Often leaving his point guard duties in the first half to senior Eric Hayes (10 points, 9 assists), Vasquez was free to roam the baseline, pop out from behind screens and crash the boards. By halftime, Vasquez had hit 10 of 13 shots, scored 25 points, and pushed the Terps to a 52-34 lead.

“He took it upon himself to get us started,” said Maryland coach Gary Williams.

Virginia (14-9, 5-5) entered with the ACC’s No. 1-ranked defense (61 points per game). But Maryland (17-7, 7-3) shot 56 percent from the floor, and with seven minutes left, already had rung up more points on the Cavaliers than any team this year.

Also contributing for the Terps were forwards Landon Milbourne (14 points) and Jordan Williams (11 points, 11 rebounds).

This one was never close. Vasquez scored two quick baskets as the Terps went up for good, 6-0. Later, he hit two more buckets and passed to freshman James Padgett as Maryland ran off six quick points for a 24-13 lead. Vasquez added two more hoops and Hayes had a 3-point-play and a 3-pointer from beyond the arc to fuel an 11-0 run for a 35-21 lead.

In the second half, when Virginia coach Tony Bennett assigned 6-6 Sylven Landesberg to Vasquez, the Maryland senior returned to the point and was content to feed his teammates, including freshman Williams who had the Terps’ first three buckets after intermission.

Virginia got 16 points each from forward Mike Scott and reserve guard Jeff Jones, but got no closer than within 16 points in the second half.

In the final minute, Maryland freshman walk-on Ersin Levent (Landon) hit a 12-foot jumper for the first basket of his college career.

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