Terps Stun North Carolina in Overtime Thriller
Photo by Brett Gellman.
Things just got a lot more interesting in College Park.
For one reason or another, despite its inconsistencies the last few seasons, the Terps have somehow been able to scrounge up victories against the highly ranked Tar Heels. Yesterday's game, however, was perhaps the best demonstration of how Maryland simply has North Carolina's number as the Terps (17-9, 6-6 ACC) took down the Tar Heels (24-3, 10-3 ACC) in dramatic fashion, 88-85.
While last year's stunner on the road at Chapel Hill over the number one ranked North Carolina was a memorable victory for Maryland, Saturday afternoon's overtime thriller upset bares more significance. Not only because head coach Gary Williams has been under a media firestorm as of late (most notably in a recent three-part diatribe in the Washington Post) as the athletic department and head coach butted heads, but also because this year's squad has been one of Williams' less heralded classes throughout his tenure at College Park. Leave it to Williams to somehow coax the Terrapins to victory over the third best team in the country when Maryland's starting big man, Dave Neal, stands at just 6'7".
Following a 93-64 drubbing at Clemson last Tuesday, the Terps arrived at the Comcast Center knowing that their postseason destiny was, as amazing as it sounds, still somewhat in their hands. With a 5-6 conference record in an incredibly tough ACC, time was running out to impress the NCAA Selection Committee -- but with three of their last five opponents presently ranked in the Top 10, Maryland's biggest chances to woo were certainly on the horizon.
They couldn't really have asked for a better start to the end of the season push.
Greivis Vasquez, the team's emotional leader, had the game of his career against Carolina, notching the program's first triple-double since Derrick Lewis performed the same feat in 1987. The junior guard from Venezuela collected 35 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists, and had the play of the game as he drove down the lane in regulation to tie the game and subsequently lead the Terps to overtime.
Vasquez will get the highlights and the headlines, but he was hardly alone: Cliff Tucker, who nabbed 18 points during the Terps' loss in Chapel Hill a few weeks ago, came off the bench and scored 22 -- 15 of which were from beyond the arc, helping spark Maryland's second-half run. The Terps' swarming defense held the Tar Heels to a lowly five assists while Tyler Hansbrough collected a modest 11 points, six more than what the entire Carolina bench scored all afternoon combined. Guard Ty Lawson was North Carolina's most significant weapon throughout the game as the Clinton, Maryland native led the team with 24 points and shot 50% on threes.
Now once again standing with a .500 record in the ACC, Maryland's NCAA hopes have been revitalized, at least for now. It was the marquee win Maryland so desperately needed after a tumultuous January. This coming Wednesday, Maryland will hope to add a second signature victory to their resume as the Duke Blue Devils roll into town for their second meeting with the Terps -- who will certainly have revenge from that 41-point loss in late January as extra motivation.
Yes, things might stand to get even more interesting in the days to come.