ANNAPOLIS, Md. –– Maryland (2-0) scored 22 of the final 30 points of the game to come away with a deceptive large 78-57 victory over the Navy (0-2) men's basketball game Friday night at Alumni Hall in Annapolis.
 
The game served as the back-end of a doubleheader during the fifth annual Veterans Classic hosted by the U.S. Naval Academy.  Wichita State posted an 83-80 victory over Providence in the evening's first contest.
 
It was the first meeting between Navy and Maryland since the second round of the 1985 NCAA Tournament and the first game in the series to be played in Annapolis in 50 seasons.
 
Navy went into halftime trailing by just eight points at 33-25.  The Mids quickly opened the second half on a 10-2 run to tie the game at 35.  The score would also be tied at 37 (15:07 remaining) and 39 (14:36 left). 
 
"We needed to make one play and make the rim small for them," said Navy head coach Ed DeChellis on being tied at 39, "but we couldn't make that play.  We never could get that, and that is a credit to Maryland and they took advantage of some things.  They split us in the zone and drive us in the seams.  If you would have told me I could be 39-39 with 14 minutes left, I would have taken it."
 
Maryland scored the next five and nine of the ensuing 11 points to take a 48-41 lead.  The Mids were able to shave two points off of that margin (48-43) before the Terrapins stretched their advantage out to double figures at 54-44.
 
Navy was able to draw within seven points at 56-49 with 8:58 still to play, but the Mids were held to 3-11 shooting with three turnovers over the remainder of the game.
 
"We had a lot of live ball turnovers over the last 5-6 minutes," said DeChellis.  "Effort-wise, I think our kids did some good things."
 
Maryland shot 55.6 percent (15-27) from the field in the second half to end the game with an overall mark of 42.4 percent.  Navy also shot well for the second half as a whole (46.2%) and connected on 36.5 percent its shots for the game.  The Mids led the Terps in three-point field goals made (7-5), but turned the ball over seven more times (17-10) and lost the rebounding count by seven boards (40-33).
 
Cam Davis (So., Battlefield, Mo.) connected on 5-11 shots from the field to lead the Mids with 12 points.  Joining him in double figures was Luke Loehr (So., Inver Grove Heights, Minn.) with 11 points.  Loehr scored 11 points in the three games he played during the 2017-18 season before he scored six in the team's 2018-19 season opener Tuesday at Old Dominion.  Also having another productive game in terms of points and rebounds was John Carter Jr. (Fr., Spring Hill, Tenn.) with seven points and eight rebounds.
 
Navy will be back in Alumni Hall Wednesday when it plays host to Coppin State.