COLLEGE PARK -- Relying on Johnny Rhodes early and Duane Simpkins late, the Maryland Terrapins knocked off top-ranked North Carolina, 86-73, before a raucous sellout crowd at Cole Field House.
The win by the eighth-ranked Terps (18-4) put them into first-place tie with North Carolina (18-2) at 8-2 in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Both guards scored 21 points to lead Maryland.
It was a game of swings from the very beginning.
When Maryland's Exree Hipp scored the first two baskets of the game, an already loud crowd went up a couple of decibels. But the Tar Heels quickly quieted the fans and, it seemed for a while, the Terps as well.
North Carolina scored 10 straight points, which included a pair of three-pointers and two free throws on a technical foul against coach Gary Williams with only 2:02 gone in the game.
Though Maryland scored six straight points to tie the game, the Tar Heels then appeared to take control. Hitting five of its first six three-pointers and 12 of its first 20 overall, North Carolina built leads of 30-16 and 34-21.
Compounding Maryland's problems was the fact that Keith Booth picked up three personals in less than 11 minutes. The start was similar to the one the Tar Heels had in last week's 102-100 double-overtime win at Duke, when they jumped out to a 26-9 lead.
But just as the Blue Devils did at Cameron Indoor Stadium, the Terps came roaring back last night. They scored eight straight points in an 18-2 run, including 11 straight by Rhodes in one stretch.
Mario Lucas, Booth's replacement, scored five in the run as the Terps moved out to a 39-38 halftime lead.
A pair of free throws by Stackhouse cut the lead to one, and the Terps nearly lost the lead and the momentum when Simpkins and Wayne Bristol both missed jumpers. Rhodes fouled Calabria with 2.2 seconds left in the half, but the senior swingman missed the front end of a one-and-one. A desperation heave by Simpkins fell short at the buzzer.
After a hot start, the Tar Heels missed eight of their last nine shots to finish 13 of 29 overall.
The Terps hit six of their last nine shots, including three of four threes, to finish 15 of 33 overall. Rhodes led Maryland with 13 points, and Simpkins had nine.
Maryland kept the pressure on North Carolina after intermission. The Terps scored on their first three possessions and seven of their first 10 to lead by 10, on a drive by Hipp with 13:52 to go in the game.
The Tar Heels were out of sorts, with Stackhouse on the bench nursing a cut under his chin, with Wallace frustrated by Smith inside. But Maryland, as has been its habit all season, couldn't quite put things away.
The Terps had three chances and five shots to increase their lead, but missed all of them. Stackhouse hit a three shortly after returning, and Smith ended the drought with a baseline hook for a 56-47 lead.
But North Carolina kept coming, cutting it to four on a short jumper by Wallace and a three by senior walk-on Pearce Landry. Simpkins answered with a three. Shortly after Donald Williams hit a three for the Tar Heels, the senior guard picked up his fourth personal.
Booth made it 61-54 by following in his own miss, and after a miss by Stackhouse, Rhodes nailed another three for an eight-point lead. But the Tar Heels kept charging back, getting twice within five. Each time, Maryland had an answer.