Even in the immediate aftermath of Maryland’s season-ending NCAA Tournament loss Sunday night, there were unmistakable signs of pride in what the Terrapins had accomplished and optimism about the possibilities of next season.
With the three-point loss to Texas still fresh in the rearview mirror, Terrapins coach Brenda Frese and forward Chloe Bibby talked about how the team had come together over the season — and what they’d learned about themselves going forward.
For a team built around a group of young stars making their NCAA Tournament debut, Sunday’s loss left a bitter taste. But that taste turned to motivation shortly after the final whistle — most of Frese’s squad is expected to return.
“We know we’re better than that,” Bibby said. “We’re just going to use this to fuel us. We weren’t happy with how we played tonight. I think everyone can agree on that. But, yeah, these things happen. We just have to move forward with it. I think this is great momentum that we can use.”
The Maryland women, a No. 2 seed, entered Sunday’s contest leading college basketball with 91 points per game. And the Terrapins had just throttled Alabama in the second round of the tournament, scoring 100 or more points for the seventh time this season.
But the Longhorns’ physicality — particularly on the offensive glass and through defensive pressure — held Maryland to a season-low 61 points. With the win, Texas moves on to the Elite Eight, booking a matchup with No. 1 South Carolina on Tuesday.
The No. 6 Longhorns are the lowest seed remaining in the field. Otherwise, the Elite Eight is filled with national title favorites UConn, Baylor, Louisville and Stanford. No. 3 Arizona and No. 4 Indiana also remain in the tournament after knocking off No. 1 North Carolina State and No. 2 Texas A&M, respectively.
The Terrapins entered the tournament with national championship aspirations. They won 15 straight games — including the Big Ten tournament title — before Sunday’s defeat and finished the season 26-3.
They got to the Sweet 16 on the back of a well-rounded offense, with six players averaging double-digit scoring totals. Sophomores Ashley Owusu and Diamond Miller led the way with 17.9 and 17.3 points per game.
“Obviously, we’re disappointed, sad,” Frese said. “I know for me personally, this team has just been a joy to coach all season long. When you talk about through a pandemic to watch this team come together the way they did, the unselfishness they played with all year, for each other, I think this one hurts even more.”
While Bibby and Katie Benzan added veteran presences to the group as transfers, some of the squad’s inexperience showed Sunday. They turned the ball over 11 times, including one critical giveaway from Owusu with under a minute remaining, leading to a transition basket that handed Texas a two-point lead.
The defensive breakdowns were uncharacteristic of the Terrapins, too. But after so many blowouts, Maryland seemed to crumble in a close game.
“This is the experience you’re trying to gain,” Frese said. “I mean, for a lot of our players, this was the first time on this kind of stage, not having the NCAA tournament last year. Unfortunately, it hurts tonight. But all things that we can gain as we move forward.”
Frese hopes Bibby and Benzan will both return next season, taking advantage of the NCAA’s eligibility waiver. Bibby averaged 13.2 points and six rebounds a game while Benzan chipped in 12.7 points and led the country in three-point shooting.
If they do return, Maryland will be another year older, with more experience for Owusu and Miller leading the way for a team with plenty of depth. And for those who return, they’ll also bring with them a drive to outperform this year’s Sweet 16 loss.
“This is tough, but we’re going to bounce back from this,” Bibby said. “We’re going to use this as motivation.”
• Andy Kostka can be reached at akostka@washingtontimes.com.
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