Maryland made a great statement tonight, fighting off two double-digit North Carolina leads, and knocking off the Tar Heels, 89-87.

UNC jumped all over the Terps at the start....pulling out of the gate with a 20-7 lead. But the Terps pounded the paint which resulted in offensive rebounding, good shots and tiring out the Heels. Maryland closed the half with a 35-24 run to go into the break down just two points. But Carolina again rose in the 2nd half....eventually getting out to a 77-65 lead and looking like they had control of the game. There was Maryland, again, ready to fight back. After Bobby Frasor missed an uncontested layup....D.J. Strawberry knocked down a 3-pointer on the other end....sparking the comeback. Maryland went on a 23-7 run to give them their first lead of the game...which they wouldn't relinquish despite UNC's desperate attempts to tie the game at the buzzer.

Maryland has officially received their ticket to the dance. They are now 22-7, a top 20 RPI team, have won five straight games and clinch at least a .500 record in ACC play.

As for UNC, they missed a golden opportunity to seal up a #1 seed in the NCAA tournament....as Florida and Wisconsin lost this past week. The loss also drops UNC into a three way tie for first in the ACC with Virginia and Virginia Tech.

It also raises questions about Carolina's poise down the stretch. In virtually ever game that comes down to the wire....they lose. It happened to Virginia Tech twice, NC State and now against Maryland. They turned the ball over, made stupid frustration fouls and went 3-of-10 from the line down the stretch....including missed free throws by Brandan Wright that could have tied the game with :03 left. And, it seems, for a team loaded with talent....there isn't a defacto leader to make the big play or take the big shot down the stretch.