HOUSTON (AP) -- Second-ranked Connecticut had to beat the clock Thursday night, because the Huskies sure weren't able to outplay Houston down the stretch.

Khalid El-Amin scored 27 points and Connecticut escaped with an 82-76 victory over the Cougars, who trailed by 28 points with 6:11 left and were still clawing back when the final seconds ticked off.

"We played 33 minutes of great ball and lost our intensity," El-Amin said. "Great teams don't do that. We're lucky to get out with a win."

The Huskies (9-1) were ahead 78-50 and cruising toward a ninth straight victory when the Cougars (6-6), ignited by a previously cold Gee Gervin, went on a closing 26-4 run.

"We showed a lot of pride tonight," said Gervin, who was 1-for-8 from the field and had five turnovers in the first half. "We pulled it together in the second half as we wanted to finish strong in our own building."

Kenny Younger had 24 points for Houston and Gervin finished with 19, 17 in the second half.

Kevin Freeman had 13 points for Connecticut while Albert Mouring added 12 and Tony Robertson 11.

Connecticut center Jake Voskuhl, a native of suburban Katy, Texas, scored only two points in his homecoming but led the Huskies with eight rebounds.

"I don't want to take any credit away (from Houston), they made good shots," Voskuhl said. "But, we made mistakes we usually don't make."

El-Amin left the game with under a minute remaining when he hit the floor hard on what was called an intentional foul by Younger. He walked off the court on his own power, favoring his right leg with a cramp.

He had promised an inspired game after one of his career-worst performances Dec. 23, going 1-for-13 from the field in a victory over Fairfield. He went 11-for-19 against Houston with four assists and five steals.

"Khalid just broke the game open himself," Connecticut coach Jim Calhoun said.

El-Amin paced Connecticut's first spurt, scoring 10 points in a 12-3 run over 3½ minutes midway through the first half. The 5-foot-10 guard scored on several daring drives despite being three inches shorter than the smallest Cougar on the floor.

His 21 first-half points were just three shy of Houston's starting lineup production in the first 20 minutes.

Houston managed to stay within eight points with three minutes remaining in the first half before the Huskies scored the final 13 for a 48-27 halftime lead.

"We had a mental lapse at the end of the first half, as we were down by seven and then they led by 21 at the half," Houston coach Clyde Drexler said. "I think that was what lost the game for us."