Men's basketball doesn't overlook New Hampshire

The Terrapin men's basketball team arrived at Comcast Center on Friday night with their bags packed and ready to spend the night in a hotel before an early Saturday flight to Hawaii for the Maui Invitational.

But the No. 25 Terps left little doubt they had their priorities in order against New Hampshire.

The Terps scored the game's first nine points en route to thumping the Wildcats, 82-55, in their final tune-up before facing their first major nonconference tests in Maui.

"At first, you're definitely thinking about it in the back of your head that you're leaving for Maui tomorrow," guard Eric Hayes said. "But we knew this was a big game. We couldn't lose this game going into Maui."

Forward Landon Milbourne scored a career-high 24 points, and guard Sean Mosley recorded his first career double-double in the team's third blowout win in as many games to start the season.

The Terps (3-0) shot 56.6 percent from the field and once again used an effective pressure defense to force 21 turnovers that turned into 33 points.

"We're a work in progress," coach Gary Williams said. "We're getting to be a good basketball team."

Starting in a relentless full court press for the second straight game, the Terps forced five turnovers on the Wildcats' first eight possessions. Hayes, who finished with 15 points, hit a three-pointer after a steal to put the Terps up 9-0 just more than three minutes into the game.

The lead grew as large as 20 in the first half, thanks to Milbourne's 13 points before halftime. The Terps used a 16-2 second half run to push the lead to 35 with 10:45 to go in the game.

"We kept a lot of energy," freshman forward Jordan Williams said. "We didn't want to let them have confidence at all. I think it was just intimidating them."

New Hampshire (1-1) held guard Greivis Vasquez to just eight points — the third straight game to start the season the preseason All-ACC pick has finished in single digits. But Milbourne led an otherwise impressive attack, showcasing a scoring knack his America East opponents couldn't handle.

TERP NOTE: Gary Williams said forward Jin Soo Choi, who dressed but didn't play, was available if the Terps got into foul trouble. The sophomore has not played since injuring his right ankle in the season opener against Charleston Southern last Friday. Williams also said center Steve Goins, who missed the game for violating the Athletics Department's class attendance policy, will be available in Maui. Goins hasn't dressed yet this season because of a lingering knee injury. … Suspended forward Dino Gregory was on the Terp bench for the first time this season. The appearance came a day after Williams announced Gregory's suspension for an unspecified team rules violation will end Dec. 12.

edetweiler@umdbk.com