(Photo courtesy of Maryland Athletics)
PRESS RELEASE
COLLEGE PARK, Md. – Hakim Hart starred in his first collegiate start, pouring in a career-high 33 points as Maryland defeated Saint Peter’s 90-57 on Friday afternoon at the XFINITY Center.
Donta Scott notched his second career double-double, grabbing a career-high 12 rebounds while posting 14 points.
Maryland (4-0) continued its exceptional shooting percentage streak with a 26-of-50 outing (52.0 percent), shooting 50 percent or better for the third-straight game. Meanwhile, the Terps stifling defense held Saint Peter’s to their lowest point total of the season.
Four Terps scored in double-figures as Hart (33), Jairus Hamilton (15), Scott (14) and Eric Ayala (12) paced Maryland’s scoring offense. Maryland has now had four or more double-digit scorers in every game this season.
The Terps took a 42-23 lead into the break, its largest halftime lead of the season. Maryland continued to overpower the Peacocks in the second half, as a pair of threes from Hamilton provided an early spark for the Terps.
Hart’s 33-point performance was the most since Diamond Stone dropped 39 points in a win vs. Penn State on Dec. 30, 2015. He’s Maryland’s first 30+ point scorer since Anthony Cowan Jr. twice eclipsed 30 points a season ago.
Scott’s double-double was the first since Jalen Smith’s 18 point-11 rebound performance in the Big Ten Championship clinching win vs. Michigan last March.
The Terrapins, which are off to a 4-0 start and receiving votes in this week’s AP Top-25, are next scheduled to play at Clemson in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge on Wednesday, Dec. 9 at 5 p.m., on ESPN2. Maryland returns home for its Big Ten Conference opener on Monday, Dec. 14 against Rutgers.
