Terps Rally To Beat Cavaliers, 76-65
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Feb. 7, 2006
COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) – Gary Williams became the winningest men’s basketball coach in University of Maryland history, earning win No. 349 by guiding the Terrapins to a 76-65 comeback victory over Virginia on Tuesday night.
Maryland yielded the first 13 points of the game and trailed 51-42 with just over 10 minutes left before rallying to give Williams his milestone victory on the fourth try. The Terrapins (15-7, 5-4 Atlantic Coast Conference) had lost three straight since Williams tied Lefty Driesell atop the career list.
Williams is 349-185 since taking over the program at his alma mater in 1989. With 43 seconds left, the sellout crowd of 17,950 began to shout “Gary! Gary!” in unison.
Soon after, when he was presented the game ball by team captain Nik Caner-Medley, Williams was nearly overcome by emotion as he conducted his post-game radio interview.
D.J. Strawberry had a career-high 19 points and Ekene Ibekwe had 14 points and a career-high 15 rebounds for the Terrapins, who yielded only two baskets in the final five minutes.
J.R. Reynolds and Sean Singletary each scored 18 points, and Jason Cain had 11 points and 13 rebounds for Virginia (11-9, 5-5).
It was 60-all before Ibekwe made a layup and Mike Jones hit a 3-pointer to spark a 9-0 run that enabled the Terrapins to pull away. Maryland has won five straight over Virginia and 12 of 13 at home.
The Cavaliers led 51-42 before successive baskets by Travis Garrison, James Gist and Ibekwe preceded a 3-pointer by Strawberry that brought the Terrapins even with 8 minutes left, the first tie since the opening tip.
After a Virginia misfire, Ibekwe got the rebound and was fouled. He sank both free throws to give the Terrapins their first lead, 53-51.
The Cavaliers went back on top before Strawberry hit a 3-pointer for a 56-55 lead. Jones then missed a breakaway reverse dunk, and Singletary nailed a 3-pointer for Virginia before Strawberry scored to tie it at 58.
Minutes later, the Terrapins pulled away.
Virginia held a 26-14 rebounding advantage at halftime, grabbing 10 on the offensive end, and limited Maryland to 31 percent shooting in taking a 38-30 lead.
During their stunning 13-0 run, the Cavaliers proved efficient from long range and underneath the basket. After Adrian Joseph and Singletary sank 3-pointers, Singletary scored off his own rebound before Cain and Joseph scored on putbacks to complete the opening salvo.
Maryland missed its first six shots and committed a turnover before Mike Jones hit a 3-pointer with just under four minutes elapsed. Minutes later, Garrison made three baskets in a 12-3 spurt that got the Terrapins to 23-18.
But after closing to 28-25, Maryland went the final 2:55 of the half without scoring.