Sarah Te-Biasu had only played in one NCAA tournament game prior to Saturday’s contest during her freshman season in 2021 at VCU. She marked her return to the national tourney with one of her biggest performances for Maryland women’s basketball.
The guard shot 7-for-11 from the floor — including six 3-pointers — to lead the Terps with 22 points. Her scoring output boosted No. 4 seed Maryland as the Terps survived a scare from No. 13 seed Norfolk State, 82-69, at Xfinity Center in the first round.
“It was just confidence,” Te-Biasu said.
The Terps advanced to the second round and will face No. 5 seed Alabama in College Park Monday.
Maryland needed its other leading scorers, guards Shyanne Sellers and Kaylene Smikle, to overturn a deficit. The pair combined for a lowly five points in the first half. Trailing by two at the break, the pair had to produce to escape an upset.
That’s exactly what they did.
Sellers and Smikle combined for 16 points in the third quarter to grow a new Terps’ lead to eight. Maryland scored 30 total in the period, matching its output from the first half.
[Maryland women’s basketball gets No. 4 seed in NCAA tournament, will host first 2 rounds]
Sellers and Smikle combined for 16 points in the third quarter to grow a new Terps’ lead to eight. Maryland scored 30 total in the period, matching its output from the first half.
When it wasn’t Sellers or Smikle, it was Te-Biasu. The guard connected on a trio of 3-pointers and missed just one shot in the second half. She and Smikle teamed up for four straight treys midway through the fourth to put away the Spartans.
“They put a lot of time in, and they should have that confidence because they put the work in,” coach Brenda Frese said.
The Terps also did a better job at containing Spartans’ guard Diamond Johnson in the second half. The graduate student netted just two points in the third on a 1-for-3 shooting mark and failed to score in the fourth. The Terps outscored their opponents by 10 in that period.
Johnson entered the contest leading the Spartans in scoring with 19 points a game. Te-Biasu began as the primary defender on Johnson, but Norfolk State’s graduate student nailed two 3-pointers — prompting Mir McLean to take over those defensive responsibilities.
McLean did her job to close out the first quarter and held Johnson scoreless for the final 5:54. The Spartans made just one field goal during that time while their leading scorer was kept quiet.
Johnson couldn’t be kept quiet long, however. She hit four shots, two from deep, in the second quarter and racked up 16 first half points, scoring half of her team’s halftime total.
[Q&A: Bracketologists talk Maryland women’s basketball expectations before NCAA tournament]
Johnson finished with 18, making just one basket in the second half after an impressive first half.
“It was the mentality that everybody’s guarding her … and not just the person guarding her,” McLean said. “We had to lock in and have each other’s back.”
Maryland’s offense couldn’t generate anything in the first half. Turnovers were the biggest factor in slowing down the Terps.
They committed 12 giveaways through the first 20 minutes. Smikle was responsible for five, and the Spartans netted 13 points off of Maryland’s miscues.
Smikle converted just one shot, while Sellers scored a measly two points in a poor first half. Forward Allie Kubek’s 10 points carried the Terps through the opening two periods, but they still trailed 32-30 at the half.
Maryland handled the ball much better in the ensuing half, turning over possession just four more times. It shot at an efficient 48 percent, and outscored Norfolk State by 15 in the second to avoid an early exit.
“It took us a full 20 minutes and a halftime to be able to reset,” Frese said. “I’m hopeful, as we move forward, we can get back to playing the way that we’re used to playing.”
