Terps shake another early hole with surge

Stretch of 16 straight points in first half helps turn game into blowout for Maryland

PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Nearly nine minutes into Saturday’s game at the Rutgers Athletic Center, Maryland was down by six points after scoring just three points in a stretch of 16 possessions.

Both sophomore center Bruno Fernando and junior guard Anthony Cowan Jr. were on the bench for one stretch, having been pulled by coach Mark Turgeon. It looked like another long afternoon on the road for the Terps.

By halftime, it was a blowout — for Maryland, which went on to claim a 77-63 road victory over the Scarlet Knights.

The Terps used balanced scoring with six reaching double figures and some pesky defense to finish the first half on a 33-6 run — including 16 straight points in one stretch — to build a 21-point halftime lead and go ahead by as many as 27 points in the second half.

Freshman forward Jalen Smith (Mount Saint Joseph), who scored the last seven See TERPS, page 5