COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) — Bruno Fernando had 22 points and 10 rebounds, freshman Jalen Smith scored 14 points and No. 21 Maryland emphatically ended a two-game skid with a 70-52 rout of Northwestern on Tuesday night.
The Terrapins (17-5, 8-3 Big Ten) expanded an 11-point halftime lead to 53-30 with 10 minutes left and coasted to the finish. The victory followed double-digit defeats against Michigan State and Illinois that dropped Maryland eight notches in the AP Top 25.
It was the third straight double-double and 13th of the season for Fernando, a 6-foot-10 sophomore who helped Maryland finish with a 44-28 rebounding advantage.
Anthony Gaines scored 18 points and Dererk Pardon added 14 for the Wildcats (12-9, 3-7). Leading scorer Vic Law missed six of eight shots and finished with five points, 11 below his team-leading average.
Northwestern shot 31 percent from the floor and went 5 for 23 from 3-point range.
After Law hit a jumper to open the second half and get the Wildcats to 33-24, Maryland followed with a 20-6 run to pull away. Fernando scored six points in the spree and Smith and Eric Ayala tallied five each.
Smith fell one rebound short of his third double-double of the season.
Fernando scored 12 points and the Terrapins limited the Wildcats to 23 percent shooting in taking a 33-22 halftime lead.
Anthony Cowan Jr. got Maryland started with a four-point play, and Northwestern missed 12 straight field-goal attempts while the Terps went on an 11-1 run to make it 15-5.
After the Wildcats closed to 19-15, Fernando contributed a dunk, layup and two free throws to a 10-0 spurt that put Maryland up by 14.
ROAD SHOW
Northwestern: The Wildcats are in the midst of a stretch in which they’re playing seven of 10 on the road. Northwestern is 9-3 at home and 1-5 away.
Maryland: This was the Terps’ lone home appearance over a span of six games, and one of only two home games from Jan. 15-Feb. 22.
BIG PICTURE
Northwestern: Facing a Maryland team desperate to get back on track, the Wildcats were outplayed on both ends of the floor during another poor performance on the road.
Maryland: The Terrapins stopped their first losing streak of the season (two games) and can make a move back up the rankings by keeping the momentum going at Wisconsin on Friday.
UP NEXT
Northwestern: The Wildcats host Penn State on Monday night.
Maryland: The host Terrapins beat Wisconsin 64-60 on Jan. 14 despite blowing a 21-point lead. They face off again Friday.