Jan. 25, 2006

Final Stats

ATLANTA (AP) - Caner-Medley scored 33 points and No. 18 Maryland shook off the loss of its leading scorer for an 86-74 victory over slumping Georgia Tech on Wednesday night.

No one stepped up more than Caner-Medley, who was 8-of-12 from the field, which included making both 3-point attempts, along with continually getting to the foul line with his strong play inside. He hit 15 of 16 free throws.

Georgia Tech started out with freshman D'Andre Bell trying to guard Caner-Medley. That didn't work, and no one else had much success, either.

"Caner-Medley did a great job. He turned D'Andre inside out. When he's making 3s, we have no answers for him," Yellow Jackets coach Paul Hewitt said.

The Terrapins (14-4, 4-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) manhandled the Yellow Jackets, who have their first four-game losing streak since a five-game skid in 2002-03. Things don't get any easier for Georgia Tech (9-8, 2-4), which plays five of its next seven games on the road.

"We've got our backs to the wall right now. We know that," guard Mario West said. "But we can't stop fighting."

Maryland tied a school record by making 41 free throws, missing only four attempts. The Terrapins equaled the mark set in a 1994 victory over Morgan State, when they went 41-of-67.

Also, it was the most free throws made by a Georgia Tech opponent, easily breaking the previous record of 37 by Yale in 1973.

Caner-Medley, who was averaging 13.8 points, knew he had to take on more of a scoring role. Nine of the senior's points came during a 13-1 spurt that helped the Terrapins pull away before the midway point of the second half.

In fact, Caner-Medley scored the last seven points in the run - hitting a jumper, then a 3-pointer and finally splitting the defense for a lay-in that put Maryland up 63-45 with 11:08 remaining.

"That's what you want your seniors to do," Williams said. "I think Nik is starting too realize how good he can be when he looks after every part of his game."

Williams has 348 wins in 17 seasons with the Terrapins. That ties him with the ol' left-hander for the most in school history.

"Lefty came in and got that place rolling," said Williams, whose overall record improved to 555-310. "I learned a lot from Lefty Driesell. He's a big part of Maryland history. It's a compliment for me to be tied with Lefty, that's for sure."

Morrow and Ra'Sean Dickey each scored 18 points to lead the Yellow Jackets, who shot 37 percent and managed just one field goal in an 11 1/2-minute stretch of the second half.

"It seemed like a lot of balls rolled right off the rim," Hewitt said. "We were getting some good looks. They just wouldn't fall."

Mike Jones scored 12 points.

"Everybody's been saying they want to see how good Mike Jones is," Williams said. "Well, he's a pretty good player."