The shot was one of the few that didn’t fall for Dixon, who scored 20 of his season-high 29 points by intermission and tied a career record with 8 steals as the No. 4 Terrapins cruised to a 112-79 victory over the reeling Tar Heels.

The point total is the most ever given up in a game by any Tar Heel team and the Terrapins' biggest margin of victory in the 79-year-old rivalry. At two points in the second half, Maryland (12-2, 2-0 in the ACC) led by as many as 39 points. North Carolina’s largest margin of defeat in an ACC game is 35 points.

“I thought our defense keyed everything tonight,” Maryland Coach Gary Williams said. “We were able to get the tempo of the game up to where we wanted. We had our legs today. I just thought we were really athletic."

Steve Blake played arguably his most complete game of the season, falling one rebound short of notching a triple double, with 12 points and a career-high 14 assists. Blake finished one assist short of the single-game record set by Terrell Stokes, who had 15 against Western Carolina in1998. Dixon, who continues to chase former Terp Johnny Rhodes’ all-time ACC steals record, was one shy of Rhodes single game record of nine.

“Getting in the lane, guys were starting to help out off their man and guys were just opening it up. The big men were running the floor real well and I was able to find them. Everyone was in the flow, so it felt really good out there.”

With Chris Wilcox starting at power forward on a night where his likeness was given away on a poster, the Terps raced out to an early lead and never trailed the Tar Heels (5-7, 1-2). Wilcox scored Maryland’s first four points of the game on his way to finishing with 16 points and six rebounds. He also was called for two goaltending violations, as his extraordinary leaping ability almost looked too good.

“It seems like every time they made a couple, were able to come back and do something well offensively or defensively and they weren’t able to get any momentum going,” Williams said.

Lonny Baxter, who missed Maryland’s victory over Norfolk State with a sprained right ankle, showed no ill effects of the injury. Baxter, who practiced for the first time on the ankle Tuesday, had nine points, seven rebounds, two blocks and a steal, but more than anything, provided a calming presence on the court.

“It felt good,” Baxter said. “I was able to move, run, cut, do everything. I tried to take my mind off it and just play.”

Maryland coach Gary Williams said he thought the team was relaxed by the knowledge the player of the year candidate would be available against a team that had beaten them in both of their last two meetings.

“Nobody was saying anything, but I think (Lonny practicing) relaxed a lot of people, especially the coach,” Williams said. “He wasn’t himself, but he didn’t re-injure the ankle or anything like that. I think he’ll gradually get back in shape, hopefully by the time we play Georgia Tech on Sunday.”

Williams said he didn’t give much thought to the fact that this was the last game Maryland would play against North Carolina in Cole Field House, and dismissed the notion that the win was less significant because the Tar Heels are having one of their worst seasons in decades.

“Carolina’s had a lot of success here over the years,” Williams said. “So any time you get a win against Carolina, I don’t care what year it is, it’s a good win for us.”
The victory keeps Maryland in a tie for first place in the ACC with Wake Forest, the only other team to avoid a conference loss at this early point in the season.