HARTFORD, Conn. — Houston guard DeJon Jarreau believes he’s gotten his basketball career back on track and expects to be a factor as the Cougars make a run at a conference title and perhaps something bigger.

The sophomore transfer from Massachusetts had 18 points and seven assists to help No. 9 Houston beat Connecticut 71-63 on Thursday night for its ninth straight victory.

Armoni Brooks added 12 points for the Cougars (24-1, 11-1 AAC). They opened the second half with a 17-4 run to take control.

Jarraeu had to sit out last season as a transfer and to get his academics in order at a junior college. He missed seven games early this season after the deaths of his grandmother and a cousin, a finger injury and a disciplinary issue.

He followed a 16-point game against Cincinnati on Sunday by hitting six of his 10 shots Thursday.

“Missing a lot of time last year and at the beginning of the season really messed me up,” he said. “But everybody kept encouraging me, telling me to keep my head up. Just add me as another playmaker alongside all of our guards and I think we can make a deep run,”

Christian Vital had 15 points for UConn (13-12, 4-8). The Huskies have lost three straight since a knee injury took out scoring leader Jalen Adams.

Houston led 32-29 after 20 minutes. It was 49-33 after a 3-pointer from Brooks capped the Cougars big run, and Jarreau’s driving layup gave Houston a 17-point lead with just over 71/2 minutes to go.

“We just weren’t ready for the way they were going to bring it,” UConn coach Dan Hurley said.

UConn cut it to 61-55 after a 3-pointer by Sidney Wilson and a free throw from Christian Vital.

But another layup by Jarreau, followed by a steal and two foul shots from Cedrick Alley Jr. pushed the lead back to double digits.

“Probably our most talented kid is Jarreau,” Houston coach Kelvin Sampson said. “He’s still not there yet. I see him in practice every day do things that he hasn’t let himself do in games.”