University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Maryland
Men's Basketball Falls At No. 13 Maryland, 96-56
February 22, 2003 | Men's Basketball
Feb. 22, 2003
By DAVID GINSBURG
AP Sports Writer
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Steve Blake scored 18 points and Drew Nicholas had 17 as No. 13 Maryland concluded a demanding week by crushing North Carolina 96-56 Saturday, matching the most lopsided Atlantic Coast Conference victory in school history.
Ryan Randle scored 14 points for the Terrapins, who have won four straight against North Carolina for the first time since 1930-32. It was Maryland's largest margin of victory in the 79-year series, eclipsing the 33-point blowout the Terrapins enjoyed at home last season.
Maryland had previously recorded two 40-point wins in ACC play, the last one a 99-59 rout of South Carolina in 1958.
Maryland (17-7, 9-4) beat No. 10 Wake Forest at home Monday in a game delayed by snow, then lost on the road against No. 8 Duke on Wednesday before rebounding to beat the Tar Heels (14-12, 4-8) for the fifth time in seven tries.
The defending NCAA champions also pulled within percentage points of first-place Wake Forest in the ACC.
The Terrapins let a 13-point halftime lead dwindle to 47-40 before Blake scored seven points in a 13-2 run that gave Maryland some breathing room.
After the Tar Heels closed to 62-47, freshman John Gilchrist hit a runner in the lane, Jamar Smith slammed home an alley-oop pass from Calvin McCall, and Andre Collins and Randle made layups to start a 14-0 spurt that the Terrapins up by 29.
Melvin Scott scored 12 points and Rashad McCants had 11 for North Carolina, which is 1-6 on the road in the ACC this season.
It was the 498th career victory for Terrapins coach Gary Williams, who broke a tie with Lefty Driesell for most ACC wins by a Maryland coach (123).
The Terrapins shot 65 percent in the first half, going 7-for-8 from 3-point range, to take a 45-32 halftime lead.
It was 38-30 before Blake hit a short jumper, then drilled a 3-pointer before Nicholas followed a North Carolina turnover with a layup to put the Terrapins up by 15.
North Carolina went 12-for-32 (38 percent) from the field before halftime, including 5-of-16 on its 3-point attempts.
Maryland hit its first three shots, taking the lead for good when Nicholas hit a 3-pointer to make it 8-5.
Nicholas, who made only three field goals against Duke, matched that total when he hit a 3-pointer less than five minutes in.
