photo courtesy of Mark Campbell

COLLEGE PARK, MD -- The University of Maryland men’s basketball team used a 23-2 run midway through the first half as the Terrapins posted a 76-46 victory over the University of Delaware Friday night at the Comcast Center.

The Terrapins, who snapped a three-game losing streak, all at home, improved to 7-6 on the season while the Blue Hens had their two-game winning streak snapped while falling to 4-7 on the year.

Maryland, which shot 47.7 percent from the field, held a commanding 57-25 rebounding advantage and corralled 22 offensive boards. The Terrapins were led by senior forward James Gist, who recorded a double-double with game-highs of 18 points and 10 rebounds. Greivis Vasquez also scored 18 points while adding eight assists and three steals, and Bambale Osby contributed 14 points and seven rebounds. Landon Milbourne came off the bench to score 10 points and was Maryland’s fourth player in double figures.

Delaware, which fell to 6-19 all-time against Atlantic Coast Conference opponents, got a season-high 17 points from junior guard Marc Egerson (at right), while sophomore Brian Johnson and freshman D.J. Boney each added seven points. Junior forward Jim Ledsome pulled down eight rebounds and blocked seven Maryland shots, six in the first half.

However the Blue Hens shot a season-low 27.6 percent from the field, going just 16 of 58 from the floor.

Delaware stayed with the Terrapins early, as a fastbreak dunk by Egerson tied the game at 10-10 with 15:14 remaining in the first half. However Maryland responded with a 13-0 run, taking a 23-10 lead on a three-pointer by Vasquez at the 9:05 mark. Johnson answered with a jumper for the Blue Hens, but the Terrapins then scored 10 consecutive points to go up 33-12 with 5:30 left in the period.

An Alphonso Dawson layup and a Ledsome tip-in cut the Maryland lead to 33-16 at the 4:40 mark, but the Terrapins again extended their lead to 21 points at 40-19 on a three-pointer by Vasquez. A layup by Boney and a jumper by Johnson made it a 40-23 game at the break.

After Osby opened the second half with a jumper Egerson nailed a three-pointer to pull Delaware within 16, but the Terrapins, who improved to 51-4 in the Comcast Center against non-conference opponents, led by at least 20 points over the final 15 minutes of the game. The 30-point margin of victory represented Maryland’s largest lead of the contest.

“Tonight we played a team that was wounded and was coached by a coach that will someday be in the Hall of Fame,” said UD second-year head coach Monté Ross. “We knew they weren’t going to continue playing the way they were playing. Tonight’s game showed some of our holes. We didn’t do a good job of rebounding, and anytime you give up offensive rebounds, you’re going to have a difficult time winning the game.”

Delaware returns to Colonial Athletic Association play on Wednesday, January 2 when the Blue Hens travel to William & Mary for a 7 p.m. game with the Tribe.

Boxscore