Left to right: Melo Trimble, Jake Layman, Rasheed Sulaimon, Robert Carter Jr. and Jared Nickens walk over to the bench for a timeout during the No. 2 Terps’ 89-81 loss to the No. 9 Tar Heels at the Dean Dome on Dec. 1, 2015.

Thanksgiving may have happened last week, but Maryland fans still have a lot of digesting to do after their team’s 89-81 loss at North Carolina on Tuesday night.

Overall, it was a game that featured a hectic pace, plenty of 3-pointers and an epic point guard duel. And when all was said and done, the Terrapins faithful had a lot to be proud of — but a lot to be worried about as well.

First, here’s why Maryland didn’t lose by more than an eight-point margin:

1) Melo Trimble played like an absolute superstar

Trimble turned the ball over a lot against the Tar Heels. It happens.

But let’s focus on all the ridiculously positive things the sophomore did instead: 23 points on 8-for-14 shooting (4-for-5 from beyond the arc), 12 assists, and one play that will surely lead every YouTube highlight mix of his College Park career for the rest of eternity.

In front of a national TV audience and a very unfriendly crowd on the road, Trimble looked like one of the nation’s top players.

It was a mesmerizing performance — and one everyone enjoyed.

Well … except for Nate Britt, the poor young soul who was on the wrong end of Trimble’s nasty crossover in the second half:

2) The elite Rasheed Sulaimon is here to stay

The Duke transfer is playing what looks like the best basketball he’s ever played, and with each passing contest, it feels less like an aberration and more like a trend.

As he and Trimble continued to make sweet, sweet music with one another on the floor, Sulaimon finished the night with 18 points, three rebounds and three assists and knocked down five long balls of his own, including this game-tying one:

GIF via Brittany Cheng/For The Diamondback

A memo to opposing backcourts: Good luck stopping these two.

3) The Terps were able to claw their way back after a shaky start

Tip-off for the game was 9:30 p.m., but the boys in black didn’t really show up until about 9:45.

After a sloppy start filled with turnovers and lazy defense, Maryland found itself in a hole. But the Terps didn’t panic, and instead slowly chipped away at the lead and got the score within single digits at halftime. A strong surge in the second frame allowed them to temporarily take the lead, and while they ultimately gave it up, they showed a lot of grit and toughness bouncing back after an unsightly beginning.

So what kind of adjustments do the Terps need to make going forward?

1) Stop making turnovers

The Terps gave the ball away 22 times against Carolina, including this:

GIF via Brittany Cheng/For The Diamondback

Once their schedule ramps up, they’ll need to get it fixed, or else it could be the Achilles heel that prevents them from reaching their full potential.

2) Jake Layman’s return to form on scoring

Layman’s numbers weren’t horrendous — the senior did register four points, eight rebounds, two steals and an assist — but he was just 1-for-5 from the floor and missed all three of his attempts from long range.

The senior is Maryland’s X-factor, and he wasn’t fully tuned in Tuesday night. The Terps need him to develop more consistency.

To summarize:

In its first true test of the season, Maryland came out on the losing end.

Yes, North Carolina is a Final Four contender. And yes, Maryland fought hard to claw its way out of an early hole. But still, after a fairly soft first six games, it would’ve been extremely encouraging to see Mark Turgeon’s players come out and topple a fellow powerhouse.

Does this mean the Terps’ entire outlook needs to be changed? Absolutely not. But getting a massive win early on would’ve been a huge confidence boost, so it’s hard not to be a little upset that that didn’t come to fruition.

At least Maryland fans will have this, though…