In the second round of the NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament on March 22, 2026, fifth-seeded Maryland lost 74-66 to fourth-seeded North Carolina at the Dean Smith Center in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.[1][2]
The incident occurred during the third quarter when Terrapins guard Oluchi Okananwa committed a turnover, missed three free throws and missed a layup. Head coach Brenda Frese, unhappy with the sequence, subbed Okananwa out and met her nose-to-nose on the sideline.[1]
"I believe in you, but you got to want this moment," Frese told Okananwa.[1]
Okananwa led Maryland with 21 points, six rebounds and two steals but recorded six turnovers.[1]
After the game, Okananwa expressed support for Frese's coaching style. "Coach understands I’m a competitor at heart," she said. "I’ve told her this before, and I’ll keep on telling her this forever. I love to be coached hard. That’s what she does with me every single day."[1][3]
Frese, who has coached Maryland since the 2002-03 season, explained the exchange as a challenge rooted in their relationship. "It’s always been a pulse that I’ve been able to have with individuals and players," she said. "We do, at times, have to have those tough conversations ... Just challenge her, do you want the moment?"[1]
Okananwa transferred to Maryland for the 2025-26 season after two years at Duke.[4][5] Frese previously coached at Ball State.[6]
The loss ended Maryland's tournament run. North Carolina advanced to the Sweet 16.[1]
Sources
- Fox News Digital, "Maryland Terrapins women’s basketball coach Brenda Frese came face-to-face...", March 2026 (publication date approximate based on event), https://www.foxnews.com/sports
- AP News, Match report images and captions for NCAA women's tournament game, March 22, 2026, https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-womens-basketball
- The Athletic, Postgame quotes from Oluchi Okananwa, March 2026, https://theathletic.com/ncaa/womens-college-basketball/
- University of Maryland Athletics, "Oluchi Okananwa", accessed October 2025, https://umterps.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/oluchi-okananwa/56478
- ESPN, "Duke's Oluchi Okananwa transfers to Maryland", April 2025, https://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/
- University of Maryland Athletics, "Brenda Frese bio", accessed October 2025, https://umterps.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/coaches/brenda-frese/2347
