It feels like the Terps, as a team, are starting to realize what's possible. Vasquez has often talked about posting a triple double during his time at Maryland. And yesterday he did it in impressive fashion - 35 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists. He scored the Terps' first 16 points of the game, in fact, and seemed to come up with a big play whenever his team needed one.
But that's not what excited him after the game. That's not what he's taking from yesterday's win. "My goal is to make it to the tournament," he said.
He was asked what the win means in light of the gray cloud that has followed Williams and the program the past month.
"No comment," Vasquez smartly said.
This isn't to say that everything is perfect in the basketball program again. Far from it. But if the Terps are to return to the top - or at least return to the NCAA tournament - they have to remain focused.
There aren't many coaches who can prepare a team as Williams can. He has spent more time than he would probably like these past few weeks defending his reputation. He surely knows this, but the best argument he can make - to supporters and detractors alike - is by winning games, by beating teams like North Carolina, by giving a frustrated fan base more reasons to storm the Comcast Center court.
North Carolina coach Roy Williams was brief in his comments after the game. It was almost as if he didn't know what had just hit him. Hard to blame Williams - North Carolina was up by 16 points in the second half; its best player, Tyler Hansbrough, was held to 11 points; its bench was outscored 41-5; and it gave the game away with costly mistakes in the closing minutes.
"The best team won today," he said. "The toughest team, the smartest team, the best-coached team won today. That's all I have to say."
It was a telling description. No, the Terps weren't more talented. In fact, they usually aren't. But they were tougher, smarter and better coached, and those are the attributes that can make a difference down the stretch, that can help an overmatched team string together wins when they're needed most.
Upsetting North Carolina will be a great game to look back on someday. But right now, there's no time for reflection. The Terps have expended far too much energy lately looking backward.
It's time they focused solely on what's ahead of them.
