MORGANTOWN, W.VA. ? West Virginia didn’t slow down in Pat White’s first start at quarterback.

The red-shirt freshman, starting in place of the injured Adam Bednarik, ran for two touchdowns and threw for another in a three-minute span of the second quarter, leading No. 18 West Virginia to a 45-13 victory over Connecticut on Wednesday night.

White had been accustomed to generating plenty of points, but they usually came late in games. He engineered a 24-point fourth quarter earlier this season against Maryland and brought the Mountaineers from 17 points down for a triple-overtime victory over Louisville.

Against UConn, he took the field in the first quarter for a change.

“The more you do it, the easier it gets,” White said. “I liked playing the entire game, but I will go wherever they put me. I’ll play wherever.”

First-place West Virginia (7-1, 4-0 Big East) showed no signs of sluggishness from an 18-day layoff.

West Virginia linebacker Mortly Ivy (44) and defensive back Antonio Lewis (6) tackle Connecticut tailback Terry Caulley. The Mountaineers shut down UConn, 45-13, Wednesday in Morgantown, W.Va.

The Mountaineers built a 35-3 halftime lead, getting a pair of touchdowns following turnovers. The defense limited UConn (4-4, 1-3) to 12 rushing yards and 129 overall, the fewest allowed by West Virginia in three seasons.

“When you make somebody one-dimensional, your chances of winning the game are pretty good,” West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez said.

UConn had one of Division I-A’s top defenses statistically, but four of its opponents have a combined record of 3-29.

The nation’s ninth-best rushing attack used a rotation of backs to compile 228 yards against the Huskies.

White frustrated UConn with his legs and his arm.

He ran for 63 yards on 12 carries and went 7-of-16 for 106 yards with an interception.

Freshman Dennis Brown, UConn’s third starting quarterback this season, received a rude greeting in his first road game.

He was sacked six times and threw an interception.