No. 1 no more: UNC falls in OT

COLLEGE PARK, MD. -- The record will show that Maryland handed No. 1 North Carolina its first loss of the season.

The Tar Heels, however don't quite see it that way.

``They didn't beat us. We know we beat ourselves,'' Ademola Okulaja said after North Carolina lost 89-83 in overtime Wednesday night. ``That's a good feeling, knowing only we can beat ourselves.''

There was plenty of blame to pass around. Antawn Jamison scored 27 points, but he missed four foul shots in overtime, and his free throw with 7.4 seconds left was his only point over the final 18 minutes.

``We knew sooner or later a loss was going to come. We just didn't do the things we are capable of doing,'' Jamison said. ``They really did a tremendous job of exposing that and using it to their advantage.''

Even North Carolina coach Bill Guthridge shouldered some of the heat for the shocking upset that was the first loss of his head coaching career.

``I don't think I coached as well as I should have. I hope I can learn from my mistakes,'' Guthridge said. ``I hope the players can learn from some of their mistakes. I just didn't have them ready to do the things they needed to do.''

North Carolina (17-1, 4-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) had won 34 of 35, including 17 straight under Guthridge, who took over for Dean Smith this season. The Tar Heels have won three games by five points or less, including a two-point decision in overtime against Georgia.

This time, however, North Carolina never led after Laron Profit made two foul shots for a 84-82 Maryland lead with 2:11 left. Profit scored six of his 19 points in overtime for the Terrapins (10-5, 3-2).

``They showed a lot of heart and a lot of character as well,'' Profit said of the Tar Heels. ``They deserved the No. 1 ranking. They were 17-0. They'd beaten everyone put in front of them.''

The Terrapins, on the other hand, dropped out of the Top 25 after losing by 32 points at home against Duke just 11 days earlier. Subsequent wins over Florida State and North Carolina State, plus the victory over North Carolina, should to get them back in the poll.

Rodney Elliott and Obinna Ekezie both scored 16 points for Maryland. Freshman Mike Mardesich had 12 points and nine rebounds, and freshman Terence Morris had 10 points in 18 minutes. Both clogged the middle after Elliott and Ekezie fouled out.

`I'm very proud of Mike. The freshmen really stepped up today, did a great job for us and sustained the momentum when I left the game,'' Ekezie said.

It was the second time in three years the Terrapins beat No. 1 North Carolina in Cole Field House they also did it in the 1994-95 season.

The Tar Heels had won 15 straight ACC games, and their loss put Duke alone in first place in the conference. Maryland has won three of four against UNC.

The Terrapins did it by becoming the first team this season to shoot over 50 percent against North Carolina (34-for-66) and by outrebounding the Tar Heels 39-32.

``The key wa that we were able to rebound with a great rebounding team,'' Maryland coach Gary Williams said. ``It was a team thing, not just one guy. We just wanted to have our guys get in the way of their guys.''

Still, the Tar Heels appeared on their way to another victory after Jamison scored two straight baskets and Okulaja added a 3-pointer for a 57-51 lead with 14:15 left.

But Maryland hung in, and forced overtime on a basket by Mardesich with 46 seconds to go.

``I was a little shocked in the second half. We had a six-point lead and it was kind of hard for us to get shots,'' Jamison said. ``Defensively we kind of let up a little bit. This team is one of those teams that, once we have a six-point lead with five minutes to go, it's in the books.''

Not this time.

``This is the ACC. You're not going to go undefeated,'' Jamison said.

(Copyright 1998 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)