Terps 'never gave up,' seal Sweet 16 bid in 2OT

Maryland completed a 17-point comeback to win a 111-108 double-overtime thriller over Alabama, advancing to the Sweet 16 for the fourth time in five years. It's the Terrapins' second-largest comeback in NCAA tournament history, trailing just an 18-point comeback against Texas A&M in 2012.

"This was a heavyweight fight," Maryland coach Brenda Freee said. "No team deserved to lose this game tonight."

This is 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.

"I was trying to instill as much energy, positivity and confidence into them as possible," she said. "Overtime in our time. I knew they were tired but (I said) you need to dig in even further."

There wasn't one certain play that the Terps feel fueled their comeback, being able to turn their 17-point halftime deficit into a nine-point one heading into the fourth quarter. Rather, it was a timeout.

"I remember we were talking about score stop score," Shyanne Sellers said, who finished with a team-high 28 points. "Just get it within 10. And then before we knew it we were right there.

That message remained the same as they navigated the final stretch of the fourth quarter and both overtime periods. Sarah Te-Biasu scored eight of her 26 points in the second overtime period.

"I really wanted to win," Te-Biasu said. "I just tried to play the best I can on every possession. ... The want to win, that's the mentality. Everyone on the team wanted to win. We never gave up."

Each of the final three periods featured chaotic stretches of basketball -- full of turnovers and fouls. At the end of the fourth quarter, there was also epic shot-making, first by Sarah Ashlee Barer for the Crimson Tide and then Sarah Te-Biasu for the Terps. Karly Weathers had a chance to hit a go-ahead 3-pointer for Alabama, but her miss sent the game into overtime.

At the end of the overtime, the Terps did the one thing they shouldn't have done: foul a 3-point shooter with one second remaining in the shooting motion. But, that's what happened and Ashlee Barker went to the line to tie the game at 96 and send the game into double overtime.

"I said, 'Pray for me,'" Ashlee Barker said.

Ashlee Barker finished with a program-high 45 points on 17-of-25 shooting, and took on a huge load in overtime as Alabama lost Zaay Green and Aaliyah Nye who both fouled out.

"I wish I could have done more," Ashlee Barker said. "Just the opportunity to be here, the opportunity to play for Alabama, represent Alabama, yeah 45 points is a lot but I would have loved to win rather than score 45 points but at the end of the day, it's not my glory."

Sellers hit two free-throws of her own in what was probably her two biggest points of the year to put Maryland up three with just seconds remaining.

"I just wanted to knock them down. I didn't want to give them any hope," Sellers said. "I wanted to make them have to hit a three if they wanted to send it to another overtime."

Alabama got an excellent look, but couldn't get the 3-pointer to fall. They got one more chance, but Maryland broke up the inbounds and secured the win, ending this marathon of a game.

The 219 points scored in this game is the second-most points scored in tournament history, trailing just Duke and Alabama's 241 points back in 1995 in a four-overtime game.

"This game was really fun," Te-Biasu said. "It was a blessing to be a part of this."

"You dream of these moments," Ashlee Barke added. "You live for these moments. It didn't go our way but I am going to walk out ... with your head held high. That was an amazing basketball game."

Maryland's reward for their epic win is to take on top-seeded South Carolina in the Sweet 16. It's a rematch of the Elite Eight two years ago, where the Gamecocks came out on top.