Dec. 7, 2003

Recap| Box Score| Quotes

The Maryland basketball team (No. 25 USA Today/ESPN, receiving votes AP) fell to West Virginia 78-77 in a gritty overtime contest Sunday in the consolation game of the 9th annual BB&T Classic. It was Maryland's second overtime game in the last three games (a 73-67 overtime win Tuesday vs. Wisconsin). West Virginia improves to 3-2 on the season, while the Terps fall to 4-2.

After losing both games of the 2003 BB&T Classic, Maryland's all-time record in the event drops to 12-6. Maryland has won the in-season tournament four times, most recently in the 2001-02 season.

For the second straight game, four Terps amassed double-digit scoring, with Jamar Smith's game-high 23 points (10-of-21 shooting) leading the way. Chris McCray added 16 points -- tying a career-high -- while John Gilchrist and Travis Garrison chipped in 15 and 11 points, respectively.

Smith recorded his fifth double-double in the Terrapins' six games this season. He added a game-high 13 rebounds (five offensive).

Gilchrist and McCray each had seven assists for the game, a career-high for McCray (5 vs. Gonzaga on Dec. 6, 2003).

Despite shooting over 60 percent in the first half (14-of-23 from the field), the Mountaineers controlled the lead for much of the half, building its largest lead at 28-19 with 5:55 remaining.

West Virginia came out firing on all cylinders to start the second half, streaking to a 50-38 lead by scoring 12 of the half's first 16 points. They built their largest lead seven minutes into the half on John Beilein's second consecutive long three-pointer from the left wing that made the score 61-45.

Maryland scored 14 straight points -- six by Smith -- to narrow the margin to 61-59 with under eight minutes remaining.

McCray sunk one of two free throws with 16.1 seconds remaining to tie the game for the first time in the second half and send the game into overtime. Drew Schifino missed a last second jumper for the Mountaineers and Gilchrist's three-quarter court heave bounced harmlessly off the top of the backboard.

Caner-Medley's short turnaround jumper and ensuing foul shot with 4:34 remaining in overtime gave Maryland a 69-66 lead, its first advantage since the game's opening moments, when the Terps held a 4-2 edge.

Kevin Pittsnogle's three-pointer from the left wing with 3:43 remaining in the extra session gave West Virginia a 71-69 lead they would not relinquish. The teams traded free throws until Smith's putback of a missed Mike Grinnon free throw narrowed the Terps' deficit to one, before the Mountaineers were able to run out the clock.