Maryland
Ohio
Terps Edged By Bobcats
12/12/2007 7:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Dec. 12, 2007
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COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) - Leon Williams scored 15 points and grabbed 15 rebounds as Ohio handed Maryland just its fourth non-conference home loss in the last 19 seasons in a 61-55 victory Wednesday night.
Maryland was 131-3 at home against competition outside the Atlantic Coast Conference since coach Gary Williams took over the program in 1989, including 50-2 since moving into the Comcast Center in 2002.
The losses were to Coppin State in 1989, Florida in 2002 and Manhattan in the 2006 NIT.
Add Ohio to the list. The Terrapins cut a 17-point deficit to 58-55 with 50.9 seconds left, but could not complete the comeback.
Leon Williams went 7-for-8 from the floor, and Jerome Tillman scored 20 for the Bobcats (6-2), who never trailed. Ohio led by 11 at halftime, expanded the margin to 15 with 16 minutes left and held on at the finish.
Maryland (6-5) was undone by poor shooting, turnovers and rebounding. The Terrapins shot 40 percent, committed 15 turnovers and were out-rebounded 37-27.
Maryland was 10-0 against teams from the Mid-American Conference, including a win over Ohio in 1981, the only other meeting between the schools.
Grievis Vasquez led the Terrapins with 13 points, though he missed 11 of his 16 shots from the floor. James Gist scored eight of Maryland's first 14 points, but he didn't score again before fouling out with 5:14 to go.
The Bobcats led 38-29 before a tip-in by Leon Williams launched a 10-2 run that made it 48-31 with 11:18 remaining. It was 58-46 before a 3-pointer by Vasquez, a dunk by Adrian Bowie and a jumper by Vasquez got the Terrapins within five with 3 minutes left.
Maryland missed several chances to get closer until Dino Gregory made a tip-in with 50.9 seconds to go. But Williams made one foul shot with 27.5 seconds left to secure the win.
Leon Williams and Tillman had 9 points apiece, and Ohio frustrated the Terrapins with a tightly packed zone in taking a 34-23 halftime lead.
Ohio made its first five shots from the field, including 3-pointers by Tillman and Justin Orr, to go up 12-4. The Terrapins got within two points before Williams made a layup and a three-point play to put the Bobcats ahead 21-14. Minutes later, Ohio went on a 7-0 run to make it 30-18.
