Storrs — UConn's level of success this season will likely depend on the development of its supporting cast.

Coach Dan Hurley has mentioned that theme many times during the preseason, including on Thursday, the day before the regular season opener against Sacred Heart.

"We need big jumps from pretty much every returner," Hurley said.

Early signs are encouraging.

Junior Tyler Polley, redshirt sophomore Sid Wilson and sophomore Brendan Adams made important contributions, combining for 38 points, 28 in the first half alone, to help lift the Huskies to an 89-67 win before an announced crowd of 10,167 at Gampel Pavilion.

Adams finished with a career-high 15 points while Wilson had 13 points and Polley added 10. The trio averaged a combined 15.6 points last season.

"Me and Sid talk all the time about bringing the energy," Adams said. "So we both came in and did that. I feel like that's what we're going to have to do all year."

It's a good thing they played well because UConn's veteran backcourt of Christian Vital and Alterique Gilbert played like nervous newcomers until getting on track in the second half. And the other member of the team's big three club, center Josh Carlton, battled early foul trouble.

"Big time," Vital said of his supporting cast's contribution. "Al and I weren't really too aggressive. We wanted to see what other guys were going to do because we've been telling them to shoot. ... We just wanted to make sure the guys were confident. We knew we could go and score. Sid and Brendan, I'm really proud of those guys for stepping up and being confident in themselves."

Once UConn's top three returning scorers heated up, the Huskies seized control and rolled to the expected rout. Vital scored of 15 of his 17 points in the second half and added a career-high tying seven steals while Carlton had a game-high 18 points and eight rebounds. Gilbert added just six points.

"Happy to get a win," Hurley said. "Any win is a good win. Obviously, quite a few parts of the night don't sit well and obviously need to be addressed."

The Huskies, who led 40-37 at the break, did everything better in the second half. Overall, they limited Sacred Heart to 30.2 percent from the field and forced 25 turnovers.

Carlton scored the first eight points after intermission to hand UConn its biggest lead thus far, 48-37. Then Vital, who had two points, four turnovers and no field goals in the first half, came to life, burying consecutive 3-pointers. Gilbert added a basket to cap a 16-4 run to push the lead to 56-41.

UConn's defense tightened up considerably as well and Hurley could finally take a deep breath.

The UConn coach considers season openers to be stressful, anxiety-ridden games. And the Huskies did nothing to calm his fears in the first half.

They got off to a rocky start.

Neither team led by more than six in an ugly first half that featured 25 fouls and 21 turnovers, including 14 by Sacred Heart. The Pioneers dominated the boards, 28-13, and grabbed 11 offensive rebounds. The Huskies were out-rebounded 49-41 overall.

"The rebounding was indescribably bad," Hurley said.

Vital was involved in a brief altercation with Sacred Heart's Zach Pfaffenberger. Officials stepped in to break them up and then checked the replay monitor during a timeout.

Both players received a technical foul.

"That was nothing," Vital said of the confrontation. "I took the ball from him and I looked at him. Didn't say a word. I can't play and ref. I didn't think anything of it." 

Vital had more fouls (two) than field goals (zero) in the first half and Gilbert had just four points.

Wilson, Adams and Polley kept the Huskies afloat. The first two scored 14 of the team's first 21 points. Then Polley took the scoring baton, notching seven straight points.

By halftime, Wilson (10 points), Polley (10 points) and Adams (eight points) all surpassed their season average last season of 4.6, 8.4 and 2.6, respectively.

But the Huskies couldn't shake the Pioneers until the second half.

They lacked the passion that Hurley is looking for out of his team.

"Just thought coming into that first half, we'd be a lot more emotional, a lot more joyful and a lot more excited," Hurley said.

Redshirt freshman Akok Akok finished with four points, four blocks and four rebounds in his debut. Freshman Jalen Gaffney went scoreless in nine minutes.

Hurley announced Thursday that freshman guard James Bouknight was suspended for the first three games for his off-the-court troubles.

The Pioneers fell to 0-2, losing their season opener at Providence, 106-60, on Tuesday.

g.keefe@theday.com