SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Hasheem Thabeet and Jeff Adrien stood at the top of the key as the final seconds ran out, held their arms high and smiled widely at the Notre Dame crowd.

Just as third-ranked Connecticut predicted all week, the Huskies ended the nation’s longest home winning streak at 45 games by beating No. 19 Notre Dame 69-61 last night. The victory kept the Fighting Irish from setting the Big East record with their 21st straight league win at home.

Adrien said he and Thabeet were sending the Irish fans a message.

“Just to let them know that we’re here. This is UConn. This is our gym right now and you guys should be quiet,” said Adrien, who had 12 points and a career-high 19 rebounds.

The Huskies (18-1, 7-1) held Notre Dame (12-6, 3-4) to a season-low 33 percent shooting and used a 13-1 run to put the game away.

“We contested every shot,” UConn coach Jim Calhoun said. “We ran and put pressure on them offensively and defensively.”

Thabeet’s biggest contribution was simply clogging the lane and forcing the Irish to alter their shots.

“It showed up in the fact that terrific players missing shots from point-blank range,” Calhoun said. “They won’t miss those again.”

Notre Dame’s Kyle McAlarney, after hitting his first three 3-pointers, missed his next 15 shots and finished with only nine points. Luke Harangody was 10-of-23 from the field for 24 points. It was his 11th straight game with at least 20 points and he also had 15 rebounds for an eighth straight double-double. The rest of the Irish starters were 8-of-39 for 22 points.

It was the first Irish loss at home since an 80-72 defeat by Marquette on Feb. 25, 2006. Irish coach Mike Brey said the end of the streak (during which Notre Dame beat only four ranked teams) comes almost as a relief.

UConn 69 N.D. 61