STORRS, Conn. (AP) - Marcus Williams made five free throws in the final 30 seconds and No. 1 Connecticut won its eighth straight, 80-76 over No. 9 Pittsburgh tonight in a game that looked like the Big East of old.

Rudy Gay had 22 points for the Huskies (19-1, 7-1), who improved to 6-0 this season against ranked teams and to 32-5 when playing as a top-ranked team.

Aaron Gray had 23 points and 12 rebounds for the Panthers (17-2, 6-2), who dropped to 0-13 all-time against No. 1-ranked teams.

There were bodies on the floor throughout the game, the defense was tenacious as both teams tried to go inside because no one was hitting from 3-point range and there was even a technical foul called on each head coach for animated objections to non-calls. Two of the best teams in the 2005-06 Big East played a game similar to those played by the league's power teams of the mid-1980s.

Keith Benjamin hit a floater in the lane with 1:45 left to bring the Panthers within 72-71.

Gay capitalized on a Pitt turnover for a three-point play with 51 seconds left to make it a four-point lead and after Antonio Graves missed a 3, Williams made one free throw with 30 seconds left to make it 76-71.

Freshman Levance Fields hit a 3, Pittsburgh's second of the game in 19 attempts, to make it 76-74 with 19 seconds left. Williams made two sets of two free throws around two by Gray to close the scoring.

Josh Boone had 16 points, six in a 2-minute span of the second half when the Huskies were able to take a 67-61 lead with 5:05 to go. Rashad Anderson added 12 points for the Huskies, Williams had 11 points and 11 assists and Denham Brown scored 11 points.

Carl Krauser, Pitt's senior point guard who fouled out with 2:58 to play, and Sam Young each had 10 points for the Panthers.

Connecticut had nine blocked shots, just under its NCAA-leading 9.2 per game. Boone and Hilton Armstrong each had three.

Connecticut, which came in shooting 37.3 percent on 3s, was 2-for-13 from beyond the arc.

The Panthers, who came in hitting 36.6 percent on 3s, was 2-for-20, missing their first 16 before Ronald Ramon made one on inbounds play with 2:24 left that made it 71-69.

Three players fouled out of the game that saw 44 fouls called, 26 on Pittsburgh. With few jumpers falling, the teams combined for 80 points in the pain.