SEATTLE (AP) — Julian Reese had 18 points and nine rebounds, and fourth-seeded Maryland pounded No. 13 seed Grand Canyon 81-49 on Friday in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Ja'Kobi Gillespie added 16 points for the Terrapins (26-8), who will play No. 12 Colorado State on Sunday in the second round of the West Region. The Rams beat fifth-seeded Memphis 78-70.
Derik Queen, the Big Ten freshman of the year who was averaging 16.3 points and nine rebounds a game, finished with 12 points and 15 boards, becoming the first Maryland freshman with a double-double in the tournament since Jalen Smith in 2019.
Tyon Grant-Foster led Grand Canyon (26-8) with 23 points.
Led by a hardworking group of starters nicknamed the “Crab Five,” the Terps overwhelmed the Lopes. Grand Canyon got within 44-32 early in the second half on a jumper by Ray Harrison, but the Lopes moved no closer.
Both teams got off to a slow start. Maryland led 15-10 midway through the first half and then went on an 18-1 run, capped by Rodney Rice's 3-pointer.
Maryland, an at-large entrant to the tournament after falling 81-80 to Michigan in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals, led 42-28 at the break.
Grand Canyon beat Utah Valley to win the Western Athletic Conference Tournament title and an automatic berth. It was the Lopes’ third straight year in the tournament, but they failed to repeat last year's run to the second round.
More than the starters
While the Crab Five all averaged in double figures during the season, DeShawn Harris-Smith contributed 11 points in 24 minutes off the bench on Friday after going scoreless in his last nine games. He hit back-to-back layups that stretched the Terps' lead to 26-12.
Record breaker
Selton Miguel hit a 3-pointer with 3:08 left in the first half that gave Maryland a 39-22 lead and gave the Terps 273 3s this season, breaking the program record.
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