Maryland coach Brenda Frese confronts guard Oluchi Okananwa during NCAA tournament loss to North Carolina
Authored by cn-ayxsports.net, 23 Mar 2026
The University of Maryland Terrapins lost 74-66 to the North Carolina Tar Heels in the second round of the NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament on Sunday, March 22, 2026, at the Dean E. Smith Center in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Maryland entered as the No. 5 seed, while North Carolina was the No. 4 seed in their region.[1][2]
The confrontation occurred during the third quarter when guard Oluchi Okananwa committed a turnover, missed three free throws and a layup before being substituted. Head coach Brenda Frese met Okananwa nose-to-nose on the sideline.
"I believe in you, but you got to want this moment," Frese said.
Okananwa led Maryland with 21 points, six rebounds, two steals and six turnovers.
After the game, Okananwa said she appreciated the 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."[3]
Frese, who has coached Maryland since the 2002-03 season,[4] described her relationship with players. "It’s always been a pulse that I’ve been able to have with individuals and players. We do, at times, have to have those tough conversations. You can’t have them without a relationship." She added that Okananwa responded positively after returning to the court.
This was Okananwa's first season with Maryland after two years at Duke. She averaged 17.7 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game and earned All-Big Ten honors in the 2025-26 season.
The loss ended Maryland's tournament run. North Carolina advanced to the Sweet 16.[1]
Sources
- NCAA.com, "2026 NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament bracket," March 2026, https://www.ncaa.com/
- GoHeels.com (North Carolina athletics), "2025-26 Women's Basketball Schedule," accessed October 2024, https://goheels.com/sports/womens-basketball/schedule
- The Athletic, "Maryland's Frese, Okananwa discuss sideline moment after UNC loss," March 23, 2026, https://theathletic.com/
- UMTerps.com (Maryland athletics), "Brenda Frese - Head Coach," accessed October 2024, https://umterps.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/coaches/brenda-frese/3082