EditorsNote: 3rd graf, change 33 to 14, smaller changes throughout; tweaks headline
Four players scored in double figures and No. 6 Maryland held off a pesky Fairfield team 74-55 for its fourth straight victory to open the season Tuesday night in College Park, Md.
The Terrapins got 17 points and eight rebounds from Jalen Smith, and 13 apiece from Eric Ayala and Ricky Lindo. Anthony Cowan chipped in 12 points and five assists.
Fairfield (1-4) of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference hit 12 3-pointers to keep things interesting much of the game, but the Terps were too tough in the paint, racking up 14 second-chance points and building a commanding edge at the free-throw line. Maryland hit 14 of 25 attempts, while Fairfield was just 7-for-8.
Landon Taliaferro led the visitors with 15 points, and Jesus Cruz added 13. The Stags were 12 of 25 from 3-point range but were outrebounded 43-31.
Still, Fairfield cut into Maryland's 14-point halftime lead early in the second half, and when Taliaferro hit a 3-pointer at 14:11, the Terrapins led just 49-41. Ayala answered with a 3-pointer at 12:59, and Fairfield never got closer than nine again.
Ayala and Smith combined for eight points in a decisive 10-3 run, Smith with a dunk with 7:40 left to put Maryland up 65-49. Maryland had 34 points in the paint to Fairfield's 10. The Stags had just six field goals that were not 3-pointers, going 18-of-51 (35.3 percent) overall from the field.
The Stags hung around early before the Terrapins' length and depth created problems. Calvin Whipple's 3-pointer put Fairfield ahead 9-8 at 14:56 as the Stags hit their first three 3-point attempts. Aaron Wiggins put Maryland ahead for good at 11-9 with a 3-pointer at 13:44 to start a 17-5 Terrapins run. When Smith canned two free throws at 6:16, the Maryland lead was 25-14, on the way to a 41-27 halftime advantage.
The game was a home-site opening to the Orlando Invitational, which continues next week in Orlando, Fla. The Terrapins host George Mason on Friday, wrapping up a five-game homestand to open the season. Fairfield travels to the Orlando to meet USC on Nov. 28, continuing the event on site for three more games. Maryland will play Temple in the Invitational there on Nov. 28, then meet the Texas A&M/Harvard winner the following day.
--Field Level Media
