Gilchrist's three-point play gave Maryland a 29-26 advantage, but the Terps were outscored 21-8 during the final 7:14 of the first half. Without McCray's 16 points, Maryland would have been completely out of the game by halftime.
The game had all the makings of a rout: North Carolina shot 51.5 percent in the first half; Maryland shot 36.1 percent. The Tar Heels outscored the Terps inside 18-8.
Mike Jones, left, Coach Gary Williams and the Maryland fans absorb the reality of a 85-83 loss to North Carolina on Sunday. "Close isn't good enough this time of year," Williams said.
(Joel Richardson -- The Washington Post)
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_____ Monday Morning_____
A look back at the weekend and a look ahead at the coming week's action with a fresh new edge.
• Norman Chad's Couch Slouch
• Starting Lineup
• The Chat: George Gray, host of ESPN reality show "I'd Do Anything"
• 7 Days
• The Review: "Hooked: The Legend of Demetrius 'Hook' Mitchell"
_____ The Quote _____
"If we're normally in the dugout at the time they plan to do this, we're not going to not be in the dugout. We're not going to arrange, or rearrange, our routine to either be there or not be there."
-- Manager Joe Torre, making it perfectly clear where the Yankees will be when the Red Sox hand out their World Series rings before their home opener against New York.
_____ The Monday Morning Poll _____
Note: This is an unscientific survey of washingtonpost.com readers.
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"Look at the last 10 minutes of the first half and the second half and you see two different games," Williams said.
Gilchrist failed to hold for the last shot when Maryland inbounded the ball on its last possession of the first half with 13 seconds remaining. After about five seconds had elapsed, Gilchrist missed a three-pointer, which led to a North Carolina fast break and a David Noel dunk to give the Tar Heels a 10-point halftime lead.
Gilchrist was the first Terrapin off the floor at halftime, and Williams wasn't far behind him. "We were trying to take the last shot," Williams said. "It's amazing how that can come back to haunt you."
The difference in the second half was Maryland's reserve players, particularly Jones and freshman James Gist. The two combined to make eight shots and keep the Terps in contention until the final seconds.
If the Terps can win at Virginia Tech, Williams thinks an 8-8 conference record will be enough to make the NCAAs, considering that the ACC is rated as the nation's best conference. Since 1992, only three ACC teams that finished 8-8 in conference play did not make the NCAA tournament.
"Everyone in the locker room understands the importance of the last game," Gilchrist said. "Either you are in or you are out. It can't get any more real than that."
