Dec. 7, 2005

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COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) - Travis Garrison had a career-high 23 points and 14 rebounds, and Ekene Ibekwe led a second-half run that carried No. 21 Maryland past Western Carolina 87-57 Wednesday night.

Ibekwe scored 12 of his 18 points after halftime, and D.J. Strawberry added 13 points for the Terrapins (6-2), who led by only four at the break.

Nik Caner-Medley grabbed 10 rebounds to become the 26th player in Maryland history to reach 1,000 points and 500 rebounds.

Jared Outing led Western Carolina (5-6) with 12 points and Antonio Russell scored 11.

Maryland used a 15-4 run at the outset of the second half to expand a shaky 39-35 lead to 15 points. Ibekwe launched the surge with six straight points and finished it with a dunk.

It was 56-43 before a 3-pointer by Strawberry and a dunk by Ibekwe sparked a 14-2 run that Garrison concluded with seven straight points.

The victory got the Terrapins back on track after a 78-70 loss to No. 19 George Washington two nights earlier. The game also served as a final tuneup for the start of Atlantic Coast Conference play, a matchup Sunday against No. 6 Boston College.

Maryland played without leading scorer Chris McCray, who injured his left ankle during the George Washington game. He was replaced in the starting lineup by Mike Jones, who scored six points.

"Hopefully, Chris will be available for Sunday's game against Boston College," Terrapins coach Gary Williams said.

Garrison, a senior center, had 16 points and 14 rebounds in the first half, and Maryland outrebounded the Catamounts 25-7. But Western Carolina went 6-for-11 from 3-point range to stay within striking distance.

Maryland led 18-13 before Kyle Greathouse connected three times from beyond the arc during an 11-2 run that put the Catamounts up 24-20.

A putback by Garrison - Maryland's first basket in more than 6 minutes - tied it at 24. Minutes later, Caner-Medley scored in the lane and Jones hit a 3-pointer to give the Terrapins a 33-28 lead.