Dec. 23, 2000

Box Score| Quotes

By DAVID GINSBURG
AP Sports Writer

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Lonny Baxter scored a career-high 32 points on 12-for-14 shooting Saturday as No. 20 Maryland routed Norfolk State 123-79 and extended its nonconference home winning streak to 74 games.

Juan Dixon had a season-high 26 points for the Terrapins (7-3), whose six-game winning streak is their longest since a seven-game run in 1999.

Baxter scored 17 points in the opening six minutes of the second half to help Maryland increase its 26-point halftime lead to 89-42. The 6-foot-8 junior center, who made his first seven field goal attempts, went 7-for-10 at the line and had seven rebounds before sitting out the final nine minutes.

Baxter also hit his second career 3-pointer. His previous career high was 31 points, set last season against North Carolina State.

Darrel Neal scored a season-high 15 for the Spartans (2-6), who committed 24 turnovers.

Dixon made 12 of 17 field goal attempts, but fell four points short of giving Maryland two 30-point scorers in a single game for the first time in school history.

The Terrapins' nonconference home winning streak, which began in 1989, is the longest in the nation. Maryland has won 10 straight overall at home and is 44-4 since the start of the 1997-98 season.

Despite going 0-for-6 from 3-point range, the Terrapins shot 56 percent and got points from nine players in taking a 58-32 halftime lead. Maryland outrebounded the Spartans 25-10, outscored them at the line 14-5 and forced 14 turnovers.

After Norfolk State scored the opening basket, Maryland quickly took control with an 18-2 run that included four points by Dixon and a three-point play by Mike Mardesich off a snazzy no-look pass from Terence Morris.

Maryland made 10 of its first 13 shots, and after Dixon hit successive jumpers to make it 28-9, he had more points (10) than Norfolk State.

It was 41-21 before Dixon made a layup and Baxter scored on a dunk and a follow to spark an 8-0 run that put the Terrapins up by 28.