Gary and Greivis Gut One Out

The Terrapins don't win this game if he doesn't hit that running one-hander off the glass with eight seconds left in regulation to tie the score, or two free throws with five seconds left in overtime. They also don't win if his passion and purpose don't instill the belief in his teammates that, 13-point underdogs or no, they could do this, they could take out the Tar Heels on their home floor.

"He's right there," Williams said when asked where he would place Vasquez among his favorite heart-and-soul competitors. "He's got that Juan Dixon and Steve Blake toughness about him, where he believes he can do anything, where he's not backing down no matter whom he's playing or what the situation is. Greivis has got that."

Vasquez, of course, has Williams's back, through inexplicable losses to Morgan State and impossible victories over North Carolina. It's part of why Williams had to contain his emotions.

"They've helped me, you know, and we just stayed tight," Williams said, descending into bunker-down tone. "It's the team and the coaches, you know? That's how we go about our business here, and you know, I'm proud of what they've been through this year. We've got a pretty good record now, you know? We've got a pretty good record. We've beaten some pretty good teams, so we're looking forward to the future here."

The future is Wednesday night here against Duke, which dropped a 41-point drubbing on the Terrapins at Cameron Indoor Stadium last month.

Who knows if they get 22 points again from Cliff Tucker, who had scored in double figures exactly one time since late November? Or whether Dino Gregory flies downcourt and pins the ball against the glass, the way he did to Lawson's layup attempt. The thought of Dave Neal out-muscling Tyler Hansbrough, last season's college player of the year, and a monstrous front line, for a rebound was just a ludicrous thought before yesterday.

But there are four games left in the ACC for these maddening Maryland Terrapins, who proved again that the combination of Gary and Greivis, and all the histrionics and hysteria they bring, makes anything possible -- even a once-unfathomable berth in the NCAA tournament.