Dec. 11, 1999

Box Score| Notes

COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) - It was merely another notch in a streak that began a decade ago. Yet this victory was particularly sweet for the Maryland Terrapins.

Terence Morris scored 22 points and No. 21 Maryland never trailed in defeating No. 23 Kentucky 72-66 on Saturday night, the Terrapins' 69th consecutive non-conference home victory.

Steve Blake scored 16 points for the Terrapins (8-2), whose 69-game run is the longest of its kind in the nation. This was the first time that Maryland played a ranked team during the streak, and the fact that it came against a storied program made the win even more special.

"That was great to win against a team like Kentucky," Maryland coach Gary Williams said. "When you say Kentucky - they have it on the press guide - they're the team of the century, and they're right. They've won more games and national championships than anyone. It's a big thrill for us to get a win against that program and against a coach like Tubby Smith."

Jamaal Magloire had 12 points and 16 rebounds for the Wildcats (4-4), who have lost four of five since beating Maryland 61-58 last month in the semifinals of the Preseason NIT. Kentucky was 5-0 against the Terrapins since 1957.

"Our kids hung in there, but this is a tough place to play, obviously," Smith said.

Maryland led 51-46 before Blake and Morris hit 3-pointers in an 8-2 spurt that made it 59-48 with 6:44 remaining. The Wildcats closed to 61-57 on a basket by Tayshaun Prince with 4:13 left, but Kentucky didn't score again until Prince made two free throws with 1:48 to go to make it 65-59.

Two straight Kentucky baskets cut the gap to two. Blake then scored on a breakaway and later made a free throw for a five-point cushion with 37 seconds left.

"This was a huge win," Blake said. "That's what I came to college for - to play in big games like this."

Morris was 8-for-11 from the floor and Juan Dixon, despite missing 12 of 17 shots, scored 15 for the Terrapins. It was the 200th victory at Maryland for Williams, who was 0-3 lifetime against Kentucky.

Saul Smith had 15 points the Wildcats, who shot 39 percent from the floor.

"Our team never said die, we never gave up," Tubby Smith said. "But that's not good enough. We shouldn't be putting ourselves in that kind of predicament."

The Terrapins went up 37-27 early in the second half before Saul Smith hit a 3-pointer to spark a 7-0 Kentucky run. Dixon then scored in the lane and Morris made a 3-pointer, but five straight points by Magloire made it 42-39.

The Wildcats couldn't further cut into the deficit.

"We never could put together an extended run," Tubby Smith said. "That's been our problem all year."

Morris had 12 points and the Terrapins held Kentucky to 9-for-28 shooting in taking a 34-27 halftime lead.

Morris scored nine points, including a follow-dunk and a 3-pointer, as Maryland thrilled the sellout crowd by bolting to a 16-7 lead. The Wildcats missed 11 of their first 15 shots until successive 3-pointers by Smith cut the gap to 20-18.

It was 28-25 before the Terrapins sandwiched a three-point play by Morris and a 3-pointer by Blake around a basket by Keith Bogans to boost the margin to seven.

"We came back, and that says a lot about our character," Saul Smith said. "But you've got to hand it to Terence Morris. He's a lottery-pick, hands down. The guy just doesn't miss."