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COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) -- Maryland got the confidence-building springboard it needed in its final game before the Atlantic Coast Conference season begins.
Juan Dixon had 19 points and a career-high nine assists and Byron Mouton added a season-high 19 points as the Terrapins (No. 6 ESPN/USA Today, No. 8 AP) routed William & Mary 103-75 Thursday night for their 83rd consecutive home victory over a non-conference opponent.
Coming off an upset loss at No. 12 Oklahoma on Dec. 21, Maryland (9-2) improved to 22-8 all-time against the Tribe (3-6) with its ninth consecutive victory at Cole Field House.
The win carried added significance since the Terrapins -- who hit
a team-record 13 3-point attempts -- open their ACC season Sunday at
North Carolina State.
"That's what we needed after the loss to Oklahoma," said
center Lonny Baxter, who had 12 points and 10 rebounds for his 27th
career double-double.
"We just came out flying, playing D, doing the things we do,"
he added. "We were just playing our game."
Early on, Maryland looked like a team playing for only the
second time since Dec. 11.
"It took us a while to really get moving," Terrapins coach Gary Williams said. "But once we did, I thought we were pretty quick tonight."
Adam Hess, a sophomore transfer from Eastern Michigan playing in
his first game for William & Mary, scored a career-high 21 points.
Drew Nicholas scored a season-high 14 points for Maryland. Five
Terrapins scored in double figures in the team's biggest offensive
output of the season.
Maryland hit 100 points for the first time this year, the deepest into a season the Terrapins have gone without reaching the century mark since 1990-91, when it took them 18 games.
Zeb Cope scored a career-high 16 points and Mike Johnson added a
season-high 14 for the Tribe, which had won three of five.
William & Mary, playing its first game since Dec. 2, lost its
12th consecutive game to the Terrapins in the first meeting between
the schools since 1985.
Mouton had 12 first-half points, helping Maryland to a 50-35
halftime lead.
The Terrapins struggled to establish their inside game -- finishing 15-for-36 from the field in the first half -- and William & Mary kept close by going 6-of-19 from 3-point range.
"It was a little more physical than we thought," Terrapins forward Tahj Holden said. "It took us a little while to get used to it, but we did."
The Tribe overcame a cold start, missing their first five shots
and turning over the ball five times in the first three minutes.
Hess had 10 of William & Mary's first 12 points, cutting the
Maryland lead to 13-12 with a layup with 11:46 remaining in the
half.
Johnson nailed a 3-pointer with 9:02 left, trimming the
Terrapins lead to 23-22 with 9:02 to go. Maryland then went on a
15-8 run capped off by Chris Wilcox's 12-foot jumper, and finished
the half on a 9-0 burst.
"The thing that kills you -- if you're a mid-major team hoping
to step up against these guys -- is the turnovers," Tribe coach
Rick Boyages said. "Every time we turn the ball over it's a
breakaway layup or dunk."
Maryland scored the first six points of the second half, with
Dixon's 3-pointer from the left corner extending the run to 15-0
and giving the Terrapins a 56-35 lead.
"We just tried to disrupt their offense," Dixon said. "That's why we pressed a lot today. I think we did a good job of it."
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