Height of the party

Steve Addy

Friday, March 23, 2001 | 10:53 a.m.

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ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Size still matters.

Maryland and Stanford proved the same point Thursday night, emphatically so, and that's why they'll meet for the NCAA West Regional championship and a Final Four berth on Saturday.

Each team has one of the nation's finest scoring guards -- Maryland's Juan Dixon and Stanford's Casey Jacobsen -- but it was the play of their big men that guided them to victory in the West semifinals at the Arrowhead Pond.

How big were they?

Maryland center Lonny Baxter -- 6-foot-8, 260 pounds -- dominated Georgetown around the basket from start to finish, compiling 26 points and 14 rebounds in the Terps' 76-66 victory.

In the second game, second-ranked Stanford used terrific balance to fight off Cincinnati 78-65, but the Cardinal pulled away mainly behind the superb second-half play of center Jason Collins, their 7-foot, 260-pound junior.

Baxter and Collins will get to grapple with each other in Saturday's 1:40 p.m. final, and the winner will advance to next week's Final Four at the Metrodome in Minneapolis.

"Baxter is a very strong kid inside," said Collins, who watched most of Maryland's win from a baseline seat. "I've seen him play a lot on ESPN, and I'm looking forward to the challenge. He's physical, and I'm physical. It's going to be a battle."

Collins has the hype and the better surrounding cast, including his 7-foot twin brother Jarron, but Baxter isn't conceding anything to the Stanford star.

After all, Baxter was hardly fazed by the Hoyas' imposing front line of Ruben Boumtje Boumtje (7-0, 260) and Mike Sweetney (6-8, 260), and two other 6-11 guys off the bench.

"In (the ACC), I play bigger guys all of the time -- Brendan Haywood, Julius Peppers and Alvin Jones," Baxter said. "So I wasn't really worried about Georgetown's (size)."

While leading Maryland into the final eight for the first time since 1975 and the first time in five tries under coach Gary Williams, Baxter was almost unstoppable. Less flabby than in November at the Maui Invitational, Baxter showed nimble feet and a soft touch around the basket.

It was a fairly methodical performance, too. He had 13 points in each half, and whenever the Terps needed a basket to keep Georgetown at bay, Baxter usually came through. He shot 9-of-14 from the field and 8-of-13 at the foul line.

"Our big guys just couldn't box him out," Georgetown guard Demetrius Hunter said of Baxter.

Collins' contributions for Stanford were a bit more conspicuous, but no less valuable.

His stats weren't unreal. He had 15 points and eight rebounds -- "Fairly standard for Jason," coach Mike Montgomery said -- and Jacobsen (27 points) and Ryan Mendez (16) scored more.

But for a crucial stretch midway in the second half, the Cardinal threw the ball inside to Collins on practically every possession. If he saw an opening, he attacked the rim. If Cincy double-teamed him, he threw the ball outside for a jumper or to a cutting teammate.

"In the first half I didn't get a lot of touches inside," Collins said. "At halftime we made an adjustment. We basically ran the same play every third time down the court, and (Cincinnati) had trouble stopping it.

"I felt I did a good job of being effective inside and kicking it outside on double-teams to get open shots for our wing players."

On the defensive end, Collins racked four of his five blocked shots in the second half.

Stanford trailed 38-34 at halftime, but went ahead with a 15-4 run, then gradually pulled away.

The Cardinal, which gained its school-record 31st win (against two losses), shot 63 percent and won despite allowing the Bearcats 20 more field-goal attempts (63-43).