NCAA BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT : SOUTHEAST REGIONAL AT CINCINNATI : Maryland Too Strong Inside for Gauchos

Derrick Lewis scored 18 of his 25 points in the second half Friday night as Maryland used its inside strength to defeat University of California Santa Barbara 92-82 in a first-round NCAA Southeast Regional tournament game.

Maryland (18-12) used its size advantage to wipe out a 44-39 halftime deficit and earn its first NCAA tournament victory for Bob Wade. The second-year coach replaced Lefty Driesell in the turmoil following the death of Len Bias.

Maryland will play either Kentucky or Southern in a second-round game Sunday at Riverfront Coliseum.

UC Santa Barbara (22-7) got off to a torrid start in its first NCAA tournament appearance, hitting 69% from the floor in the first half. But the Gauchos couldn’t keep up with Lewis when Maryland took its offense close to the hoop after the intermission.

Lewis scored 14 of Maryland’s 21 points in a 10-minute stretch to help the Terrapins take command with a nine-point lead. Santa Barbara got no closer than three points in the final 10 minutes.

The first half was a long-range shootout, and the Gauchos got the best of it.

Each team opened the game with three 3-pointers. Santa Barbara went on to hit 7 of 10 3-point shots in the first half, while Maryland connected on 6 of 11. Keith Gatlin hit 5 of Maryland’s 3-pointers and led all scorers at the half with 17 points.

Gatlin scored 11 of Maryland’s first 19 points, giving the Terrapins a 19-13 lead with 12 minutes left. Brian Shaw, the Pacific Coast Athletic Assn.’s player of the year, rallied the Gauchos to a seven-point lead with a minute to play, scoring 14 points in the opening half.

However, Shaw failed to score in the second half, and Santa Barbara’s offense crumbled.

Working the ball inside to the 6-foot-7 Lewis and 6-10 Brian Williams, Maryland put together an 8-2 run to take a 49-48 lead four minutes into the second half. Lewis punctuated Maryland’s comeback with a pair of dunks.

Gatlin finished with 23 points and Rudy Archer had 18. Mike Doyle led the Gauchos with 20 points and Carrick DeHart had 18.