Bakari Ward hit six three-pointers in the first half and scored 34 points to lead No. 10 Arundel (17-3) to its first win at Glen Burnie under six-year head coach Gerald Moore.
The 78-65 victory puts the Wildcats a game closer to their first top seed for the regional playoffs.
Arundel leads the 4A East Region and needs wins over Old Mill (11-8) and Severna Park (4-16) next week to seal the top seed and first-round bye in the playoffs.
Defending region champion Glen Burnie fell to 10-10, but still has a shot at the sixth seed with games at Severna Park and home against Old Mill next week.
"We approached this game businesslike because we knew coming in that Glen Burnie was in our way, and we had never won here since I've been the coach," said Moore.
"Every team is in our way for us to get to our goal -- a championship."
Arundel had nine threes as a team and many of its baskets were from the perimeter.
"Bakari can go to the hole with anybody," said Moore. "But tonight, he stepped up from out there."
Ward's torrid first half enabled the Wildcats to take a 45-34 halftime lead after the Gophers had tied it at 31 with three minutes left.
Arundel boosted the lead to 57-44 after three periods despite hitting only four of 17 from the floor. Glen Burnie wasn't much better in the third period, hitting only four of 15, as Arundel held the edge at the line, making three of four compared with the Gophers' 1-for-2.
A five-point run, including a three by Desmond Dailey (16 points), in the third period kept the Gophers within striking distance.
Arundel point guard Kevin Higgins, who finished with 13 points and nine assists, hit his second three of the game in the third period.
Higgins wore a protective face mask after having his nose fractured Tuesday night in a 76-56 win at Severna Park.
"It was a flagrant foul Tuesday, but it didn't stop Kevin tonight," said Moore.
Higgins hit a big basket and two free throws in the final minute of play to ice the victory. The Gophers got eight of Donnie Thomas' 17 points in the final period to make a game of it down the stretch.
With Arundel's 6-foot-5 Marquise Farmer (seven points) in foul trouble, Thomas got hot under the basket. Farmer, who transferred from Glen Burnie to Arundel last fall, got his fourth foul with about five minutes left and the Wildcats leading, 64-55.
Glen Burnie went on a 10-3 run to pull within two points. Thomas scored six of the points to make it 67-65 with 2:05 left. The 6-2 Thomas had picked up his fourth foul with 3:21 left, but stayed in the game.
Moore, who has been used to his team winning close games -- it won three at the buzzer or final three seconds -- chose not to call a timeout.
"When it got to a two-point game, I wasn't worried because we have been there so many times before," Moore said. "I have so much confidence in my kids to get it done."
Ward and Higgins are the two main men for Arundel when the heat is on and seem to love the pressure. Last night was no different.
Ward's three-point play (layup and subsequent free throw) plus his final field goal pushed the Arundel lead to 72-65 with 1:35 to go.
A steal by Darnarian McCants (seven points, eight rebounds) set up Ward's final score.
Higgins was trapped by two Gophers near midcourt, but escaped and drove in for a layup and 74-65 lead with about 30 seconds to go. Six seconds later, Higgins made two from the line to ice it.