Feb. 16, 2000

Box Score| Quotes| Notes

By DAVID GINSBURG
AP Sports Writer

COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) - Juan Dixon scored 18 of his career-high 33 points in the opening 12 minutes as No. 22 Maryland took control early and cruised past Georgia Tech 92-70 Wednesday night.

Dixon went 12-for-17 from the field, including 4-for-5 beyond the arc, and was 5-for-5 at the free throw line. The sophomore guard also had a career-best seven assists before leaving to a standing ovation with 2:48 left.

Lonny Baxter had 13 points and 12 rebounds for the Terrapins, who moved into a second-place tie with North Carolina in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Maryland (18-7, 7-4) built a 20-point lead in the first half and never let the margin shrink below double figures.

The Terrapins have won seven of eight in the ACC after an 0-3 start that included a 69-68 defeat at Georgia Tech last month. Terence Morris was 7-of-11 from the field and scored 16 points as Maryland bounced back from a poor shooting performance in Sunday's loss at Temple.

Tony Akins scored 17 points and Clarence Moore had a career-high 15 rebounds for the Yellow Jackets (11-13, 3-8). Georgia Tech is 0-6 on the road this season and winless at Maryland since 1994.

After Dixon scored 10 of the Terrapins' first 12 points, Morris capped an 11-3 run with a 3-pointer for a 15-8 lead. Minutes later, Dixon twice scored from beyond the arc and beat the shot clock with a short hook during a 10-0 run that made it 29-15 with 8:01 left in the first half.

Akins stopped the surge with a 3-pointer, but Baxter followed with three straight baskets to put Maryland up by 17 points. It was 40-20 before the Yellow Jackets ended the half with a 10-2 run to close to 42-30.

Georgia Tech scored the first basket after halftime, but Maryland responded with a 7-2 run to boost the margin to 15. Morris then picked up his fourth foul, but the Yellow Jackets were unable to capitalize.

It was 49-39 before Steve Blake scored from long range and Dixon connected from 3-point range and from 15 feet. Baxter then capped the 10-0 run with an alley-oop dunk to put Maryland up by 20 with 13 minutes left.