Individually, Maryland's Joe Smith and Keith Booth have trouble matching up with North Carolina's Jerry Stackhouse and Rasheed Wallace.
But the Tar Heels forgot about Johnny Rhodes, who connected on three-pointers during an 18-2 run in the first half and hit key shots in the second, as eighth-ranked Maryland defeated No. 1-ranked North Carolina.
Along with point guard Duane Simpkins, Rhodes led Maryland with 21 points, including four three-pointers.
In his first two seasons, Rhodes struggled with his three-point shot. Ever since he has been putting more arc on his long-range shots, they have been falling.
They certainly did last night. Rhodes was 4-for-5 from three-point range.
"Johnny Rhodes hit a lot of long threes," North Carolina coach Dean Smith said. "We were not giving it to him. He even hit one through a double team. We just couldn't get there."
The first two were the big ones.
With Booth in foul trouble, Smith ineffective and Maryland trailing by 11 points, Rhodes took over. He scored 11 straight points during their first-half run.
After a three-pointer by Mario Lucas that started the rally, Rhodes hit a three-pointer from the corner. On the next possession, he made one from the corner that cut North Carolina's lead to four with 4:30 left in the half.
Smith and Booth eventually went to the bench, but two minutes later, Rhodes kept scoring. He converted a reverse layup on a pretty feed from Sarunas Jasikevicius as Rhodes got fouled. Rhodes made the foul shot, and Maryland trailed 36-35.
Then Rhodes put Maryland ahead for the first time since the 17-minute mark, hitting another layup with 1:49 left in the half. Maryland never trailed again.
Rhodes played the whole second half, hitting two more three-pointers and finishing with nine rebounds, four assists and two steals. Carolina pulled within one early in the second half, but with 15:58 left, Rhodes hit a three that gave Maryland a 50-44 lead.
He continued to break down the one-three-one Carolina zone, hitting a three over Pearce Landry with 7:15 left that increased Maryland's 64-55 lead.
Rhodes also hurt North Carolina inside, causing Donald Williams to pick up his fourth foul with eight minutes left. Williams eventually fouled out.
Rhodes capped off Maryland's win. With 42 seconds left, he scored on a baseball pass from Simpkins.