COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) -- Maryland will make its highly anticipated trip to Madison Square Garden next week, thanks to a sophomore guard whose play down the stretch belied his inexperience.

Juan Dixon scored a career-high 25 points, including eight in a pivotal 9-0 run, as Maryland (No. 23 ESPN/USA Today, unranked AP) fought back from an early 17-point deficit Friday night to beat Tulane 78-70 and advance to the semifinal round of the Preseason NIT.

	Despite the high-flying play of Sterling Davis, Tulane couldn't hurdle Maryland Friday njght.

Maryland (2-0) will face Kentucky, a 56-48 winner over Utah, on Wednesday night in New York.

After Tulane (1-1) pulled into a 67-67 tie, Dixon hit a baseline jumper with 2:42 left. Steve Blake sank a free throw and Dixon followed with successive 3-pointers to make it 76-67 with 63 seconds to go.

"Somebody had to step up," Dixon said. "My teammates got me open. I had the opportunity with a big shot and I knocked it down."

It was the second straight game in which Dixon eclipsed his career high in points. He scored 20 in Maryland's opening victory over San Francisco.

"He's a sophomore, but it's like he's one of the veterans," Maryland coach Gary Williams said. "Our three sophomores have to be leaders. They've got to step up. I know it's comfortable for Juan; he enjoys that situation."

Terence Morris scored 20 points for the Terrapins, who trailed 27-10 before using a 20-1 run to regain the lead. Tulane never wilted, however, thanks to a decisive 45-27 rebounding edge.

"You look at the rebounding totals and you wonder how we won the game," Williams said.

It was the 66th consecutive non-conference home victory for the Terrapins, the longest such streak in the nation.

Sterling Davis scored a career-high 24 points, and Dylan Osean added 17 for the Green Wave, 47-88 against Atlantic Coast Conference schools.

"To come in here in the second game of the season, against a team like this in this environment, I'm pleased," Tulane coach Perry Clark said. "Obviously we wanted to win, but we did some good things out there."

Dixon scored Maryland's first 10 points of the second half before the Terrapins used a 3-pointer by Blake to take a 57-55 lead. Maryland stayed in front until a three-point play by Osean made it 63-63 with 6:20 to go.

Minutes later, Dixon took over. The Terrapins prevailed despite missing nine of 22 foul shots and committing 20 turnovers.

"We know we can play better, but we're definitely happy about the win," Blake said. "Now we're going to New York."

Davis, a senior forward, had 20 points and the Green Wave outrebounded Maryland 19-9 in taking a 47-44 halftime lead.

Tulane hit 12 of its first 15 shots. As the crowd watched in stunned silence, a 3-pointer by Osean capped a 10-0 run that put the Green Wave ahead by 17 with 13:21 left in the half.

Maryland wiped out the entire deficit in less than five minutes. Drew Nicholas hit two 3-pointers and Morris scored five points in a 15-0 spree that made it 27-25. After a Tulane free throw, Maryland reeled off five straight points to take the lead.

It was 31-29 before Davis made Tulane's first basket in nearly seven minutes.

"They've beaten some awfully good teams in this place," Clark said. "After they came back, I was glad we were able to gather ourselves and get the lead at halftime."