Nov. 19, 1999

Box Score

By DAVID GINSBURG
AP Sports Writer

COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) - Juan Dixon scored a career-high 25 points, including eight down the stretch, as Maryland fought back from an early 17-point deficit Friday night to beat Tulane 78-70 and advance to the semifinal round of the Preseason NIT.

Maryland (2-0) will face Kentucky, a 56-48 winner over Utah, on Nov. 24 at Madison Square Garden.

After Tulane (1-1) pulled into a 67-67 tie, Dixon hit a baseline jumper with 2:42 left to start a 9-0 run. Steve Blake sank a free throw and Dixon followed with successive 3-pointers to make it 76-67 with 63 seconds to go.

It was the second straight game in which Dixon, a sophomore guard, eclipsed his career high in points. He scored 20 in Maryland's opening victory over San Francisco.

Terence Morris scored 20 points for the Terrapins, who trailed 27-10 before using a 20-1 run to regain the lead. Tulane never wilted, however, thanks to a decisive 45-27 rebounding edge.

Sterling Davis scored a career-high 24 points and Dylan Osean 17 for the Green Wave, now 47-88 against Atlantic Coast Conference schools.

Dixon scored Maryland's first 10 points of the second half before the Terrapins used a 3-pointer by Blake to take a 57-55 lead. Maryland stayed in front until a three-point play by Osean made it 63-63 with 6:20 to go.

Davis, a senior forward, had 20 points and the Green Wave outrebounded Maryland 19-9 in taking a 47-44 halftime lead.

Tulane hit 12 of its first 15 shots. As the crowd watched in stunned silence, a 3-pointer by Osean capped a 10-0 run that put the Green Wave ahead by 17 with 13:21 left in the half.

Maryland wiped out the entire deficit in less than five minutes. Drew Nicholas hit two 3-pointers and Morris scored five points in a 15-0 spree that made it 27-25. After a Tulane free throw, Maryland reeled off five straight points to take the lead.

It was 31-29 before Davis made Tulane's first basket in nearly seven minutes.