COLLEGE PARK, MARYLAND – MARCH 24: Sarah Ashlee Barker #3 of the Alabama Crimson Tide handles the ball in front of Allie Kubek #14 of the Maryland Terrapins during the first half in the Second Round of the 2025 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament at Xfinity Center on March 24, 2025 in College Park, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
COLLEGE PARK, MARYLAND – MARCH 24: Head coach Kristy Curry of the Alabama Crimson Tide looks on against the Maryland Terrapins during the first half in the Second Round of the 2025 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament at Xfinity Center on March 24, 2025 in College Park, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
COLLEGE PARK, MARYLAND – MARCH 24: Essence Cody #21 of the Alabama Crimson Tide shoots in front of Allie Kubek #14 of the Maryland Terrapins during the second quarter in the Second Round of the 2025 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament at Xfinity Center on March 24, 2025 in College Park, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
COLLEGE PARK, MARYLAND – MARCH 24: Head coach Brenda Frese of the Maryland Terrapins looks on against the Alabama Crimson Tide during the first half in the Second Round of the 2025 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament at Xfinity Center on March 24, 2025 in College Park, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
COLLEGE PARK, MARYLAND – MARCH 24: Saylor Poffenbarger #6 of the Maryland Terrapins reacts on the bench against the Alabama Crimson Tide during the second overtime in the Second Round of the 2025 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament at Xfinity Center on March 24, 2025 in College Park, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) — Sarah Te-Biasu made a tying 3-pointer late in the fourth quarter, then scored eight of her 26 points in the second overtime to help fourth-seeded Maryland outlast fifth-seeded Alabama 111-108 on Monday to advance to the Sweet 16 of the women’s NCAA Tournament.
The Terrapins (25-7) advance to play top-seeded South Carolina, but to get there they had to overcome a career-high 45 points by Alabama’s Sarah Ashlee Barker — and a 17-point Crimson Tide lead in the third quarter.
After Te-Biasu forced the first overtime with her 3-pointer, Barker was fouled shooting a 3 with 0.7 seconds left in OT. She calmly swished all three attempts to tie it at 96 and send the game to a second extra session.
It was surely the game of the tournament so far, and the only time in four second-round matchups that a No. 4 seed was able to take advantage of home court and beat the No. 5 seed. There has never been a Sweet 16 in the women’s NCAA Tournament without at least one No. 4 seed.
It almost happened this year, but with Maryland up three, Diana Collins missed a 3-pointer for the Crimson Tide (24-9). The ball went out of bounds to Alabama with 1.8 seconds left, but Te-Biasu broke up the inbound pass — which was headed in Barker’s direction — to seal the game.
Only three players in tournament history have scored more points than Barker’s 45: Drake’s Lorri Bauman had 50 against Maryland in a 1982 regional final, Texas Tech’s Sheryl Swoopes scored 47 in the 1993 title game against Ohio State, and Stanford’s Jayne Appel had 46 in a 2009 regional final against Iowa State.
After coming alive offensively in the fourth, the Terps finally tied it at 80 on two free throws by Shyanne Sellers with 1:01 to play. Barker put Alabama back ahead with a 3-pointer with 38.6 seconds left, and then Barker blocked a 3 by Kaylene Smikle at the other end.
But the Terps came up with the ball, and Te-Biasu’s 3 tied it with 12 seconds left. Karly Weathers missed a midrange shot for Alabama, and the Crimson Tide had to go to overtime with two of their top players — Zaay Green and Aaliyah Nye — having already fouled out.
Takeaways
Alabama: The Crimson Tide came oh so close to their first Sweet 16 berth since 1998. They outscored Maryland 60-38 in the paint, repeatedly taking advantage of Maryland’s lack of rim protection.
Maryland: The Terps pushed the tempo in the fourth when they needed to, and Te-Biasu has been huge for them down the stretch this season. It was an epic 24 hours for Maryland basketball after the men’s team beat Colorado State at the buzzer Sunday night.
Up next
Maryland gets another shot at South Carolina after losing to the Gamecocks in the Elite Eight two years ago.
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