Maryland overcomes Sarah Ashlee Barker’s 45 points to outlast Alabama in double overtime classic

Minutes later, after the jubilant Terrapins rallied from a 17-point third-quarter deficit and danced exuberantly in front of their roaring band, Christina Dalce and another Maryland player carried a smiling Te-Biasu off the court and into the locker room — a fitting tribute, given her heroic eight-point burst that lifted the Terrapins through the decisive second overtime and propelled them triumphantly into the Sweet 16 where they will meet top-seeded and reigning national champion South Carolina Friday in Birmingham.

“I don’t even know why they do that,” a laughing Te-Biasu told reporters after her season-high 26-point performance when asked why she was carried off during the postgame press conference. “But it felt good. It was helpful. I was a little bit tired. … It was a fight. We kept playing for each other the whole game. I know. I think it was like the third and fourth quarters. It was a bit tough for us, but we never gave up and just kept fighting. That’s all we did.”

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Te-Biasu’s words perfectly captured Maryland’s relentless determination, a spirit clearly visible in her teammates’ reactions.

Nearby, a relieved and exhausted Kaylene Smikle enthusiastically high-fived a Maryland administrator. At the same time, Poffenbarger embraced and exchanged joyful hand slaps with a young, awestruck fan as they walked to their locker room. Maryland’s Amari DeBerry stood with both hands on her head, a look of survival on her face.

As ecstatic fans stood, took photos and videos, clapped and cheered, the stark emotional contrast was impossible to ignore.

Alabama’s Aaliyah Nye trudged off the court, a towel over her head, while teammate Zaay Green walked quietly with her arm wrapped around an assistant coach’s waist. Behind them, Sarah Ashlee Barker leaned heavily into a coach’s embrace, the pain of defeat evident after delivering a memorable 45-point performance, tying the fourth-most points scored with Kelsey Mitchell in a NCAA tournament game.

The only three better were: Drake’s Lorri Bauman (50 points in the 1982 Elite Eight against Maryland), Texas Tech’s Sheryl Swoopes (47 points in the 1993 NCAA championship game against Ohio State) and Stanford’s Jayne Appel (46 points in the 2009 Elite Eight against Iowa State).

During Alabama’s postgame press conference, head coach Kristy Curry rubbed Barker’s arms as she eloquently answered questions while holding back tears. In finishing with 24 victories, the Crimson Tide had nothing to be ashamed of. Barker, who topped her previous career best of 36 points set in January against Vanderbilt, delivered a performance for the ages. One that will be talked about forever.

“Forty-five points is a lot, but I would have loved to win instead of score 45 points,” Barker told reporters following her school-record scoring performance during the postgame press conference. “At the end of the day, like I said, it’s not my glory; it’s the Lord’s. He puts the super on my natural, so that’s what he did tonight … You dream of these moments. You live for those moments. It didn’t go our way, but at the end of the day … that was an amazing basketball game. I think we put on a show for women’s basketball tonight. I’m very thankful for that. I’m very grateful that I’m in this opportunity and that I was able to be part of such a great game.

“Maryland had such great players. They have a great coach. Their coach told me in the line that no team deserved to lose that game just because of how great of a game it was. I definitely agree with her on that. If you’re a women’s basketball fan or anybody who loves basketball, everyone could say this was one of the best games they’ve ever watched.”

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The 219 combined points made this contest the second-highest scoring game in NCAA women’s tournament history, surpassed only by the legendary 1995 quadruple-overtime matchup between Duke and Alabama, which totaled 241 points. The 108 points are the second-most points scored by a losing team in NCAA tournament history, behind the 120 Duke scored in that epic 121-120 loss to Alabama.

Barker earned everybody’s respect with her performance, which included 17-of-25 shooting from the floor, 4-of-6 from beyond the arc, and 7-of-11 from the free-throw line.

“I told (Barker) after the game I thought she was phenomenal,” Maryland guard Shyanne Sellers told reporters after scoring a team-high 28 points. “I didn’t think she needed to shed a single tear. She was excellent, and I think she put everyone on notice of exactly who she was. We probably should have done a little bit better, but we contained everybody else, so that was huge, but she had no reason to hang her head. She’s a phenomenal player and a great person, too.”

Maryland’s brilliant guard trio of Te-Biasu, Smikle and Sellers combined for 78 points. Smikle collected 24 points and seven rebounds before fouling out. Allie Kubek‘s 19 points and 12 rebounds and Mir McLean‘s eight points and 10 rebounds in 36 minutes also had a major impact.

“I am just so proud of this group,” a relieved Maryland head coach Brenda Frese said during her opening statement to reporters. “You know that it’s going to be a heavyweight fight. You saw both teams’ competitive spirit and the mindset to go on to the next round. I thought we came out with a great mindset. We punched first, and then Alabama responded with the character that they have. No team deserved to lose this game tonight. Both teams were so good … You can go through the list. I thought every player had an impactful moment for us, whether on the offensive or defensive end.”

In advancing to its 12th Sweet 16 under Frese, Maryland was the only No. 4 seed to advance out of the second round. This was the second 4-5 matchup that needed overtime, after Kansas State outlasted Kentucky on Sunday afternoon.

Alabama and Maryland competed like champions for two hours and 48 gripping minutes, delivering a passionate and historic gift to women’s basketball. Fans got their money’s worth and then some. In a masterpiece destined to endure in memory, bodies collided fiercely, crashing onto the honey-colored hardwood in tangled heaps reminiscent of a rugby scrum. In a game with high-level of shot-making, big baskets were answered with even more clutch hoops.

Sweaty crimson-colored and white uniforms clung tightly to exhausted bodies as players consistently dove for every loose ball, fought tenaciously for rebounds and battled through punishing immovable screens. After taking a charge in the first overtime, Kubek stayed on the floor for about 10 seconds before her teammates helped her up to her feet. Smikle yelled after blocking a shot and chest-bumped teammates.

Alabama was poised to win the game in regulation after Barker made a go-ahead 3-pointer with 37 seconds remaining and then blocked a potential game-tying attempt by Smikle with 14 seconds left. However, the ball bounced back to Smikle, who found Te-Biasu at the top of the key. Te-Biasu tied the game with a 3-pointer that shook the arena to its core.

Maryland appeared to have the game sealed in overtime until Poffenbarger fouled Barker, attempting a game-tying 3-pointer with .7 seconds remaining. Barker, who referenced her wrist tattoo of “Isaiah 41:10” for inspiration, calmly went to the foul line and sank three pressure-packed free throws with the crowd screaming to force the second overtime. Adding intrigue was that Barker had been 4-of-8 at the foul line prior to those game-tying attempts. After she released the ball on each shot Barker took two steps forward into the red-colored lane before turning around and walking toward the inside of the foul circle with her back to the basket. Barker turned around, took three steps to plant herself at the foul line. When she got the ball, Barker dribbled once and fired. Three swishes. Dead center. None hitting any part of the rim.

The Terrapins never trailed in the second overtime after Te-Biasu opened it with a step-back 3-pointer. As Te-Biasu chatted with family members on the floor after completing postgame obligations, former Maryland players offered their congratulations after witnessing her performance.

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Remaining united and making 10-of-13 shots from the field in the fourth quarter allowed the Terrapins to rally from a 62-45 deficit with 3:28 remaining in the third quarter. Following a flurry of Alabama 3-pointers, the Tide used a 21-4 third-quarter burst to gain control. Maryland showcased its resilience, grit, tenacity, and heart in closing the third quarter on a 10-2 run to pull to within nine points entering the final quarter.

Sellers was on the bench with four fouls during Maryland’s fast finish to the third quarter. She stayed engaged by encouraging her teammates and remaining positive. When she returned with 6:09 remaining, Sellers scored 16 points over the final 16 minutes.

“It wasn’t a specific play,” Sellers said when asked what got the Terps going after their deficit. “It was a specific timeout. I remember we were talking about score, stop, score. Score, stop, score. Get a stop, get it within 10 going into the fourth, and we’re right there, and that’s exactly what we did and executed.”

Barker, who also had a team-best eight rebounds, got going after Alabama trailed 33-23 with 6:05 remaining in the second quarter, scoring 40 points. Essence Cody fouled out with 18 points. Green and Nye also fouled out after scoring 11 points each. Karly Weathers finished with nine points and six assists.

“We left everything we had out there tonight,” Barker said. “I couldn’t be prouder of the team that I play with. I love every single one of those people in the locker room and I told them after. You can’t question the why, but the Lord does promise that he’s going to bring us through it, and he does promise that he will write our story. For whatever reason, it was Maryland’s story to go to the Sweet 16, and props to them because they left their heart out there and gave it their all, too. I firmly believe that everyone emptied their tank tonight, and that’s all you can ask for.”