Gregory leads frontcourt in blowout win vs. Delaware State

Twenty minutes into last night's game against Delaware State, forward Jordan Williams, the Terrapin men's basketball team's biggest inside threat, was scoreless, held completely in check by the Hornets' zone defense.

But even as the Terps' main big man faltered, his teammates, notably starting forward Dino Gregory and backup center Berend Weijs, stepped up in his absence, taking the lead in a 72-54 victory against the Hornets.

Gregory continued to build on solid showings in the Terps' two losses last week in New York, where Williams' foul trouble necessitated a larger role, finishing with 14 points on 7-for-10 shooting.

"I was crashing the glass, helping Jordan out down there," Gregory said. "And I was opening things up for the team and myself. I'm playing with a lot of confidence right now. Everything's coming together, slowly but surely."

It wasn't just his newfound offensive prowess that boosted the Terps (4-2). The senior tied Williams for the team lead with eight rebounds, and he added three assists, three steals and a block to round out his robust stat line.

The biggest surprise of the game, though, might have been the emergence of Weijs. Even at an unimposing 200 pounds — a slim package on a lean 6-foot-10 frame — Weijs made an impact on both ends of the Comcast Center floor for the Terps.

The junior college transfer scored six points and notched four rebounds yesterday, both career-high marks through his short six-game stint with the Terps. He also added two blocks, including one in the second half that he swatted soundly back across the court.

"I think that Berend really got going and was really playing with a lot of energy," coach Gary Williams said.

Even forward James Padgett, who didn't enter the game until the second half, added four points and two rebounds in his seven minutes on the court to help bolster the Terps' inside presence against the Hornets.

The Terps doubled up Delaware State (1-1) on rebounds, 40-20, helping the team to 20 second-chance points. The Hornets had just six.

Williams, meanwhile, ended with just six points — all in the second half — on one field goal. Last night, though, it hardly mattered.

"I think when Dino plays great and Jordan plays great at the same time," guard Cliff Tucker said, "we could be a dangerous team."

kyanchulis@umdbk.com