CB3 Media Heel Prints

Off the cuff: Coach Roy Williams had said that he didn't foresee Carolina going undefeated, though it was the goal of the team, as Marcus Ginyard let slip out to me before the season. But you certainly didn't think Maryland, an 18-point underdog, would beat the Heels at home.

Former Coach Dean Smith has had a tough time recovering from knee surgery. If you'd like to send a note to the great one (unlike Jackie Gleason, he'd hate that moniker), you can write him at PO Box 2126, Chapel Hill, NC 27515.

Of all things ABC could have been showing us instead of a Ty Lawson free throw, can you believe they chose to show a Duke preview. Again, just show us the game.

Maryland, under Coach Gary Williams, is 4-3 against No. 1 teams over the years.

Hansbrough got only seven touches and was one of seven from the floor in the first half. He scored only one bucket in the last eight minutes of the game.

Carolina fans were not happy with the officiating, especially in the first half - and there were a couple of questionable calls. At the half, the fans booed the officials but the TV announcers, obviously not real knowledgeable about UNC fans, thought the fans were booing the Tar Heel team.

Did you notice the four young women who painted their faces? Of course what they wanted was to be on TV. But, unfortunately, the paint was closer to a shade of Duke blue than it was Carolina blue.

Bambale Osby's afro made him look a bit like Artis Gilmore from 35 years ago.

Terrapins 82, Heels 80
Unbeaten no more as Carolina has no late magic

The 2007-2008 edition of North Carolina's Tar Heels won 18 straight games, the fifth best start in school history, but ran into a hot Maryland team which beat UNC 82-80 in Chapel Hill. (1/19)

The Terrapins, winners of six of their last seven games, outshot the Heels 47 percent to 38 percent and went on an 8-2 run over the last two minutes for the win.

The Tar Heels had come back from an 11-point deficit at 52-41 to take a 73-72 lead on a Will Graves three pointer. The Heels worked the lead to 78-74 with 2:29 to go when Danny Green drove the lane for a bucket.

Carolina missed a couple of reverse layups - one by Lawson and one by Green, either of which would have kept the Tar Heels on top. But Maryland's Greivis Vazquez scored in the lane and got a couple of free throws to tie it at 78-78.

With just more than a minute to play, James Gist sank a pair of free throws to give the Terps an 80-78 lead. Tyler Hansbrough muscled in over two defenders to score inside and tie it at 80 with 50 seconds to go.

Osby worked his way inside for an off-balanced bucket inside with 22 seconds to go to give Maryland the lead. Wayne Ellington, who is in a bit of a slump, missed a three - barely. There was a loose ball that ended with a jump ball call - arrow to Carolina with 1.7 seconds left. Hansbrough got a long jumper off but it clanked off the rim at the buzzer.

The Tar Heels shot poorly in the first half, was outrebounded and generally outplayed as they trailed 41-35 at the half. It marked the first time they had trailed at home at the half this season. Carolina trailed by six early at 17-11 before Ty Lawson drilled a pair of three points a minute apart to tie it at 17-all.

Carolina took its biggest lead of the first half at 20-17 when Deon Thompson found Stepheson open inside for a dunk and a foul. With five minutes to go in the half, UNC led 28-27 but the Terps went on a 6-0 run that started with a Gist dunk to make it 33-28. UNC trimmed the lead to one before Maryland finished the half on a 5-0 run over the last minute to make it 41-35.

Carolina has been known for getting to the free throw line more than anyone else but Maryland actually went to the line more and scored from the line more. The Tar Heels were 13 of 15 from the line while Maryland was 16 of 20. The Heels normally get to the line 27 times a game.

Coach Williams said the Terrapins came out more aggressive in the first half and that the Heels came back in the second half on emotion alone. "We've been living on the edge lately and it caught up with us today," Williams said.

Carolina squeaked by Clemson and Georgia Tech recently but both of those games were on the road.

Against Maryland, the Tar Heels had a hard time getting fast break opportunities and had a hard time getting it inside, which resulted in more three point attempts than normal (seven of 23).

Maryland ups its record to 12-7 overall and 2-2 in the conference while Carolina falls to 18-1 and 3-1 in the ACC.

Check out the game box score and a game photo gallery.
Take a look at other game articles.
Read my Tar Heels' season preview on WRAL.com by clicking here.