Jan. 2, 2001

Box Score

By PETE IACOBELLI
AP Sports Writer

CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) - Terence Morris knew it was time.

"Somebody had to step up, so I took it upon myself to do what I could do," the senior forward said Tuesday night after scoring 18 of his 26 points in the second half as No. 17 Maryland beat Clemson 104-92 Tuesday night to open the Atlantic Coast Conference season.

Juan Dixon and Lonny Baxter combined for 35 points in the first half as the Terrapins (10-3) took a 59-56 lead. Morris was 3-of-7 from the field and not much of a factor in the opening 20 minutes.

Dixon and Baxter were both in foul trouble in the second half and it was Morris who led the Terps to their ninth straight victory.

"I thought Terence Morris was as good as he has been in almost a year," Maryland coach Gary Williams said. "He was really tremendous."

And the Terps needed everything Morris had to beat Clemson (9-5), which was led by Will Solomon's 32 points.

Morris' 3-pointer and two foul shots finished an 8-0 run that put Maryland ahead to stay, 79-73.

Clemson got within 94-89 on a field goal by Adam Allenspach, but again it was Morris, who jammed home a loose ball with 2:07 left to increase the lead.

"That's what Terence Morris does," said Baxter, who was 8-of-10 from the field and 8-of-8 from the free throw line in scoring 24 points. "He makes the plays when we need them."

Morris says he doesn't listen to the critics who want him to be more aggressive in his final year.

"I really don't (listen). I just go out there and play as hard as I can in the playing time the coach gives me," he said.

Dixon finished with 22 as the Terrapins reached 100 points for the fourth straight game.

Solomon's sixth 3-pointer gave the Tigers their last lead, 73-71, with 14:05 remaining. Solomon, though, scored just three more points in the game as Maryland took control.

Morris' three-point play gave Maryland a 71-69 lead. After Solomon's final 3-pointer, Danny Miller hit a long field goal and Morris scored the next five points.

Solomon's last basket drew Clemson to 83-82 with 9:26 left, but Dixon fed Byron Mouton for a quick basket and Mouton followed with a 3-pointer.

Solomon, who had seven 3-pointers for the game, said things turned when Maryland switched to a zone instead of its usual man-to-man defense.

"We still need some work on the zone," Solomon said. "But in the closing moments, they got the loose balls, they got the rebounds and they knocked down the shots."

Clemson's first lead came at 67-65 after Solomon's consecutive 3s and a long-range basket by freshman Dwon Clifton, who was making his first start of the season.

But Baxter answered immediately with a three-point play to regain the lead for Maryland.