ALTIMORE -- Nine months later, Massachusetts once again wilted in the second half against Maryland. This time, though, the Minutemen survived.
Marcus Camby's about to send this Keith Booth shot return-to-sender. |
Last March, the Minutemen blew a 10-point second-half lead in a 95-87 setback that put Maryland in the final 16. The Minutemen lost a nine-point lead Saturday but rallied back to win, closing with a 15-3 run.
Marcus Camby scored 15 points for UMass (3-1), playing its third game against a Top 25 team. Lou Roe, saddled by foul trouble throughout, was held to six points -- his fewest in 39 games.
Smith made 10 of 18 shots and Johnny Rhodes had 16 points for the Terrapins (6-2).
UMass had a 61-54 lead before Maryland's Exree Hipp got three straight points and Mario Lucas scored in the lane to get the Terrapins within 61-59.
Dana Dingle followed with a layup and a three-point play to put the Minutemen up by seven. After a Maryland miss, Dingle scored on a breakway to make it 68-59 with 7:44 left.
Smith then scored eight points in a 12-2 run that gave the Terrapins their first lead since 7-4. But Maryland got only three points in the final four minutes.
Camby started the run with a jumper and Williams scored inside to put Umass up 74-71 with 3:16 remaining. After a Maryland free throw, Williams made a layup to put UMass ahead 76-72.
Two free foul shots by Donta Bright made it 78-72, and the Terrapins were done.
Keith Booth had 12 rebounds for Maryland, which missed 17 free throws.
Maryland held a 7-4 lead before Williams hit a 3-pointer and Roe made a layup to start a 16-4 run that put the Minutemen up by nine. After the Terrapins closed to 22-17, Dingle scored from the baseline and Edgar Padilla nailed a 3-pointer to give UMass a 10-point cushion.
Reserve Wayne Bristol had six points in a 9-2 surge that got Maryland within 29-26. A jumper by Smith and two free throws by Rhodes cut the deficit to 37-36, but UMass reeled off six straight points and took a 45-39 halftime lead.
Massachusetts Minutemen (#5) | 85 |
Maryland Terrapins (#11) | 74 |
at Baltimore, MD |