COLLEGE PARK, Md. — Dez Wells scored 17 points, Jake Layman had a career-high 13 rebounds and No. 14 Maryland used a late surge to beat Rutgers 73-65 on Wednesday night in a duel between Big Ten newcomers.
Layman and Jared Nickens each scored 12 points for the Terrapins (16-2, 4-1 Big Ten), who finished with an 18-6 run to avert an upset.
Coming off a 67-62 win over then-No. 4 Wisconsin, Rutgers (10-8, 2-3 Big Ten) appeared poised for an encore after taking a 57-51 lead with 7:27 left.
It was 59-55 before Nickens hit a 3-pointer, Wells made two free throws and Wells turned a steal into a layup to put Maryland in front 62-59.
The Scarlet Knights weren’t done. Kadeem Jack made a tip-in and Malick Kone hit a free throw to tie it.
A 3-pointer by Nickens made it 67-63 with 2:14 remaining, and Maryland secured the victory at the free throw line.
Myles Mack scored 19 points for Rutgers, and Bishop Daniels and Mike Williams each had 12.
After opening the game with an 8-0 run, Rutgers began the second half by scoring 11 consecutive points to turn a seven-point deficit into a 42-38 lead.
A 3-pointer by Mack made it 45-40, and minutes later two consecutive baskets by Jack put the Knights up by six with 14 minutes remaining.
That put the Terrapins in comeback mode, and they didn’t take the lead for good until Evan Smotrycz made two foul shots with 2:52 left.
Maryland launched 17 3-pointers in the first half, sinking eight to go up 38-31 at the break.
The Terrapins missed their first five shots and committed two turnovers in falling behind 8-0. After coach Mark Turgeon called a timeout, Trimble made a driving layup and a 3-pointer to ignite a 10-point run.
Rutgers led 22-20 before Layman made a 3-pointer and a driving dunk to start the Terps on an 18-9 run into halftime.
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