The Terps are headed to Birmingham, Alabama, for the Sweet Sixteen.
It was a Monday night that College Park won’t soon forget.
In the second half, No. 5-seed Alabama held a 17-point lead over No. 4-seed Maryland women’s basketball. Xfinity Center was stunned.
Desperately searching for life, head coach Brenda Frese called a timeout with 3:58 remaining in the third quarter. Her team discovered the spark she was searching for. As time continued to tick off the clock, the Terps’ deficit was slowly erased — and chaos ensued.
It took the Terps two extra periods, but they ultimately emerged victorious, 111-108.
“I told them, overtime is our time,” Frese said.
Shyanne Sellers started hot, giving the Terps an early boost in what was an overall strong first half. Sarah Te-Biasu was also impressive, notching eight first-half points as Maryland built a 10-point lead in the second quarter.
It looked to be strolling to an easy victory, but that was far from the case.
Alabama embarked on a rapid 10-0 run, completely erasing Maryland’s advantage in just over a minute of game time.
Sarah Ashlee Barker was the focal point of Alabama’s offense in the first half, tallying 17 points in the opening 20 minutes. She finished with a staggering 45 points, the fourth-most in any women’s NCAA Tournament game.
Maryland’s sloppiness and Alabama’s ability to take advantage of mistakes resulted in the Tide taking a two-point lead to the locker room.
Alabama started the second half hot, building a seven-point lead on a 7-0 run. Maryland’s defense was flat-footed, and the Tide made the most of it. Maryland’s shots weren’t falling, while Alabama simultaneously took advantage from beyond the arc. The Tide’s lead ballooned up to 14 points, and Maryland found itself in serious danger — Sellers and Smikle were in foul trouble.
Caught in a tough situation, Frese had to burn a third timeout in the third quarter — something she hasn’t done all season.
Alabama’s lead grew to 17 points and Sellers committed her fourth foul. Things looked bleak.
“I was trying to be disciplined. I knew my team needed me to stay in the game and, honestly, it just comes back to all of them having my back,” Sellers said.
But the Terps showed signs of life, nonetheless, going on a small run at the end of the third quarter to cut the deficit to nine. Te-Biasu was instrumental in the effort, knocking down a clutch 3-pointer.
Amari DeBerry saw important minutes in the second half. She began the fourth quarter with a huge block on a 3-point attempt.
The Terps pushed the pace, courtesy of a barrage of mid-range shots from Kubek, Smikle and DeBerry. Once the deficit was cut to six points, the Tide called a timeout. It was clear now — Maryland had momentum and was daring to build on it.
Mir McLean was also a huge force off the bench, playing her best game of the season Monday. She got Maryland within a bucket late in the fourth quarter, then Sellers drew a foul and hit both free throws to even the score.
Barker retook the lead with a 3-pointer. But calm as ever, Te-Biasu knocked down a game-tying triple on the other end.
With 12 seconds left and possession, Alabama’s Karly Weathers missed the game-winning shot at the regulation buzzer to send the game to overtime.
Both teams went back and forth in overtime, but the Terps were largely in control. The extra period was littered with a few more Te-Biasu 3-pointers, which sent the crowd into a frenzy.
Maryland stole possession with 8.4 seconds remaining in the period, and Saylor Poffenbarger had the chance to ice the game after being fouled. She missed her first free throw, though, giving Alabama a chance down three.
On the ensuing possession, Barker put up a 3-pointer at the buzzer, but Poffenbarger was called for a shooting foul. Barker sunk all three free throws, and the game continued into a second overtime period.
Barker and Te-Biasu went bucket-for-bucket in the second overtime, and with 28 seconds left, the Terps held a two-point lead with the ball. Kubek was fouled and split the pair of free throws, before Barker made a pull-up jumper to bring it back down to one.
Sellers was subsequently fouled, and in her final moments at Xfinity Center, she made two free throws.
“I mean, they’re easy money shots. You got to be able to step up and hit them,” Sellers said.
Alabama could not erase a three-point deficit this time, as Maryland moved on to the Sweet 16.
Three things to know
1. “Overtime is our time.” Showing shades of the 2006 National Championship team, Frese used the motto “overtime is our time” Monday. It was double overtime, though, Maryland’s first since 2008. It emerged from the rubble with a win.
“This is why you try to earn that right to host and have that energy, because we absolutely needed it with both the double overtimes,” Frese said.
2. Seventeen-point comeback. It seemed like their season was over in the second half, but the Terps embraced the challenges they’ve had all season and found a way to come back.
3. March Kubek. Allie Kubek posted the only double-double between either team. She was dominant early and often, finishing with 19 points and 12 rebounds. It was yet another huge performance from the graduate student in March Madness.
“I don’t know what it is,” Frese said of Kubek’s postseason success. “I’m here for it. It’s been really special to be able to see, and see it from last year too.”