The number-two ranked Maryland Terrapins started fast and ran past the Rhode Island Rams 86-63, playing their best game of the season while winning the Cancun Challenge in Mexico.
The Rams were one of the few teams this season that did not use a zone defense against the Terps, who thrived in the open floor.
They immediately jumped out to a 15-5 lead which ballooned to 31-13 on a Michal Cekovsky dunk with 7:45 to play in the first half and from there the tenacious Terps were never threatened.
Maryland (5-0) coach Mark Turgeon was able to empty the bench in the final moments of the championship game as Maryland had a lead as high as 29 points in the second half.
Seldom used guard Andrew Terrell even knocked down a three-pointer to the delight of the Maryland bench as the shot clock expired to give the Terps an 86-61 lead with 33 seconds to play in the contest.
After needing a late rally to beat the Illinois State Redbirds 77-66 in their first game of the Challenge, the Terps came out determined to put this game away early and they did.
The undefeated Terps got off to a blistering start and had five players finish in double figures. They ended up shooting 62 percent from the floor in the first half and were led by Robert Carter’s 13 first half points.
They were also 5-9 on three pointers in the first half and two free throws by Terp guard Melo Trimble gave them a 33-13 lead with 6:26 to go before halftime.
Trimble, who was the Challenge MVP, put an exclamation point on the Terp’s best first half of the season by stroking a three as the buzzer sounded giving Maryland a 44-28 lead at the break.
He finished the game with a team-high 17 points, on 7-7 shooting from the floor and a perfect 3-3 from the free throw line. He also grabbed six rebounds, dished out four assists and had three steals.
Sulaimon also had a team-high 17 points and was 4-5 from the three-point arc. He also contributed four assists and two rebounds. Carter finished with 15 points and a team-best nine rebounds, three assists, three blocks and one steal.
Freshman Diamond Stone and Jared Nickens each chipped in with 10 points, and Stone also snagged five rebounds, had three of the Terps nine blocked shots and one steal before fouling out. Senior Jake Layman scored nine points, corralled three rebounds and had two of the Terps eight steals.
The Terps won the rebounding battle 34 to 29. They were 16 for 23 for 70 percent in free throw shooting. The Rams were 21-30 from the charity stripe. The Terps shot 60 percent from the floor for the game, including a season-best 59 percent on three-pointers.
The Maryland defense held the Rams to 34 percent shooting from the field and Rhode Island was also held to 13 percent shooting, (2-15) from long distance.
Sulaimon joined Trimble on the All-Tournament team.
Rhode Island was led in scoring by Kuran Iverson who finished with 19 points. Earl Watson added 17 points and five rebounds and Jarvis Garrett added 13 points and a team-high six rebounds in a losing effort for the (3-2) Rams.
