No. 2 Maryland cruises past St. Frances 96-55
COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) Maryland coach Mark Turgeon thinks the best is yet to come for Robert Carter Jr.
If Turgeon is right, the Georgia Tech transfer is primed for a huge season.
Carter had a season-high 20 points in just 19 minutes, and No. 2 Maryland rebounded from its first loss with a 96-55 victory over St. Francis on Friday.
''He was terrific tonight,'' Turgeon said. ''I thought his defense was better and his defensive rebounding was good to see. Robert is such a good kid and he gets a little bit more comfortable each and every game. There is a lot more in him that we haven't seen yet.''
Freshman Diamond Stone added 16 points, and Jake Layman scored 11 of his 16 points in the first half. Maryland (7-1), which lost to No. 9 North Carolina on Tuesday, was 31 of 46 from the field (67.4 percent) and has shot at least 50 percent for five consecutive games.
Ben Millaud-Meunier led St. Francis (3-4) with 13 points. Ronnie Drinnon added 11 points and 10 rebounds for the Red Flash, who have dropped each of their four road games this season.
Layman scored eight points as Maryland opened with a 16-3 run. It was a nice response from Layman, who was 1 for 5 from the field and scored four points in the 89-81 loss to the Tar Heels.
''I've been shooting the ball the same way,'' Layman said. ''I think everyone goes through cycles of missed shots like that. Shooters just have to keep shooting no matter what.''
The Red Flash struggled to get open shots against the Terrapins' tight man-to-man defense and made just three of their first 16 shots from the field.
A jumper by Stone gave Maryland its first 20-point lead at 32-12 with 4:13 left in the half. Maryland went 15 of 22 (68.2 percent) and led 45-24 at the break. The Terrapins also scored 16 points off eight St. Francis turnovers.
''I just feel we guarded tonight,'' Carter said. ''We focused on it. We made them shoot a pretty bad field-goal percentage. We probably have the best offensive team in the country. Defensive-wise, we can probably get better. That's where we need to grow.''
Maryland went deep into its reserves, and a jumper and free throw by 7-foot-1 center Michal Cekovsky extended the lead to 58-28 with 14:14 left. It was the Terps' largest margin of victory and they set a season high for points.
''They are a talented team,'' St. Francis coach Rob Krimmel said. ''I know it's early in the year and you don't want to talk too far in advance, but I think that is the best team I have ever been on the floor with.''
TIP-INS
St. Francis: The Red Flash also lost their only other meeting against Maryland, 69-56, on Dec. 30, 1955. ... St Francis had 17 offensive boards.
Maryland: Junior forward Damonte Dodd got his first start of the season ahead of Stone. Dodd finished with eight points. ... Maryland has won 18 straight home games. ... St. Francis was the second opponent Maryland played from the Northeast Conference this season. The Terps beat Mount St. Mary's 80-56 in their opener.
UP NEXT
St. Francis plays Duquesne at the Cambria County War Memorial on Dec. 12.
Maryland plays Connecticut in the Jimmy V Classic in New York on Tuesday.
IMPACT PLAYER
Carter is the only Maryland player to score in double figures in each of its eight games this season. He also has shown versatility.
Carter was 9 for 10 from the line and had six assists.
''It's still early in the year,'' he said. ''We're still getting better.''
ROAD WOES
Poor shooting has doomed the Red Flash away from home this season. Entering the game, St. Francis shot a combined 35.9 percent in three road games. That trend continued as the Red Flash were just 18 of 62 (29 percent) against the Terps.
''We have to do things offensively to better execute,'' St. Francis forward Ronnie Drinnon said.
