Jan. 14, 2004

Recap| Box Score| Quotes| Photo Gallery

• The Maryland basketball team began their run of 15-straight Atlantic Coast Conference contests with a 90-84 defeat of ACC nemesis North Carolina (No. 9 Associated Press/No. 11 USA Today/ESPN) Wednesday night at Comcast Center in a nationally televised slugfest. The Terrapins picked up their first conference win of the year in improving to 10-3 overall, 1-1 ACC, while the Tar Heels fell to a 10-3 overall mark and are now 1-2 in league play.

• Although the Terrapins still trail the all-time series by a 108-53 margin, they have won five of the last six matchups, including six of the last seven in College Park. In its last three home meetings with the Tar Heels - all victories -- Maryland has scored 112, 96 and 90 points, an average of 99.3 points/game.

• In four games against ranked opponents in the 2003-04 season, Maryland moves to 3-1, having beaten then top-ranked Florida on Dec. 10 and then No. 15/13 Wisconsin on Dec. 2. Maryland has been victorious in its last four home games against ranked teams, including wins last year over then-No. 1 Duke and then-No. 10 Wake Forest. Tonight's victory is the 53rd over Top 25 teams since Gary Williams took over the program in the 1989-90 season.

• Maryland has won its last four ACC home openers, including a 112-79 victory over North Carolina in January 2002 at Cole Field House. The Terps are 8-7 in ACC home openers during the Gary Williams Era, and even their record in ACC home openers against North Carolina to 2-2.

• For the eighth time in 13 games, four Terps scored in double digits, led by Jamar Smith's 22-point performance. John Gilchrist also reached the 20-point plateau, making it the first time two Terrapins scored at least 20 points since Drew Nicholas and Ryan Randle scored 29 and 20 points, respectively on Dec. 29, 2002 against Georgia Tech. Nik Caner-Medley finished with 17 points, while Ekene Ibekwe finished with 11 points - all in the first half.

• Gilchrist torched UNC for 20 points on 7-of-10 shooting (including 2-of-3 from long range) and a perfect 4-of-4 at the free throw line. In three previous games against the Heels, Gilchrist also was a factor, especially in last year's 96-56 home win (11 points, 9 rebounds).

• With a 31-of-57 shooting performance from the field, Maryland had its best day from the field (54.4%) this season.

• Both teams lit up the scoreboard early, with the Tar Heels taking a 14-10 lead into the first television timeout. Melvin Scott drilled a three-pointer from the corner and hit a running floater in the lane on the ensuing possession to lead Carolina, while Gilchrist hit a slashing lay-in and nailed a three from the top of the key to spark the early Terp effort.

• After Carolina built a 29-20 lead with 10:29 remaining in the half, Maryland answered thanks to balanced inside and outside play, trimming the margin to 33-30 on Ekene Ibekwe's follow slam with 7:50 left in the half. The Heels extended their lead to 40-30 at the 6:43 mark, but again the Terps responded, cutting the halftime deficit to 49-47, thanks in part to Mike Jones, who saw significant first-half playing time and picked up five points, three rebounds and one assist.

• Maryland shot above 50 percent in the first half on 18-of-33 shooting (54.5%), and were led by Ibekwe (5-of-6), Gilchrist (5-of-8) and Smith (4-of-7). Gilchrist and Ibekwe notched 13 and 11 points, respectively, to lead the Terps at the half. Ebekwe also collected a team-high five rebounds (four offensive), while Gilchrist had a team-high four assists and three steals at the half. The Terps also capitalized on its first-half opportunities from the charity stripe, connecting on 10-of-13 attempts (76.9%).

• Maryland scored twelve straight points and 14 of 15 points early in the second half, capped by three Smith lay-ins, to take a 62-55 lead with 14:05 remaining. Chris McCray's one-handed thunder dunk at the 15:43 mark gave the Terps a 56-54 edge, its first advantage since the game's opening minutes (4-3, 18:50 left in the first half).

• In a battle between the ACC's top rebounders, Jamar Smith outdueled Carolina big man Sean May. Smith, who entered the game averaging a league-high 10.9 rebounds/game, hauled down 9 rebounds to go along with his team-high point total. That topped the 18-point, 9-rebound performance of May, who came into the contest averaging 17.1 points and 10.3 rebounds per game.

• Maryland converted on 15 of 25 free-throw attempts (.714), its second best shooting performance from the charity stripe on the season (.722 vs. West Virginia).