By Julie Glass
Anthony Cowan Jr. scored five of his career-high 30 points in the final three minutes as No. 5 Maryland beat Temple 76-69 in the opening game of the Orlando Invitational.
Eric Ayala had 13 points and Jalen Smith finished with 12 points and nine rebounds for the Terrapins (6-0), who trailed by as many as nine in the first half. Cowan put them ahead for good with a long 3-pointer and added two free throws in the closing seconds for a five-point lead.
Ayala also came up big down the stretch with a 3-pointer, two free throws and a driving layup in the final 1:53. Smith capped the win — Maryland’s first by less than 18 points — with two free throws that gave the Terps their biggest lead of the game with 2 seconds remaining.
Alani Moore II led Temple (4-1) with 22 points. J.P. Moorman II had 14 points and nine rebounds, while Owls leading scorer Nate Pierre-Louis was limited to three points — nearly 13 below his average — on 0-for-7 shooting from the field and 3 of 4 free throws.
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