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Maryland Rally Shocks UNC

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A Tribune wire report

Published: February 22, 2009

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Greivis Vasquez did something no Maryland player had done since 1987, and the Terrapins pulled off an upset that was almost as remarkable.

Vasquez had a career-high 35 points, plus 11 rebounds and 10 assists - Maryland's first triple-double in 22 years - and the Terrapins rallied from a 16-point deficit to shock No. 3 North Carolina 88-85 in overtime Saturday, ending the Tar Heels' 10-game winning streak.

"I just have no words to describe this feeling right now," Vasquez said. "It was an unbelievable game. I've played big-time games at Maryland, but I put that game on the top."

Vasquez, a junior guard, was sensational early and late. He scored Maryland's first 16 points, and in overtime hit a pivotal 3-pointer with 1:15 left and made two free throws with 5.4 seconds remaining to put the Terrapins up by three.

After North Carolina's Ty Lawson lost the ball while heading toward the basket just before the buzzer, many of the 17,950 fans stormed the court to celebrate the unlikely upset.

At the center of the celebration was Maryland coach Gary Williams, who came under fire earlier this season after the Terrapins slipped under .500 in the Atlantic Coast Conference after losing to Duke by 41 points and North Carolina by 17.

"Every Maryland fan should be grateful because that man right there can coach," Vasquez said.

The triple-double by Vasquez was the first for Maryland (17-9, 6-6) since Derrick Lewis did it twice in 1987.

"Greivis had a heck of a game," North Carolina guard Wayne Ellington said. "He made shots and got his team going. On the other hand, we were flat out there. We were being selfish and weren't playing as a team."

The evidence: North Carolina finished with five assists.

Lawson led the Tar Heels (24-3, 10-3) with 24 points, Danny Green had 18 and Tyler Hansbrough had 11 points and 11 rebounds. But North Carolina got only five points from its bench, compared to 41 by Maryland.

Abrams, Texas Upset Oklahoma

AUSTIN, Texas - A.J. Abrams scored 18 of Texas' final 20 points Saturday night, leading the Longhorns (18-8, 7-5 Big 12) to a 73-68 upset of No. 2 Oklahoma (25-2, 11-1), which had to play most of the game without leading scorer and rebounder Blake Griffin after he sustained a concussion in the first half.

Abrams scored 16 in a row in the final 8 minutes, hitting four 3-pointers, then capped the scoring with two free throws with 4 seconds to play.

Griffin, the Big 12's leading scorer and leading rebounder, played just 11 minutes and left for good with about four minutes left in the first half, finishing with two points and three rebounds. Griffin appeared to take a shot to the face when he tried to spin for a baseline shot.

NO. 4 PITTSBURGH 80,

DEPAUL 61

PITTSBURGH - DeJuan Blair outmuscled DePaul inside for 20 points and 18 rebounds while setting Pittsburgh's two-game record for rebounds, and the Panthers (25-2, 12-2 Big East) pulled away early against the Blue Demons (8-19, 0-14).

NO. 5 MEMPHIS 70,

TEXAS-EL PASO 63

EL PASO, Texas - Tyreke Evans scored 25 points to lead Memphis (24-3, 12-0) to victory vs. Texas-El Paso (16-10, 7-5), extending the nation's longest winning streak to 18 games with the Tigers' 53rd consecutive Conference USA win.

NO. 7 LOUISVILLE 72,

CINCINNATI 63

CINCINNATI - Terrence Williams scored 20 points Saturday, and Louisville (21-5, 12-2 Big East) dominated up front in a victory vs. Cincinnati (17-10, 7-7) that got the Cardinals back on track.

NO. 10 MARQUETTE 78,

GEORGETOWN 72

WASHINGTON - Wesley Matthews scored 23 points, including a career-high five 3-pointers, and Marquette (23-4, 12-2) opened the brutal homestretch to its regular season schedule with a victory vs. Georgetown (14-11, 5-9).

Marquette is chasing its first Big East regular-season title, and its final four games are against No. 1 Connecticut, No. 7 Louisville, No. 4 Pittsburgh and No. 24 Syracuse.

NO. 11 MISSOURI 66,

COLORADO 53

BOULDER, Colo. - Leo Lyons, who missed Missouri's 45-point blowout of Colorado last month while serving a one-game suspension after his arrest on traffic violations, led the Tigers (23-4, 10-2 Big 12) to victory against the Buffaloes (9-17, 1-11) in the rematch.

NO. 15 KANSAS 70,

NEBRASKA 53

LAWRENCE, Kan. - Sherron Collins had 22 points, Cole Aldrich added 18 points and 12 rebounds, and Kansas (22-5, 11-1 Big 12) pulled away in the second half to beat Nebraska (16-9, 6-6).

NO. 19 PURDUE 81,

INDIANA 67

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - E'Twaun Moore scored a season-high 26 points, and Purdue (21-6, 10-4 Big Ten) defeated rival Indiana (6-20, 1-13).

WASHINGTON ST. 82,

NO. 20 UCLA 81

LOS ANGELES - Taylor Rochestie scored a career-high 33 points to lead Washington State (14-13, 6-9 Pac-10) to an upset of UCLA (20-7, 9-5).

NO. 21 BUTLER 75,

DAVIDSON 63

DAVIDSON, N.C. - Gordon Hayward scored a career-high 27 points and Butler (23-4) took advantage of an ailing, cold-shooting Stephen Curry to beat Davidson (22-6) to snap a two-game losing streak.

NO. 22 WASHINGTON 60,

USC 51

LOS ANGELES - Quincy Pondexter scored a season-high 22 points and Washington (20-7, 11-4 Pac-10) defeated Southern California (16-10, 7-7).

NO. 23 LSU 79, AUBURN 72

BATON ROUGE, La. - Marcus Thornton scored 25 points and No. 23 LSU (23-4, 11-1 SEC) won its eighth straight game as Auburn (17-10, 6-6) saw its four-game winning streak end.

SAINT LOUIS 57,

NO. 25 DAYTON 49

ST. LOUIS - Kevin Lisch had 16 points and six rebounds to lead Saint Louis (17-10, 8-5 Atlantic 10) to victory against Dayton (23-4, 9-3).

MIAMI 69,

BOSTON COLLEGE 58

CORAL GABLES - Jack McClinton scored 22 points and the Miami Hurricanes (16-10, 5-8 ACC) tied a season high with 11 3-pointers to beat Boston College (19-9, 7-6).

The Hurricanes made seven consecutive shots en route to a 20-5 lead, and Boston College was never closer than eight points the rest of the way.

TAMPA 88

FLORIDA TECH 75

TAMPA - Rashad Callaway scored 31 points as Tampa (14-10, 7-7 SSC) ended a three-game losing streak with victory against Florida Tech (12-13, 4-10).

The Spartans never trailed, jumping out to a 20-2 lead before cruising to victory.

NOVA SOUTHEASTERN 83

SAINT LEO 66

FORT LAUDERDALE - Jordan Prais led all scorers with 21 points, but Saint Leo (14-14, 7-8 SSC) fell to Nova Southeastern (15-8, 9-5).

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