Maryland basketball beat down its first opponent of the year, the Catawba Indiana, 95-61, in an exhibition game.
Junior Jared Nickens led the way for the Terps, scoring 17 points and knocking down three, three-pointers. The freshmen, Anthony Cowan, Kevin Huerter and Justin Jackson all stood out in their debuts as well. Cowan took over the point guard role, scoring 15 points and adding five assists, Huerter scored eight points and dished six assists and Jackson scored 15 and grabbed six rebounds.
There was a slight scare in the first half, as star Melo Trimble turned his ankle, but coach Mark Turgeon called the injury a grade one sprain and insisted that he would've played had the game been a more meaningful one. Ivan Bender missed the game with a fractured wrist as well and Michal Cekovsky sat out with a foot sprain.
Maryland basketball is set to begin its regular season at home on Friday at 7 p.m. against American.