East Hartford — Saturday's crazy shootout ended with a game-saving defensive stand from a team that has only stopped a handful of a drives this season.

It provided an unlikely ending to a game that saw UConn and Rhode Island score almost at will while combining for 105 points and 1,123 yards of total offense.

Redshirt junior Eli Thomas stormed the backfield and sacked URI quarterback JaJuan Lawson on the game's final play from the UConn 16-yard line, setting off a wild celebration on the Husky sideline.

UConn barely held on for a 56-49 victory before 20,691 fans at Rentschler Field. It is the most points the Huskies have ever allowed during a win in program history.

"Just to see us win and just to see how far we came from January until our first victory, it's very touching and emotional a little bit, because we're still young and working to get better," sophomore Kevin Mensah said.

Forget about the victory being against a FCS foe.

The Huskies (1-2) badly needed a positive result to raise morale and boost their confidence.

"I'm just really, really happy for our kids to get a win," coach Randy Edsall said. "It doesn't matter how we got it. The bottom line is, we won. They played for 60 minutes and it was good to see when we had to make some plays at the end on both sides of the ball, we did that.

"I saw guys playing with a little bit more confidence defensively in the fourth quarter. Hopefully, this will give us a little more confidence as we go (forward). We've still got plenty of things to work on."

A brilliant performance from senior quarterback David Pindell enabled UConn to beat its New England neighbor.

Pindell played his best game in his short career as a Husky, accounting for a career-best six touchdowns (four passing, two rushing) and 445 yards of total offense — a career-high 308 passing, 137 rushing. He completed 20 of 27 passes and threw one interception.

"He played extremely well," Edsall said. "If it wasn't for him, I don't know where we'd be. ... When we needed things to happen, he went and made them happen."

Pindell drove the Huskies to touchdowns on all of their six possessions in the first half for a 42-28 lead that didn't last. With the score tied at 49-all, he fought off fatigue to deliver the game-winning touchdown drive late in the fourth quarter, guiding his team 69 yards in nine plays.

Mensah bolted up the middle, shook defenders and tumbled into the end zone for a 22-yard touchdown run and a 56-49 lead with 57 seconds remaining. Mensah finished with a career-high 137 yards and two touchdowns.

It is the first time since 2010 that UConn has had two players rush for 100 yards in a game. Jordan Todman and Robbie Frey combined to accomplish the feat in 2010 against Texas Southern.

Overall, the Huskies piled up a season-best 573 yards of total offense.

"We clicked together today," Pindell said. "I felt really comfortable."

But it almost wasn't enough because URI shredded UConn's defense for 550 yards.

The Rams (2-1) had one last drive in the final minute to try to tie the game. They moved into red zone territory, setting up at the UConn 16-yard line with 11 seconds left.

Under heavy pressure from Thomas, Lawson (23-for-34, 351 yards, four TDs) threw an incomplete pass. Then on the game's final play, Thomas made the best of his second chance, taking down the URI quarterback.

In the two season-opening losses, UConn barely applied any pressure and didn't register a sack. The Huskies had three sacks on Saturday.

"The offense did a really good job," Thomas said. "As a defense, we've just got to step up. We did at the end, so that's all that matters. We just knew we had to get a stop."

UConn will attempt to win its second straight next Saturday at Syracuse.

"It feels great," senior receiver Hergy Mayala said of the first win. "Something to build on. We've got to go to Syracuse next week and get another one. First one of many that we've got to get in order to reach our goals."

News notes

• The Huskies have allowed 23 TDs in three games. ... Mayala led UConn receivers with five catches for 44 yards and two touchdowns. ... The Huskies also made their first interception of the season. Freshman safety Oneil Robinson of Hartford's Capital/Achievement, made a nice diving grab in the first quarter that set up a scoring drive. ... UConn lost two key defensive players — Tahj Herring-Wilson and Marshe Terry — in the first half to ankle injuries. "We'll see how they are tomorrow when they come in for treatments," Edsall said. ... Safety Tyler Coyle led the Huskies in tackles with nine. Redshirt senior James Atkins and freshman Kevon Jones each had their first career sack. ... UConn converted all four of its fourth down chances. "I felt this was going to be a game where I couldn't sit there and settle for field goals," Edsall said. "The players did a great job of executing those calls and making me look good."

g.keefe@theday.com