Dec 11, 2001

Box Score| Quotes| Notes

By DAVID GINSBURG
AP Sports Writer

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Gary Williams' 250th victory at Maryland provided the coach with far more angst than expected.

With the third-ranked Terrapins up by only nine points at halftime against Monmouth on Tuesday night, Williams wondered whether his team had the tenacity to finish off the Hawks.

"In the first half we were a little flat. ... I was very worried at halftime. I was very concerned walking out for the second half," he said.

His fear vanished shortly after he arrived at the bench. The Terrapins started with a 13-0 run and pulled away to their eighth straight victory, 91-55.

After allowing the Hawks (4-4) to go 16-of-33 from the field in the first half, Maryland outscored Monmouth 45-18 over the final 20 minutes.

"Coach came in here and gave us a mouthful," said Juan Dixon, who finished with 18 points. "I think in the second half we played great."

Byron Mouton scored 17 points for the Terrapins (8-1), who extended the nation's longest non-conference home winning streak to 82 games.

Williams, enjoying his third-best start in 13 seasons with the Terrapins, said, "It was good to see that we picked it up at halftime and played at our defensive level."

Russ Anderson scored 12 points for the Hawks, who faded against the deeper, taller and more talented Terrapins.

"This was a game where we had the most players," Williams said. "Most of the time, the most players wins. It's a good win to have going into exams."

The Terrapins next play Dec. 21 at No. 24 Oklahoma.

Monmouth will soon resume playing within the Northeast Conference, and for that, coach Dave Calloway can be thankful.

"We play these games to learn. We're not going to see a team like this in our conference," Calloway said. "I thought we did a decent job in the first half, but we broke down in the second half. Obviously, Maryland had something to do with it."

Mouton opened the second half with a 3-pointer before Dixon and Tahj Holden each made two free throws. Lonny Baxter followed with his first basket, then made two foul shots before Holden finished the run with a hook shot that made it 59-37.

It was 63-39 before Chris Wilcox scored two baskets and reserve guard Drew Nicholas hit a 3-pointer in an 11-0 run that made it 74-41.

Wilcox finished with 10 points and 13 rebounds.

Baxter missed all three of his field goal tries in the first half, but his teammates went 16-for-23 and the Terrapins outscored Monmouth 12-1 at the foul line to take the 46-37 lead.

Maryland led 18-17 before six players scored in a 14-5 run that pushed the margin to 10 points. Mouton had two baskets and Steve Blake capped the spree with a 3-pointer.

With the Terrapins up 38-28, Dixon hit a short jumper and set up Wilcox for an alley-oop dunk to make it 42-28.

But the Hawks kept it close behind Anderson, who scored all his points before halftime, hitting four 3-pointers.