Nov 3, 2001

Final Stats |  Notes

AMHERST, Mass. (AP) - Omari Howard capped a six-play, 77-yard drive with a 15-yard touchdown run with 5:54 to play Saturday to lift Massachusetts to a 17-10 victory over Northeastern.

Howard set up his game-winning score with a 38-yard run in the drive.

Northeastern's L.J. McKanas, the school's all-time rushing leader, ran 36 times for a career-high 242 yards and nearly pulled the Huskies even in the final seconds.

Northeastern (3-5, 2-4 Atlantic 10) drove to the UMass 5-yard line in the closing seconds but the Minutemen stopped McKanas twice and forced two incomplete passes.

Northeastern led 3-0 at halftime on a 23-yard field goal by Colin Gaynor. UMass (2-6, 2-4) pulled even in the third quarter on a 41-yard field goal by Doug White.

Northeastern took a 10-3 lead when Art Smith intercepted Matt Guice's pass and returned it 63 yards for a touchdown. UMass tied the score again on the final play of the third quarter when Guice threw a 60-yard touchdown pass to Deshon Hardy.

UMass kept the scored tied 10-10 by blocking a 32-yard field goal attempt by Gaynor.