Dec 27, 2001

Final Stats| Quotes| Notes

COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) - Maryland got the confidence-building springboard it needed in its final game before the Atlantic Coast Conference season begins.

Juan Dixon had 19 points and a career-high nine assists and Byron Mouton added a season-high 19 points as the eighth-ranked Terrapins routed William & Mary 103-75 Thursday night for their 83rd consecutive home victory over a non-conference opponent.

Coming off an upset loss at No. 12 Oklahoma on Dec. 21, Maryland (9-2) improved to 22-8 all-time against the Tribe (3-6) with its ninth consecutive victory at Cole Field House.

The win carried added significance since the Terrapins - who hit a team-record 13 3-point attempts - open their ACC season Sunday at North Carolina State.

"That's what we needed after the loss to Oklahoma," said center Lonny Baxter, who had 12 points and 10 rebounds for his 27th career double-double.

"We just came out flying, playing D, doing the things we do," he added. "We were just playing our game."

Early on, Maryland looked like a team playing for only the second time since Dec. 11.

"It took us a while to really get moving," Terrapins coach Gary Williams said. "But once we did, I thought we were pretty quick tonight."

Adam Hess, a sophomore transfer from Eastern Michigan playing in his first game for William & Mary, scored a career-high 21 points.

Drew Nicholas scored a season-high 14 points for Maryland. Five Terrapins scored in double figures in the team's biggest offensive output of the season.

Maryland hit 100 points for the first time this year, the deepest into a season the Terrapins have gone without reaching the century mark since 1990-91, when it took them 18 games.

Zeb Cope scored a career-high 16 points and Mike Johnson added a season-high 14 for the Tribe, which had won three of five.

William & Mary, playing its first game since Dec. 2, lost its 12th consecutive game to the Terrapins in the first meeting between the schools since 1985.

Mouton had 12 first-half points, helping Maryland to a 50-35 halftime lead.

The Terrapins struggled to establish their inside game - finishing 15-for-36 from the field in the first half - and William & Mary kept close by going 6-of-19 from 3-point range.

"It was a little more physical than we thought," Terrapins forward Tahj Holden said. "It took us a little while to get used to it, but we did."

The Tribe overcame a cold start, missing their first five shots and turning over the ball five times in the first three minutes.

Hess had 10 of William & Mary's first 12 points, cutting the Maryland lead to 13-12 with a layup with 11:46 remaining in the half.

Johnson nailed a 3-pointer with 9:02 left, trimming the Terrapins lead to 23-22 with 9:02 to go. Maryland then went on a 15-8 run capped off by Chris Wilcox's 12-foot jumper, and finished the half on a 9-0 burst.

"The thing that kills you - if you're a mid-major team hoping to step up against these guys - is the turnovers," Tribe coach Rick Boyages said. "Every time we turn the ball over it's a breakaway layup or dunk."

Maryland scored the first six points of the second half, with Dixon's 3-pointer from the left corner extending the run to 15-0 and giving the Terrapins a 56-35 lead.

"We just tried to disrupt their offense," Dixon said. "That's why we pressed a lot today. I think we did a good job of it."