Coach Brenda Frese talks to guard Alyssa Thomas after Thomas is subbed out in the final minutes of the Terps loss to UConn.
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. — As Terrapins women’s basketball coach Brenda Frese and three of her players sat on the podium in Webster Bank Arena after they fell to top-seeded Connecticut in the Sweet 16 on Saturday, there were tears for the past but hope for the future.
Earlier that afternoon, forward Tianna Hawkins exited the court late in the No. 4-seed Terps’ 76-50 loss for the final time in her career. Moments later, forward Alyssa Thomas walked off too, ending the junior’s historic season. For the third straight year, the Terps would fall in the postseason by at least 22 points. A once promising season had yet again fallen short of the program’s first championship since 2006.
The message in the postgame news conference, though, was clear. The Terps — decimated by injuries this season — would be back.
“Next year we’ll have plenty of numbers, a full roster,” Thomas said. “Not to take away from this season, but we’re looking forward to what next season brings, and we’re going to be a very tough team to stop next year.”
There’s no reason for confidence not to be high heading into the fall. Guards Brene Moseley and Laurin Mincy will be back from torn ACLs that sidelined them for all or most of the season. Moseley, the projected starting point guard, went down in a preseason scrimmage, and Mincy was in the middle of her best performance of the season when she was injured Nov. 28 at Nebraska.
Forward Tierney Pfirman was emerging as the Terps’ third scoring threat behind Thomas and Hawkins when she dislocated her kneecap in January, and she missed 13 of the final 17 games recovering from that injury and an illness. But even with the thin roster, the Terps finished second in the rugged ACC and advanced to the Sweet 16.
Plus, Frese is bringing in another top-five recruiting class, featuring ESPN HoopGurlz’s No. 3 point guard in Lexie Brown and three other top-100 players. With another influx of talent, the development of a seasoned freshman class and the return of Thomas — who could be arguably the nation’s top player next season — the Terps are poised for another run.
But while the Terps’ future seems certain to include another NCAA tournament run, one of the team’s biggest contributors and inside presences will leave a void with her departure.
Hawkins was one of the Terps’ most consistent producers down low, scoring in double figures in all but three games. She finished the regular season as the ACC’s scoring leader and recorded 17 double-doubles, and she was a force in the post.
“I’m so blessed to have a tremendous program on my back, to have the greatest coaches in the world, having the greatest teammates in the world who I call my sisters,” Hawkins said. “It’s just been great. I’m really going to miss it, just to see how much hard work paid off and just to have someone believe in me like my coaches and my teammates believe in me. They would never let me quit.”
Frese often spoke of how close-knit her team was, especially after the injuries mounted and the games became more and more important. There was something different about this team, she said. And under the stares of the media and bright lights of the television cameras, those bonds shined.
“I really wanted to win the game for Tianna,” guard Chloe Pavlech said while breaking down into tears. “I didn’t want this to be her last game. I remember telling her at the beginning of the season that I wanted to be her starting point guard. It was a lot of fun with her, and I really just wanted to win the game for her.”
With Hawkins, Thomas and Pavlech fielding questions after the loss, the Terps had three players at different stages of their careers on display. Hawkins is moving on to a likely WNBA career, Thomas is returning with two ACC Player of the Year awards to her name and Pavlech just had her first postseason experience.
The Terps started the year ranked No. 5 in the nation with aspirations of a Final Four appearance and eventual championship after falling in the Elite Eight last year. But the team’s lack of depth due to injury caught up with it in the end.
Now, after some reflection, the attention turns to next season and another run at a title.
“I’ll take a little break,” Thomas said. “But I’m ready to get back in the gym already and work on something new.”
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