March 23, 2005

Box Score |  Quotes |  Notes

By DAVID GINSBURG
AP Sports Writer

COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) - Maryland is making the best of its unexpected foray into the NIT.

The Terrapins advanced to the quarterfinals of the tournament for the first time since 1972, getting 12 points and 11 rebounds from Nik Caner-Medley in a 78-63 victory over Davidson on Wednesday night.

Trying to salvage a season in which their 11-year run of NCAA tournament appearances ended, the Terrapins (18-12) will face Texas Christian on Saturday for the right to play in the semifinal round at Madison Square Garden.

"I'm proud of these guys," Maryland coach Gary Williams said. "It would have been easy for them to go in the tank. But it looks we're really starting to have fun playing basketball again."

Since winning the NIT title 33 years ago, Maryland had tried four times without success to advance past the second round. Now, after wins over Oral Roberts and Davidson, the Terps have somewhat blunted the disappointment of sitting out the NCAA tournament.

"We're going out there and having fun. That's what basketball is all about," said forward Travis Garrison, who contributed 12 points.

Six players scored in double figures for the Terrapins, led by James Gist with 15. Maryland never trailed after using a 16-0 run to pull even at halftime.

Brendan Winters scored 16 points and Jason Morton had 15 for Davidson (23-9), which was seeking to win three games in a single postseason for the first time. Before this NIT, the Wildcats hadn't won a postseason game since 1969.

Davidson shot 31 percent and went 10-for-35 from 3-point range.

"I think the shooting percentage reveals what happened in this game," Wildcats coach Bob McKillop said. "We had terrific opportunities to score, but we didn't knock down some shots that we usually knock down."

Davidson stunned the impressive crowd of 12,126 by taking a 34-18 lead with 3:56 left in the first half. But the Wildcats missed their next 12 shots and went scoreless until the 16:34 mark of the second half.

"Everything that could go wrong for us did go wrong," McKillop said.

Maryland led 44-38 before Winters scored six points in a 12-6 spree that tied it at 50 with 12 minutes to go. Caner-Medley then hit a 3-pointer, and Ekene Ibekwe made a layup to start a 13-4 run that put the Terps up 63-54.

Davidson never got closer than four points the rest of the way.

Maryland played without leading scorer John Gilchrist, who has been held out of the tournament with a sprained ankle. He was replaced by Sterling Ledbetter, who had 10 points and a career-high eight assists.

The Wildcats missed nine of their first 12 shots, but Maryland committed nine turnovers in the opening 11 minutes and fell behind 23-14. Minutes later, Davidson's Logan Kosmalski hit two straight 3-pointers, and Morton added a layup and a 3-pointer to put Davidson up by 16.

"For the first 16 minutes, I think we played better than we have all season," Winters said. "But then they came right back."

Following a timeout, Gist scored seven points and Ledbetter had five in the Terrapins' 16-point run.