Dec. 23. Huskies split with SMU. ... Gone 3-4 in last seven games. ... Rebounding a strength, with a plus 8.9 margin. Outrebounded Arizona, 51-35, in conference tournament game and had 25 offensive rebounds. ... Buffaloes average 76 points and allow 70.7. ... Not a great shooting team, converting 42.5 percent from the field. ... Fortune is a transfer from Providence, starting for the 2014 NCAA tournament team. ... Average 7.6 3-pointers per game. ... Deep Buffaloes: Nine players average 16 or more minutes. ... Winner likely plays top-seeded Kansas on Saturday.

— Gavin Keefe