No question about it, Maryland's NCAA chances got much better today. Odds are, UNC won't drop too far, especially if they finish the year strong, which will make this win look huge. But Maryland isn't in it yet. In my opinion, 8-8 in the ACC plus one win in the tournament will be enough for at least a 9 seed this year. The bubble is weak, and Maryland has some big wins. Of course, they're 6-6 right now, which means they have to finish out at 2-2. Here's the schedule:
Some still contend that Maryland will need to get to 9-7, or, if they end up 8-8, get one win over Duke or Wake. That would certainly help, but by no means is it necessary. The ACC is very strong this year, and the rest of the bubble is weak. I have trouble believing they'd turn Maryland down if the Terps ended up 8-8 + 1. Honestly, that should happen.
Of course, that doesn't mean the Duke or Wake games aren't important. Not only do they provide padding (for the inevitable UVA loss), but they'll be very important for seeding. Honestly, as long as they get into the tournament, I'm happy. Everything else will just be icing on the cake.
By the way, the word out of Kansas is pretty positive. Apparently, he was "tough to engage" and both he and his parents were far more interested in the UNC-Maryland game. This team with Stephenson and a healthy Burney is top 20 (maybe higher) right now.