As expected, Dean Smith got his record-tying victory last night. It came in an unexpected way, though.

Smith tied Adolph Rupp as the winningest NCAA basketball coach when North Carolina beat Fairfield 82-74 in the opening round of the East Regional. But Smith's 876th victory wasn't nearly as easy as everyone predicted.

Fairfield (11-19), which had the worst record in the 64-team field and no starter over 6-foot-6, made a strong bid to become the first No. 16 seed ever to beat a No. 1 seed in the tournament.

The Stags led by seven at halftime and stayed with the Tar Heels (25-6) until the final minute before the pro-North Carolina crowd in Winston-Salem. The victory gave Smith an 876-253 record in his 36th season at North Carolina. Rupp had an 876-190 record in 41 years at Kentucky.

Vince Carter led the Tar Heels with 22 points, while 7-foot-3 Serge Zwikker added 19. Greg Francis led Fairfield with 26 points.

Coll. Charleston 75, Maryland 66

Stacy Harris scored 22 points as the College of Charleston upset Maryland, making it the ninth straight year a No. 12 seed has beaten a fifth-seeded team.

Charleston (29-2), making only its second NCAA tournament appearance, also extended the nation's longest winning streak to 23 games with its first tourney victory.

Keith Booth, Maryland's leading scorer, finished with 18 points.

California 55, Princeton 52

Tony Gonzalez scored all five of Cal's points in the final minute.

Gonzalez gave the Bears the lead for good at 52-50 with a fadeaway 12-foot jumper with 58 seconds left.

He made the front end of a 1-and-1 with 33 seconds left for a three-point lead. Brian Earl scored on a backdoor cut with 15 seconds left to bring the 12th-seeded Tigers (24-4) within one, but Gonzalez made two free throws with 14 seconds left to make it 55-52.

Princeton, which knocked defending national champion UCLA out in the first round last year, had a final chance. But Gabe Lewullis' 3-point attempt with three seconds left was blocked by Alfred Grigsby.

Purdue 83, Rhode Island 76, OT