AMHERST – UMass brought an unfathomable array of miscues into the locker room at halftime of Saturday’s Rivalry Weekend clash with UConn at McGuirk Stadium.

The Minutemen gave up a pick six, lost two fumbles, turned the ball over on downs on their side of the field and had two punts partially blocked, all in the first half. The Huskies built a 19-0 lead at the break and rolled to 31-18 victory in a battle of FBS independents.

“Complementary football usually breeds success and when we’ve been successful, we’ve been a positive in the turnover margin,” said UMass coach Don Brown. “We literally gave them field position inside the 40 and we just didn’t play complementary football.”

UConn netted 414 yards of offense with 24 first downs. The Huskies’ offense was managed by dual threat quarterback Ta’Quan Roberson, while tailback Cam Edwards rushed for 102 yards and two touchdowns. UMass quarterback Taisun Phommachanh completed 18-of-30 passes for 230 yards with a touchdown.

Both teams finished the season at 3-9 in the 77th meeting between the schools, with UMass up 38-37-2 in the series. UMass blew an opportunity to record four wins in a season for the second time since joining FBS in 2012.

“I would have been really excited if we had gotten that fourth win today so we’d have matched the best thing that’s been done here in FBS football,” said Brown. “I’m a little crazy, but I’m not negative and I move on really quickly.

“We are going in the right direction and I really felt good about our opportunity we had for the fourth. The men I am coaching do not quit.”

Phommachanh turned the ball over on the Minutemen’s first two possessions but the second resulted in points. Phommachanh’s pass to George Johnson was intercepted by sophomore cornerback Mumu Bin-Wahad and returned 45 yards for a touchdown with 10:04 to play. The PAT kicked was blocked.

UMass committed its third turnover of the first quarter when tailback Kay’Ron Lynch-Adams fumbled on the Minutemen 28. UConn reached the UMass red zone but had to settle for a 31-yard field goal by Joe McFadden that made it 9-0 with 13:42 to play in the second.

The Huskies got another short field when Lynch-Adams was stuffed on a fourth and two at the UMass 45. The drive stalled on the 12 and McFadden made it 12-0 with a 30-yard field goal with 8:46 to play.

A partially blocked punt combined with a holding penalty against the kicking team gave the Huskies the ball on the UMass 27. Tailback Victor Rosa scored on a 17-yard run to make it 19-0 with 6:02 to play.

“I thought we were winning our matchups but you can’t overcome turnovers,” said Brown. “I hate to say it but four is a lot and those things are difficult.”

UMass caught its first break when Roberson fumbled on the UConn 37 on the opening snap of the third quarter. UMass scored on a 10-yard pass from Phommachanh to tight end Gino Campiotti with 11:58 to play. The PAT pass failed and UMass trailed, 19-6.

Edwards scored on a 4-yard run to make it 25-6 with 1:08 to play in the third. The Huskies’ two-point pass attempt failed. Phommachanh completed three passes for 64 yards in a 73-yard scoring drive that made 25-12 with 11:52 to play. Lynch-Adams scored on a goal line dive but the PAT pass failed.

“It was too little too late but in terms of schemes and how we went about it,” said Brown. “I thought we had a good plan in all three phases but that turnover thing will bite you right in the butt.”