RALEIGH, N.C. - Drew Nicholas hit a 3-pointer with 1.5 seconds left to give coach Gary Williams his 500th career win.

The Terrapins (19-7, 11-4) trailed by 11 with 8:51 left before going on a 21-7 run to close it out and move a half-game behind ACC-leading Wake Forest with a game left.

Maryland plays at Virginia on March 9. The Demon Deacons play North Carolina at home on Wednesday and then the Wolfpack here on Saturday.

Tahj Holden led Maryland, which has beaten the Wolfpack nine of the last 10 meetings in Raleigh, with 20 points. Nicholas added 17.

Scooter Sherrill led N.C. State (15-10, 8-6) with 14 points.

No. 8 Pittsburgh 71, Connecticut 67

PITTSBURGH - Julius Page scored 11 straight Pittsburgh points early in the second half, then sealed the game on a free throw with 5 seconds left as the eighth-ranked Panthers overcame another furious Connecticut first half.

Pitt led 67-60 with 2:43 remaining but didn't secure the victory until Brandin Knight and Page each made a free throw. In between, UConn had the ball and a chance to tie, but Ben Gordon and Rashad Anderson each missed a 3-pointer.

Pittsburgh (21-4, 11-3), tied Syracuse for the Big East West Division lead with two games to play, won for the fifth time in six games and stopped a six-game losing streak to the Huskies.

Connecticut (18-7, 9-5) led by as many as 13 points in a strong first half, but the Huskies were denied their 22nd victory in their last 34 games against a top-10 team.

No. 23 California 80, Arizona St 72

BERKELEY, Calif. - Joe Shipp scored 21 points and Amit Tamir and Brian Wethers added 20 each to lead No. 23 California.

Shipp, the leading scorer in the Pac-10, made three straight baskets early in the second half to keep the Golden Bears in the game, and hit another key hoop with 5:32 left for a 69-63 lead.

Tamir made all five of his 3-pointers and was 5-for-8 from the field, and Wethers hit a big 3 with 1:04 left.

Cal (20-6, 13-4) won its 13th conference game - the most victories for the school in Pac-10 play since finishing 13-5 and in second place in the 1993-94 season.

Curtis Millage had 20 points for Arizona State (17-10, 9-7).