By Ethan Cadeaux (@Ethan_301)

Just days after dropping out of the top-5 in the AP poll for the first time this season, the sixth-ranked Terps held off a late run and defeated the Connecticut Huskies 76-66 in the Jimmy V Classic at the Madison Square Garden.

Carried by star guard Melo Trimble’s season-high 25 points, the Terps (8-1) jumped out to an early lead that the Huskies (5-3) were unable to overcome. Trimble took just ten shots, but converted on 14 of 15 free throw attempts.

The Terps again relied on their sophomore point guard throughout the second half to survive a Connecticut team that narrowed an eighteen point Maryland lead to three with less than three minutes to play.

In the waning minutes of the game, Husky guard Daniel Hamilton hit a three-pointer to cut the score to 67-64—the smallest lead the Terps had since the opening minutes of the game.

As momentum seemed to be swaying towards the Huskies, Connecticut head coach Kevin Ollie was called for a technical foul in reaction to drawing a foul on the immediately following inbounds pass.

Trimble made three of the four free throws, and put the Terps’ lead back to six, practically putting the Huskies out of reach. The Terps finished the game on a 9-2 run, and head back to College Park with an impressive victory.

Behind the one-two punch of Trimble and freshman center Diamond Stone, the Terps dominated the Huskies in the first half, and went into the break with a sixteen-point lead. Trimble and Stone combined to score 22 of the first 29 Maryland points.

Stone, who came off the bench for a second straight game, tied his season high with 16 points. He also contributed nine rebounds—six offensive—in 17 minutes of action.

The Terps are off until Saturday, when they host University of Maryland-Eastern Shore at the Xfinity Center. Tipoff is at 4:15 P.M.