Nov. 25, 2003
Box Score
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Sophomore forward Jai Lewis (Aberdeen, MD/Aberdeen) came off the bench to pace George Mason to the tune of 17 points, tying a career high, and eight rebounds, but Maryland's Jamar Smith recorded career-highs with 19 points and 13 rebounds, as the Terrapins (2-0), ranked 24th nationally in latest ESPN/USA Today Top 25 Coaches' Poll, used a 9-0 run midway through the second half en route to a 79-64 win over the Patriots (1-1) Tuesday night at Comcast Center.
Senior guard Mark Davis (Springfield, VA/R.E. Lee/Palm Beach CC) totaled 15 points, and junior guard Terry Reynolds (Nashville, TN/Oak Hill [VA] Academy) added 10 points - all in the first half. The Terrapins' Nik Caner-Medley made his first six shots and finished with a career-best 23 points.
Mason trailed by 12 points, 34-22, with 6:46 left to go in the first half, but rallied to close to within three, 41-38, at halftime. The Patriots took the lead for the first time, 47-43, with 17 minutes remaining, opening the second stanza on a 9-2 run. Senior guard Raoul Heinen's (Bunschoten, Holland) fueled the spurt with five points, but Smith followed with a dunk and added two layups in a 14-3 run that put Maryland up 57-50.
Lewis brought Mason back into the contest with two free throws and a layup to trim the Terps' advantage to 57-54 at the 11 minute mark. But, Maryland's John Gilchrist, who scored 11 second half points, nailed a 3-pointer and D.J. Strawberry scored twice in the lane to jump start the Terps' 9-0 second half surge that led to a 66-54 lead with 9:32 left in the game. Mason would get no closer than nine points the rest of the way.
George Mason shot 38.5 percent from the floor for the game, 31.3 percent in the second half, compared to 47.4 percent for the game for Maryland. The Terrapins outrebounded the Patriots, 49-36, and finished with 19 assists, 12 steals and seven blocked shots. Mason turned the ball over 19 times with only 12 assists, and trailed 18-4 on fast break points. The Terps recorded 58 points in the paint compared to 36 for the Patriots.
George Mason returns to action Saturday at 2 p.m. at Iona, before heading home to face East Carolina on Tuesday, Dec. 2, at 7 pm.
