Maryland Finally Solves No. 2 Duke

Maryland’s highest and lowest moments of the season have both come against second-ranked Duke.

The 16th-ranked Terrapins squandered a 10-point lead in the final minute a month ago at home, but got revenge Tuesday night by defeating the Blue Devils, 91-80, at Durham, N.C.

“I can’t say enough about our character,” Maryland Coach Gary Williams said. “To go through what we did in College Park, to lose a game like we did and then come down here and get the win, that’s really big.”

Williams enjoyed a laugh when asked if it was a good time of the year to get a big win.

“Yeah, but I would have taken it about a month ago too,” he said. “This keeps our momentum going.”

The offensive and defensive hero for the Terrapins, 19-9 overall and 9-6 in the Atlantic Coast Conference, was Juan Dixon, who had 28 points and five steals.

“I said we were back on track a couple of games ago,” said Dixon, who made 11 of 20 shots. “We just needed one win and after that I said we were back and we’re showing it now. Hopefully a lot of people will believe us, if not, we’ve just going to keep playing our type of basketball.”

Jason Williams re-injured his sore calf in the second half and Duke (25-4, 12-3) played the final 9 1/2 minutes without center Carlos Boozer, who suffered a foot injury. Coach Mike Krzyzewski said he believed Boozer broke a bone in his right foot and could be sidelined for several weeks.

No. 3 Michigan State 51, No. 22 Wisconsin 47--Andre Hutson scored 13 points and the Spartans (23-3, 12-3) held off a late charge by the Badgers (17-9, 8-7) in a Big Ten game at Madison, Wis.

The victory lifted the Spartans into a first-place tie in the conference with Illinois with one game remaining. Michigan State hosts Michigan on Saturday, while fifth-ranked Illinois plays at Minnesota.

No. 18 St. Joseph’s 84, Massachusetts 69--Marvin O’Connor had 21 points and the Hawks (24-4, 14-1) overcame a 16-point halftime deficit to defeat the Minutemen (13-13, 11-4) at Philadelphia and clinch the Atlantic 10 Conference regular-season title.

St. Joseph’s has won 10 consecutive games, its longest streak since 1996-97, and 18 of 19.

No. 19 Syracuse 80, Pittsburgh 69--Allen Griffin had 14 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds and Damone Brown had 21 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Orangemen (21-7, 9-6) to a Big East victory over the Panthers (14-12, 6-9) at Syracuse, N.Y.

WOMEN

No. 2 Notre Dame 82, Pittsburgh 63--Kelley Siemon had 17 points and eight rebounds to lead the Irish (26-1, 15-1) over the Panthers (9-18, 3-13) at Pittsburgh and give Notre Dame a share of the Big East regular-season title.

No. 3 Connecticut 83, Seton Hall 48--Sue Bird scored 20 points as the Huskies (25-2, 15-1) romped over the Pirates (16-11, 9-7) at South Orange, N.J., to wrap up a share of the Big East regular-season championship.

No. 9 Rutgers 65, Georgetown 48--Tasha Pointer had 18 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists for her Big East regular-season record fourth triple-double as the Scarlet Knights (21-6, 13-3) rolled over the Hoyas (15-13, 6-10) at Washington.

Nebraska Kearney 97, Fort Hays State 78--The Lopers set an NCAA Division II record with their 86th consecutive home victory in the opening round of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference tournament at Kearney, Neb.