University of Connecticut Athletics
Huskies Fall to Buffalo
9/22/2001 12:00:00 AM | Football
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STORRS, CONNECTICUT (September 22, 2001)— The University at Buffalo scored 34 straight second half points to record a 37-20 win over the University of Connecticut at Memorial Stadium in Storrs, CT.
The victory gave the Bulls their first of the season (1-2), and in doing so, ended an 18-game road losing streak. With the loss, the Huskies fell to 0-3 on the year in front of a sellout crowd of 16,517 that ranked as the fourth largest in stadium history.
After scoring the first points of the contest on a 36-yard field goal that marked the first of Dallas Pelz's career and the first lead of the 2001 season for Buffalo, UConn's Marc Hickok (Jr., Gloverville, NY) evened it at 3-3 as he connected on a field goal from 30 yards out.
UConn had a shot to take one in after a fumble recovery with 7:35 remaining in the first half on the Buffalo 20, however, after crawling down to the one yard line the Huskies were unable to punch it in on back-to-back tries. The Buffalo offense went three and out and was forced to punt to Cliff Hill (So., Wallingford, CT) who had a 34-yard return to set up Hickok's second field goal of the day, this time from 33 yards away.
Connecticut would capitalize on its final opportunity before intermission as it received the ball once more with 18 seconds left. On the play, Keron Henry (Fr., Brooklyn, NY) locked up with split end O'Neil Wilson (So., Scarborough, Ontario) on a post pattern and Wilson reeled it in despite being in heavy traffic for a 54-yard touchdown.
With the Huskies taking a 13-3 lead into the second half, Buffalo marched back into the game on its opening possession of the third. After a Henry interception ended the first UConn drive of the third quarter, Buffalo went on an 11-play 76-yard drive that was capped when Marquis Dwarte scampered around the corner into the end zone from eight yards out. The Bulls would tie it up on the subsequent drive when Pelz nailed a 32-yard field goal.
With the issue still in doubt, a pass interference call set the ball at the one-yard line and Dwarte went in for his second of three rushing touchdowns. Buffalo began to blow it open when Joe Freedy completed a 10-yard pass to Maurice Bradford for the first score of his career to make it 27-13. After a 37-yard field goal by Pelz upped it to 30-13, UConn quarterback Dan Orlovsky's (Fr., Shelton, CT) first of two interceptions led to Dwarte taking it in from 23 yards out.
UConn closed out the scoring on a strange play. Orlovsky's was picked off by Deonne McClelland, who was then stripped of the ball at the UConn 28 by UConn's Wes Timko (Jr., Deland, FL). Hill scooped up the ball and took it 72 yards to make the score 37-20.
On the day, Henry went 7 for 18 with one interception for 106 yards and a touchdown, while Freedy led Buffalo, completing 20 of 36 for 218 yards and one touchdown. Dwarte also was a big part of the effort with 25 carries for 150 yards and three touchdowns. Taber Small (Sr., Baltimore, MD) led the UConn rushing attack with 81 yards on 21 carries.
Connecticut will travel to New Brunswick, NJ, for its next game on September 29 against Rutgers at 7:00 p.m.
