Box Score

By DAVID GINSBURG
AP Sports Writer

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Coretta Brown hit a driving layup at the buzzer as No. 7 North Carolina rallied from an 11-point deficit in the second half to defeat Maryland 83-82 Monday night.

Nikita Bell scored a career-high 32 points for the Tar Heels (17-2, 6-1 Atlantic Coast Conference), who trailed 55-44 early in the second half and 79-74 with 1:58 left.

Chrissy Fisher had 20 points, Renneika Razor 19 and Terri Daniels 18 for the Terrapins (8-11, 2-6). Razor put Maryland up 82-81 with a driving layup with nine seconds left, and she was fouled on the play.

Razor missed the free throw, setting the stage for Brown's game-winner from the left side of the lane.

Down 79-74, the Tar Heels pulled even with 1:25 remaining on a 3-pointer by Brown and two free throws by Bell. After a Maryland miss, Bell made a layup to put North Carolina up, but the lead wouldn't last.

Brown finished with 17 points, as did teammate Candace Sutton.

Coming off a 101-52 loss to top-ranked Duke, the Terrapins played much better against the Tar Heels, but still lost their fourth straight.

After blowing an 11-point lead, Maryland used successive 3-pointers by Fisher to go up 67-62. It was 71-68 when Sutton fouled out with 5:04 left, raising the Terrapins' hopes for an upset.

The Tar Heels entered with a plus-12.1 rebounding differential - the best mark in the nation - but Maryland collected nine offensive rebounds and held a 22-19 edge on the boards in taking a 43-37 halftime lead.

North Carolina scored the first eight points and led 18-12 before Maryland's Vicki Brick hit a short jumper to spark a 12-3 run that included two 3-pointers by Fisher.

After the Tar Heels took a 31-30 lead, the Terrapins closed the half with a 13-6 run, including a layup by Razor at the buzzer.

Getting 3-pointers from Daniels and Fisher, Maryland used a 12-7 burst at the outset of the second half to go up by 11.