Nov. 22, 2003

Box Score| Quotes| Notes

By DAVID GINSBURG
AP Sports Writer

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Jamar Smith had 14 points and 12 rebounds, and Maryland held American University to eight first-half points in cruising to a 79-48 season-opening victory Saturday night.

Chris McCray and Mike Jones had 10 points apiece for the Terrapins, who limited the Eagles to 15 percent shooting in taking a 35-8 halftime lead. It was tied at 2 before Maryland scored 27 straight points against the cold-shooting, error-prone Eagles.

American (0-1) began its season by missing 21 of its first 22 shots, committing 12 turnovers and scoring only two points over the opening 16 minutes.

With 16 minutes left, the Eagles trailed 51-10 and received points from only two players, Jernavis Draughn and Andres Rodriguez. American fell behind by 44 before coming back against Maryland's reserves.

Andres Ingram scored 16 and Rodriguez had 13 for AU.

Starting four sophomores and Smith, the team's lone senior, the young Terrapins launched a new era of Maryland basketball in impressive fashion before a sellout crowd.

Nik Caner-Medley scored seven straight points, including a 3-pointer and a driving dunk, and Smith followed with four successive baskets before D.J. Strawberry made a three-point play to make it 20-2.

Travis Garrison then made a follow shot and a free throw, and baskets by Strawberry, Andre Collins and Jones upped the margin to 27 points.

Rodriguez then ended the Eagles' 15-minute scoreless drought with a driving layup with 3:46 left in the half.

The last time Maryland held an opponent under 10 points in the first half was in 1971, before the introduction of the shot clock, when the Terrapins led South Carolina 4-3.

The intermission did nothing to change the complexion of this game. Maryland started the second half by scoring 12 straight points, including successive 3-pointers by McCray, to make it 47-8.

Draughn then scored on a follow, but baskets by Caner-Medley and Strawberry put Maryland up by 41.