No. 6 Maryland Dunks Hofstra
Add Hofstra coach Jay Wright to an expanding list of Maryland victims who aren't embarrassed with a loss to the sixth-ranked Terrapins.
Terence Morris scored half of his career-high 22 points in a first-half run that propelled Maryland to its third consecutive lopsided victory, 89-59 over Hofstra on Friday night.
Maryland (3-0) has defeated Western Carolina, Maryland-Baltimore County and Hofstra by a combined 125 points. The Terrapins trailed for the first time this season before Morris, a 6-foot-9 sophomore, spearheaded a 25-4 surge that put Maryland ahead 36-19.
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"They are a very, very good basketball team," Wright said. "What I feared is what they did -- they have so many weapons. They cover ground offensively and defensively as well as any team I've ever seen. And they played hard right to the end."
It was the 61st consecutive non-conference home victory for the Terrapins since 1989 and their 15th consecutive victory in November.
Western Carolina coach Phil Hopkins last week called the Terrapins "as a good a team as I've ever coached against. I knew they were good, but I had no idea they were that good."
Obinna Ekezie matched his career high with 23 points and had 11 rebounds for the Terrapins, who placed four players in double figures.
Norman Richardson scored 20 points and Craig Claxton had 16 for the Flying Dutchmen, who lost their season opener for the first time since 1994.
Maryland led 49-33 at halftime after going 14-for-22 at the foul line. Hofstra made two of four free throws, missed 20 of 33 field goal attempts and committed 14 turnovers.
The Terrapins quelled any chance of a Hofstra comeback by making five of their first seven shots after halftime for a 61-37 lead.
Morris, whose previous career-high was 20 points, made seven of 12 shots and was 7-for-7 at the free throw line.
"Terence Morris is amazing," Maryland coach Gary Williams said. "He just dos things so quick and smooth, sometimes you don't appreciate how hard he's really working."
Maryland scored the game's first seven points and led 11-6 before Hofstra made three straight 3-pointers to take a surprising 15-11 lead.
"It was anybody's game at that point," Williams said. "It was good for us to look up at the scoreboard and see something like that and realize that maybe we could work a little harder."
Hofstra's lead didn't last long. An Ekezie follow-shot, a free throw by Juan Dixon and five straight points by Morris made it 19-15. After Richardson scored from the baseline, Maryland reeled off 10 straight points, including six at the free throw line.
It was 29-19 before Morris had a pair of dunks in a 7-0 spree.
"We knew Morris was a good standup shooter, but he also hurt us on the glass and inside," Wright said. "He's much more than just a standup shooter."
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