COLLEGE PARK — Before Wednesday night's game against Florida State, coach Gary Williams said his Maryland team probably wouldn't face an opponent as tall as the Seminoles all season.
The task Maryland faced was steep as well. The Terps were trying to hold serve at home against the Seminoles, then post another quality win at No. 19 North Carolina on Sunday to distinguish themselves with the NCAA tournament selection committee.
Phase One of Maryland's plan went according to plan as the Terps' guards aggressively challenged a potent defense in a 78-62 victory that pushed Maryland above .500 in Atlantic Coast Conference play. It was just the second time this season that the Terps had defeated an ACC opponent with a winning league record.
The Terps (18-10, 7-6 ACC) won with inside-out balance. Maryland guards frequently penetrated or looked inside to Jordan Williams or Dino Gregory, who often pitched the ball back for open jumpers. The Terps got double-digit scoring from three guards — Terrell Stoglin, Adrian Bowie and Sean Mosley — and nine points from Pe'Shon Howard.
"We needed this win," said Bowie, who shot 4-for-5 and scored 12 points to go with a team-leading six assists off the bench. "We’re good shooters, we just haven’t knocked them down consistently. We always want to start the offense inside and then go back outside.”
Maryland became only the second team – North Carolina was the first – to shoot better than 50 percent against the Seminoles this season.
After leading by one point at halftime, the Terps pushed the lead to as high as 17 points behind Gregory and Stoglin.
Stoglin drove the length of the court to extend the lead to 49-41 with 13:57 left. Consecutive baskets and a free throw by Gregory pushed the margin to 60-47 at the 10:22 mark.
Gregory, (14 points) a senior co-captain whose midrange jumper has never been better, was coming off a career-high 18 points in his last game. Stoglin (17 points) was following two 25-point games that were also career bests.
The Seminoles were led by senior guard Derwin Kitchen's 16 points.
"Probably the best man-to-man [defense] in a while,” Maryland coach Gary Williams said. He said his team succeeded in the difficult task of defending the perimeter while managing to scramble back and help when the ball went inside.
Maryland fans did a mocking rendition of Florida State's "war chant" at the end.
Florida State’s 6-foot-10 shot blocker Bernard James was credited with just one block.
"The hardest time to block a shot is when somebody is going right at you," said Gregory, who added that the Terps did just that.
Said James: "They did a good job of getting to the lane, and that caused a lot of problems."
Florida State (19-8, 9-4 ACC) has not defeated Maryland in College Park since Leonard Hamilton became coach in 2002-03. But the Seminoles, despite losing leading scorer Chris Singleton to a broken foot two weeks ago, were trying to reach 20 wins for the fifth time in six seasons.
The Seminoles entered the game leading the nation in field-goal percentage defense at 35.7 percent. They led the ACC in blocks per game at six.
But Maryland, which did not make a single 3-pointer in its last game, hit five in the first half, including two by Howard. Its early shooting success outside stretched Florida State's defense, making it easier to push the ball inside.
Maryland shot 52.1 percent in the game, including 7-for-14 on 3-pointers.
"For all of you who thought the 3-pointer was no longer part of our offense, there it is – 7-for-14," said Gary Williams, who spoke sternly and was not smiling when he said it.
At the start of the game, Maryland quickly fell behind, 9-2. The Terps tied it at 18 on a 3-pointer by Haukur Palsson with 11:03 left in the first half, then took their first lead, 19-18, on a free throw by Bowie.
Bowie, a senior who did not start for the second game in a row, scored 10 points in the first half as Maryland took a 38-37 lead.
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