WASHINGTON'To anyone who thought Maryland might have peaked during its recent one-and-a-half-month winning streak, the Terrapins had a message Sunday.
With senior guard Juan Dixon leading the way, Maryland put on a show, turning a close game into a blowout and advancing to the NCAA Tournament round of 16 for the fourth time in five seasons.
Dixon matched his season high with 29 points, setting the school's career scoring record, and the top-seeded Terrapins routed eighth-seeded Wisconsin, 87-57, in an East Region second-round game before 18,789 at MCI Center.
\When we play like that, we don't think a lot of teams can play with us,"" junior guard Drew Nicholas said. ""And the few that can will have a hard time withstanding our punch. We're not trying to be cocky, but that's the way we feel. I think you saw that tonight.'""
Wisconsin (19-13 overall), the Big Ten regular season co-champion, got a first-hand look. Dixon was splendid in nearly every aspect, making 10 of 19 shots, including four of seven three-point attempts, with five rebounds, three assists and two steals. His three-pointer from the left wing with four minutes left in the first half broke Len Bias' school record of 2,149 points; Dixon has 2,172 points.
Sophomore forward Chris Wilcox and senior center Lonny Baxter scored 18 and 16 points, respectively, and senior forward Byron Mouton led the defensive effort on Wisconsin junior guard Kirk Penney. The Terrapins' press forced the tempo, and after struggling for 15 minutes, the Terrapins ran the Badgers out of the building, posting their most lopsided NCAA tournament victory.
""It's a great time to be playing Maryland if you're a team that's trying to get better for the future,"" Wisconsin Head Coach Bo Ryan said.
The Terrapins (28-4 overall) are playing for the present. They shook off recent struggles, during which their 13-game winning streak ended in the ACC tournament and their effort was less than impressive in Friday's 85-70 victory over Siena. Sunday, they tied the school record for victories in a season and moved on to play fourth-seeded Kentucky on Friday night in Syracuse. The winner of that game will play either Southern Illinois or Connecticut for a place in the Final Four.
Sunday's game was close for most of the first half, with Wisconsin hanging on to a small lead. Trailing 23-19 with 6:30 left in the half, Maryland went on the kind of run that has become routine for this team.
Baxter made a great catch on an entry pass and laid the ball in. Wilcox scored on a fast break. Dixon rebounded a miss by Penney, dribbled up the court and passed to Nicholas for an open three-pointer from the right side. After Baxter took a charge, junior guard Steve Blake made a three-pointer from the left wing. In just 90 seconds, Maryland had taken a 29-23 lead.
""It all came together after we took the lead back,"" Blake said.
Maryland's lead was 38-30 at halftime, and by a few minutes into the second half the game essentially was over. Wilcox started the half with a tip-in, and Dixon got open for another three-pointer, this one from the right wing. Then Dixon banked in a 12-footer in transition and Blake threw a long outlet pass to Wilcox for a reverse layup. The lead had grown to 47-30.
The Badgers mustered little offensively. Penney made three of 14 shots, missing all of his three-point shots, and finished with nine points, his lowest point total in nearly two months.
The Badgers finally scored four-and-a-half minutes into the second half on a three-pointer by senior forward Charlie Wills, but then Dixon, battling cramps in his left leg, went on a one-man spurt. He took an inbounds pass and made a runner in the lane while being fouled, stole a cross-court pass and went in for an uncontested layup and then made a long three-pointer while being fouled for a 55-33 lead.
""I think he understands this is his last time around,"" Nicholas said. ""He wants to make it something special. I don't have any problem riding on his back.\
