With North Carolina playing a taller Maryland team and with Tar Heel James Michael McAdoo in foul trouble, it took big games by both Reggie Bullock and PJ Hairston to give UNC a 79-68 win at Maryland.

Bullock scored 19 points and hauled in 12 rebounds while Hairston, who left the game for several minutes after slipping awkwardly, scored 22 points and got eight rebounds.

“We have a height disadvantage,” UNC coach Roy Williams said. “Rebounding is always a concern of ours with a short lineup.”

Williams added that it was impressive that his team got 20 rebounds from its wing players – Bullock and Hairston.

The Tar Heels have been on a run since Williams put Hairston into the starting lineup and diminished playing time for taller players. Carolina has now won six in a row and gone from an NCAA bubble team to a lock with a chance to make some noise in the ACC and NCAA tournaments.

The victory guarantees that the Tar Heels will get a first-day bye in the ACC Tournament. Since the tourney format change, no team without a bye has won the tournament.

Williams said the team has come a long way as they have bought into playing with a sense of urgency and playing unselfishly.

The Tar Heels got out to a 12-4 lead in the first five minutes but the Terrapins came back to take a three-point lead at 27-24 with 3:22 left in the half.

The game then turned quickly and Carolina took control with a 10-0 to finish out the first half. Leslie McDonald hit a jumper to start the run and Hairston hit a three from the left corner to give UNC the lead for good.

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