University of Maryland women's basketball head coach Brenda Frese had a nose-to-nose exchange with guard Oluchi Okananwa during the Terrapins' 74-66 loss to North Carolina in the second round of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament on March 22, 2026, in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
Maryland entered the matchup as the No. 5 seed in their regional, while North Carolina was the No. 4 seed. The incident occurred in the third quarter after Okananwa turned the ball over, missed three free throws and missed a layup, prompting her substitution. Frese met Okananwa on the sideline.
"I believe in you, but you got to want this moment," Frese said postgame.
Okananwa led Maryland with 21 points, six rebounds and two steals but recorded six turnovers.
After the game, Okananwa expressed appreciation 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."
Frese, who has coached Maryland since the 2002-03 season,[1] explained the moment 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?" Frese previously coached at Ball State (1999-2002) and Minnesota (1993-1999).[1]
The loss eliminated Maryland from the tournament. North Carolina advanced to the Sweet 16.
Okananwa was in her first season with the Terrapins after two years at Duke.
Sources
- University of Maryland Athletics. "Brenda Frese - Women's Basketball Coach". Accessed October 2024. https://umterps.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/coaches/brenda-frese/1460
