COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) -- Forget the 1-3 start. Forget the
mini-collapse that followed the demoralizing loss to Duke. It's how
you're playing going into tournament time that matters, and
Maryland has rarely played better.
Juan Dixon's 21 points led five players in double figures
Saturday as No. 16 Maryland dismantled No. 7 Virginia 102-67 to end
the regular season with consecutive victories over Top Ten teams.
"We've earned our way back into things," Maryland coach Gary
Williams said. "We've earned a right to be confident, not cocky. I
like to coach confident teams."
|  | | Maryland's Terence Morris blocks Chris Williams shot in the easy win over Virginia. |
The 35-point victory, matching Maryland's biggest ever over
Virginia, clinched third place in the Atlantic Coast Conference for
the Terrapins (20-9, 10-6), who will play sixth-seeded Wake Forest
in the first round of the conference tournament on Friday.
The loss snapped a four-game winning streak for the Cavaliers
(20-7, 9-7), who finished 2-6 on the road in the ACC and will face
fifth-seeded Georgia Tech on Friday. Virginia, which beat the
Terrapins by 21 points just five weeks ago, hasn't won at Cole
Field House since 1993. The 56-point swing in the two games tied
the third largest in ACC history.
"I don't think we could have beaten anybody in the ACC today,"
Cavaliers coach Pete Gillen said. "It's back to the drawing board.
We just haven't played well on the road."
Maryland, which had a three-game losing streak in November and a
1-5 dive in late January and early February, finished the season
with five straight wins over four ranked teams. The Terrapins won
at Duke on Tuesday, giving them consecutive victories over Top Ten
teams for the first time since 1976 and only the second time ever.
Williams said his players were taken aback by the "instant ESPN
Classic" notoriety of the home overtime loss to Duke in which
Maryland blew a 10-point lead with 54 seconds remaining. A
senior-led team meeting following a loss to Florida State was the
turning point.
"We have a bunch of good guys," William said. "I thought they
were too nice for a while, but they've gotten tough on the court.
I'm really proud of our team. I've seen situations where that
doesn't happen, where you don't turn it around from that
situation."
Backup point guard Drew Nicholas had 16 points and a career-high
10 assists for the Terrapins, while Lonny Baxter scored 15 points,
Terrence Morris had 14 points and 13 rebounds, and Danny Miller
scored a season-high 14 points with six rebounds and six assists.
Roger Mason led Virginia with 16 points, while Chris Williams
had 15.
Maryland shot 62 percent, including 72 percent in the second
half. Miller and Dixon took turns supplying the scoring punch in
the first half, but it was the defense that frustrated Virginia's
attack and allowed few uncontested shots.
The score was 47-34 at halftime, and the game was essentially
over in the first few minutes of the second half after Cavaliers
point guard Donald Hand had four unsuccessful drives into the
paint: He was blocked twice and missed the two others in heavy
traffic. Travis Watson's 3-point airball was further evidence of a
shaken team.
"I thought the defense was exceptional," Williams said. "You
have to go into the game with the idea that the defense is going to
win the game."
Both point guards were on the bench with two fouls 5{ minutes
into the game, but it was reserve forward Miller who came off the
bench to become the unexpected early hero.
Miller, averaging 4.5 points, took over the game during a 13-2
run that put Maryland ahead for good. He scored 11 of Maryland's 17
points over a six-minute stretch, mixing a 3-pointer with two
three-point plays off strong drives as the lead grew to 33-22.
"Danny's smart -- I think he figured it out, just go have some
fun and play," Williams said. "I knew he was pressing. He's in a
groove right now. That's the way he played in high school. I've
seen him do it practice, but it's hard sometimes to transfer it
from practice to the games."
Dixon then scored the Terrapins' next nine points as Maryland
shot 53 percent in the first half. Dixon has averaged 25.5 points
over the last four games.
Hand, who led a 99-78 victory over Maryland at University Hall
on Jan. 31, didn't stay on the bench long after picking up his
second foul, but he was shut down when he returned. Hand was just
1-for-4 with one assist in the first half and finished 3-for-11
with nine points and three assists.
"We took some bad shots in the first half," Gillen said.
"Hopefully, we're a lot better than that."
 Send this story to a friend
|
|
ALSO SEE
Men's College Basketball Scoreboard
Virginia Clubhouse
Maryland Clubhouse
With struggles in past, Maryland hits stride at perfect time
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Coach Gary Williams was pleased with Maryland's performance against a tough Virginia squad.
wav: 209 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
|
