Nov. 19, 2004

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• The Maryland basketball team kicked off the 2004-05 regular season Friday night using a stifling defensive performance and a dominating second-half effort to register a 93-57 victory over an overmatched Jackson State squad in the teams' first-ever meeting.

• Maryland brought out a seasoned starting lineup that included juniors PG John Gilchrist, SG Chris McCray, SF Nik Caner-Medley, PF Travis Garrison and sophomore C Ekene Ibekwe.

• Tonight's season-opening victory marks the 12th consecutive Terrapin win over a non-conference opponent at home, the longest since Maryland's 89-game streak that stretched from Dec 30, 1989 to Dec. 14, 2002. Ironically, the victory that began that dash came against the only other Southwestern Athletic Conference team that Maryland has played under Gary Williams, as Maryland upended Alcorn State 110-91.

• Garrison led six Terps in double figures, scoring a career-high 21 points on 6-of-10 shooting and a perfect 9-of-9 from the charity stripe. Ibekwe added 17 points, also a career high on 6-of-10 shooting, while Caner-Medley recorded 12 points and Gilchrist, McCray and DJ Strawberry each contributed 11 points. The last time six Terrapins scored in double figures was in a 101-60 triumph over UMBC on Dec. 23, 2002.

• The Terps shot a whopping 64 percent from the field in the second half (18-of-28) and outscored the Tigers 55-33. They also sunk 28-of-34 free throws and got at least five rebounds from 7 different players. Gilchrist was impressive in directing the Maryland offense, racking up a game-high 8 assists.

• After several early lead changes, Maryland scored 11 consecutive points over to grab an 18-6 lead with 7:30 elapsed. Four Terrapin starters contributed points during the burst and Mike Jones capped the run with a three-point bucket. Maryland held Jackson State scoreless for 5:20 during the run and at one stretch limited the Tigers to just two field goals over a nearly 10-minute stretch (17:34 to 7:54 remaining). Jackson State was able to pull within 25-17 before the Terps ran off the next 10 points with eight free throws and a fast-break slam from McCray, who along with sole senior Mike Grinnon were voted co-captains by the Maryland players.

• Maryland gave Jackson State fits with its pressure defense, forcing 20 turnovers in the first half alone, 10 on steals (2 each by Gilchrist and Strawberry). They also registered six first-half blocks (2 apiece from Caner-Medley and Ibekwe) in building a 38-24 halftime lead. Garrison paced the Terps with 10 first-half points, knocking down all six of his free-throw attempts. He also led a balanced effort under the glass with five rebounds. Caner-Medley, McCray and Gilchrist each pulled down four boards, and 11 of Maryland's 28 first-half rebounds came on the offensive end.

• Freshman James Gist was the third man off the Maryland bench with 13:26 remaining in the half. He saw 10 minutes of playing time in the first half, during which he totaled two rebounds, one block and one steal. He tallied his first collegiate point on a free throw with 14:17 remaining in the game. He followed a minute later with his first field goal on a turnaround in the low post. Gist finished with 7 points, 5 rebounds, 2 rejections, 1 steal and 1 assist in 19 minutes of action.

• Maryland's big men established themselves in the low post early in the second half as Garrison nearly doubled his scoring output in the half's first four minutes, contributing nine points as the Terps widened its lead to 56-30. Maryland would continue to pour it on, running off 18 straight points to put the game out of reach at 74-33 with 7:30 to go on an emphatic dunk from Ibekwe. The Terps would establish their largest lead at 83-40 on a Caner-Medley trey with 5:46 remaining.

• Maryland's 11 blocks equals their best performance from all of last season, when they recorded the mark in three home conference contests against Clemson, Florida State and Duke.