Terps trounce Tigers

The Maryland Terrapins trounced the Jackson State Tigers 76-45 behind a career-high 18 points from freshman big-man Bruno Fernando at an ecstatic Xfinity Center.

The 6-foot-10 Fernando had his breakout game, hitting seven of nine shots while controlling and patrolling the paint with six rebounds and three blocks.

Guard Kevin Huerter also had a nice all around game and finished with 14 points, three rebounds, three assists and two steals.

Senior Jared Nickens was a spark off the bench and tallied 14 points, going four of eight from beyond the arc and had five rebounds.

Justin Jackson finished with 10 points, a team-high eight rebounds and two blocked shots.

The Terps leading scorer Anthony Cowan Jr. was scoreless for the first time this year, content to be a floor general and finished with six assists and three rebounds.

The Tigers hung with the Terps for most of the first half and a three-pointer by Jackson State’s Jeremiah Jefferson made the score 23-21 Maryland with 6:24 to play in the first half.

Maryland was able to stretch the lead to 30-21 on a Huerter free throw with 3:56 to go before the break and extended that lead to 38-25 at the half.

A Huerter basket made the score 44-27 with 17:46 to play in the game as the Terrapins used their size and length to their advantage and the rout was on.

Another Huerter bucket extended the Terrapin lead to 64-34 with 9:45 to go and was part of a 26-9 Maryland second half run that took all of the suspense out of the game and allowed coach Mark Turgeon to clear the bench.

Bench warmer Alex Tostado made two free throws with 32 seconds to play giving Maryland their largest lead of the game at 76-45.

Maryland made 26 of 52 shots while sinking 11 of 27 three pointers. They also made 13 of 19 free throws and out rebounded the Tigers 40-24.

Meanwhile, the Terps defense held Jackson State to 30 percent shooting and six for 20 from long distance.

This marks the fourth time that Maryland has held an opponent to under 40 percent shooting this season.

Maryland had 16 assists, seven blocks and three steals while causing 12 turnovers.

Jackson State was led by Jefferson with 11 points and three rebounds. Julian Daughtry finished with 10 points and Maurice Rivers came off the bench to snag a team-high eight rebounds while scoring seven points in a losing effort for the (1-3) Tigers.