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Maryland 74, Iona 59

Posted: Friday March 17, 2000 01:30 AM

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MINNEAPOLIS (Ticker) -- Terence Morris scored six of his 22 points in a 22-7 run to open the second half as third-seeded Maryland advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament with a 74-59 victory over No. 14 Iona in the Midwest Region.

Maryland (25-9) led 38-25 at the half but moved out to its largest lead at 60-32 on a running jumper by Juan Dixon with 10:29 remaining. Dixon scored 20 points.

The Terrapins, who lost to Duke in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game on Sunday, were never threatened thereafter and will face UCLA in the second round on Saturday.

Tariq Kirskay, the Metro Atlantic Conference Player of the Year, went 11-of-20 from the field and led Iona with 24 points and 10 rebounds. The Gaels (20-11), who won the MAAC tournament, shot 33 percent (22-of-66) and fell to 1-6 all-time in the NCAA Tournament.

A five-foot jumper by Dyree Wilson in the first minute of the second half cut Maryland's lead to 39-27, but Morris scored four straight points to cap a 9-0 run with just over 17 minutes remaining. Five different players scored two points each in a 10-1 run as Maryland moved out to a 28-point cushion.

Kirksay scored 20 points in the second half, including a 3-pointer with 1:57 remaining to cut Maryland's lead to 69-57, but the Gaels could not any closer.

Dixon had 15 points, five rebounds and four assists in the second half as Maryland shot 44 percent (11-of-25) in the final 20 minutes and 45 percent (26-of-57) overall. The Terrapins outrebounded Iona, 49-32, with Morris grabbing 12 boards and Lonny Baxter 11.

Maryland jumped out to a 23-4 lead over the first 8:03 of the game as Morris scored 10 of his 14 first-half points in the surge, including a 3-pointer from the left corner to cap the run.

The Gaels, who shot 24 percent (7-of-29) in the first half, answered with a 15-5 run as Ivo Kresta scored all 10 of his points. Kirksay's layup with 6:43 left allowed Iona to pull within nine.

Morris grabbed 10 rebounds in the first 20 minutes as Maryland outrebounded the Gaels, 28-12, in the first half.

Nakiea Miller scored 12 points off the bench for Iona, which made only 4-of-19 3-pointers and committed 17 turnovers.

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