Hartford — Thoughts of warm sun, sand and big-time basketball bounced around inside their heads on Saturday.

UConn's players had the upcoming trip to the Bahamas on their minds and it showed in their uneven play, even though the No. 23 Huskies took care of Binghamton 87-63 before 9,335 fans at the XL Center.

"Just happy that's over with," coach Dan Hurley said. "Incredibly painful game to watch if you're a UConn fan or coach. Just a really flat, really poor performance at both ends of the court. Finishing at the rim was bad. We were in all the wrong spots defensively."

"To not be able to play better quality basketball at both ends was really, really disappointing."

UConn wiped out its opponents by an average 46.4 points per game in the previous three games, but never hit warp speed against Binghamton.

"I feel like a lot of players had the Bahamas in the back of their head and just looked forward to that trip," senior Tyrese Martin said. "It showed in most of the guys' performances. Guys have to grow from that and take it one game at a time."

Martin had his best all-around game of the season, contributing team highs in points (15), rebounds (11), assists (4) and steals (3).

So why wasn't Martin distracted?

"Honestly, I'm not a beach person," Martin said. "I'd rather go in the pool than the beach. I don't like the wet sand. I was just locked in on getting through this game. Now, I'll be able to turn the page."

UConn (4-0) is off to its best start in Hurley's four seasons. The Huskies will be severely tested at the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament, starting with No. 21 Auburn on Wednesday.

Hurley would have preferred a far better performance prior to the Auburn game, but didn't get it. He took only three positives out of the game.

First was Martin's aggressive play.

"He just did a little bit of everything," Hurley said. "He just played mature unlike a number of other guys."

Hurley also liked what sophomore Andre Jackson did. Jackson finished with nine points, eight rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks.

"It's a stat line that you hope to get from him pretty consistently," Hurley said.

And freshman Jordan Hawkins earned Hurley's praise.

Hawkins has quickly become an important part of the rotation after missing the first two games with an ankle injury. Blessed with a smooth jump shot, he finished with 11 points in 14 minutes.

"He brings a different element of perimeter firepower, potentially," Hurley said.

Hawkins is part of a productive bench brigade. Reserves accounted for 41 points, including 25 in the first half when the Huskies badly needed a lift.

With UConn's starters (Martin the lone exception) struggling, Hawkins, Akok Akok, Tyler Polley and Jalen Gaffney came off the bench to provide a spark. The Huskies missed 12 of their first 13 shots while falling behind 7-4.

Jackson's putback dunk ignited a 19-2 run that handed the Huskies a 23-9 advantage.

UConn's super subs accounted for the next 15 points. Akok buried a corner 3-pointer to give the Huskies the lead for good and then hit a second three for a 21-9 edge. In between those two baskets, Polley converted a jumper from the wing, Hawkins tipped in a basket and Gaffney scored five straight points.

"They've done that the last two games," Hurley said of his bench players.

Hurley, however, expects more from his starters.

He understands that Isaiah Whaley is still working his way back from an ankle injury, although the veteran forward still had six points and 11 rebounds. But Adama Sanogo hasn't been locked in the last two games and R.J. Cole needs to play at an All-Big East level, according to Hurley. Sanogo finished with 12 points and Cole a season-low four points on 2-for-9 shooting.

The fact that the Huskies forced only 11 turnovers bothered Hurley, who also was really disappointed in his team's transition game and called defensive rebounds "an adventure."

With all that said, UConn built a double digit lead by intermission for the fourth straight game, holding a 37-22 edge.

The Huskies, who put away the last three foes with strong second halves, led by only 11 (48-37) with 13:37 remaining.

It took a hard foul by Binghamton's Ogheneyole Akuwovo on Jackson at the 11:26 mark to fire up the Huskies. The two teams exchanged heated words.

Akuwovo was hit with a flagrant 1 foul and Sanogo earned a dead ball technical foul when he came to the defense of Jackson.

"I wasn't a fan of the flagrant," Jackson said. "But I think that got me going. It made me get into the game more and be more competitive on both ends. ... I started to bring more energy. So, it was a good thing and a bad thing."

On the next possession, Jackson stole the ball and finished it off with a breakaway dunk. UConn's lead eventually grew to 24.

Now the Huskies can finally start thinking about the Bahamas.

"We're ready for the big ones right now," Hurley said, referring to the stiff competition ahead. "Play four games like this, it's bound to happen, it's human nature to take your foot off the gas and put it on the brake.

"Twenty-five of our next twenty-seven games are high major games. I think this looks like a team that's ready to do that and attack that."

g.keefe@theday.com