Maryland rolls to 96-43 victory over Maryland-Eastern Shore (Nov 12, 2017)
COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) Maryland has plenty of players who can put the ball in the basket, a quality that could come in handy when the Terrapins are no longer involved in early-season mismatches.
Anthony Cowan had 16 points and nine rebounds, Jared Nickens scored 15 and Maryland opened its home schedule with a 96-43 rout of Maryland-Eastern Shore on Sunday night.
Five players reached double figures for the Terrapins (2-0), just like on Friday at Stony Brook.
''Every night's going to be different,'' coach Mark Turgeon said. ''Different guys are going to play well. If you only have four or five good players and they're not playing well, you've got trouble. We've got a lot of choices, which helps.''
Justin Jackson and Kevin Huerter are expected to be the go-to scorers this season, but in this game each played only 22 minutes. Huerter scored 10 points and Jackson had eight.
Nickens made all five of his shots, including four from beyond the arc. Dion Wiley finished with 14 points and freshman Darryl Morsell added 12.
Cowan scored eight points in a 17-0 run that gave the Terrapins a 43-15 lead late in the first half. The 6-foot sophomore had 12 points, eight rebounds, two steals and a block before halftime.
Maryland yielded the game's first basket before Wiley drilled successive 3-pointers to spark a 12-0 run.
Maryland shot 70 percent (14 for 20) from the floor in the first half and forced nine turnovers, including four by freshman Cameron Bacote.
Bacote led UMES (1-1) with 18 points. He had 28 points and 11 rebounds in the Hawks' opener against Valley Forge.
The Hawks were without all five starters they were counting on when practice began last month.
''What we played tonight were four freshmen, two walk-ons and two sophomores,'' coach Bobby Collins lamented.
The original five starters - point guard Logan McIntosh, senior guard Ryan Andino, 6-8 freshman Leandre Thomas, forward Dontae Caldwell and 6-10 junior Issac Taylor - were all injured.
Taylor, Caldwell and Andino are out for the year.
UMES probably would not have won with those five, but without them it was no contest.
''I feel for them,'' Turgeon said. ''Hopefully they'll get healthy and will be good down the road.''
It was Maryland's most lopsided victory since Turgeon took over in 2011.
BIG PICTURE
UMES: Games like this make money for the program and help the Hawks get ready for the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference slate. The UMES schedule includes road games against Georgetown, Virginia Tech, Iowa State and Creighton before league play begins in 2018.
Maryland: The Terps can score, but playing defense is going to dictate how well this team fares. Maryland limited UMES to 34 percent shooting and finished with a 46-21 rebounding advantage. ''I think we really locked in defensively. When you have depth, you can do that,'' Turgeon said.
Said Collins: ''They're deep, they're very athletic, they're long, they make shot. They're going to be a contender.''
NOT A RIVALRY
The Terrapins are 18-0 against UMES in a series that began in 1979. This was the first game between the teams since 2015.
UP NEXT
UMES: Travels to St. Bonaventure on Wednesday night.
Maryland: Hosts Butler on Wednesday night in the second of four straight home games.
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