Maryland's players celebrated on the court, laughing and hugging and bouncing up and down. Never mind that they still had overtime to play.
"Overtime is our time," Terrapins forward Marissa Coleman said. "What a better way to win a national championship than in overtime, which was our time all season long?"
Too young to fear the pressure and too experienced to succumb to it, the Terrapins won their first NCAA women's title Tuesday night, coming back from a 13-point deficit to force overtime and beat Duke 78-75.
Freshman Kristi Toliver hit a 3-pointer at the end of regulation, then made two free throws with 35 seconds left in overtime to give Maryland the decisive lead. Maryland (34-4) is 6-0 in overtime games this season — the first five on the road and the last in the championship to cap the second-largest comeback in a women's final. It was the first time the title was determined in overtime since Tennessee beat Virginia in 1991.
Toliver's 3-pointer at the end of regulation sent the Terrapins into a frenzy and deflated the Duke bench. But the real party came after Blue Devils guard Jessica Foley's desperation, well-covered 3-point attempt nicked the front of the rim at the overtime buzzer.
Piling up on the court, hugging and bumping chests, the Terrapins reveled in the youth that had been the biggest doubt surrounding them coming into the tournament. Even coach Brenda Frese, who was the coach of the year at 32 and a national champion at 35, is on the precocious side.
"Age is just a number," she said. "When you got kids that believe and they believe in each other and they've got that kind of confidence, you can accomplish anything as a team."
Toliver, who had 12 turnovers in the semifinal victory over North Carolina, brought the ball down and veered to the right. With Duke's Alison Bales in her face and 6.1 seconds left, she lofted the 3 that would spark the first of the Terps' two celebrations.
"And I even felt her fingertips as I was holding my follow through," Toliver said. "So, she did a great job contesting. I just had a lot of confidence. And I knew I wanted to take the big shot so I just took it."
Duke (31-4) opted not to call a timeout; Lindsey Harding brought the ball down the court and put up a desperation leaner from the right baseline that went off the rim. After that, the usually frenetic Frese just let her players take over.
"I didn't have to say a word," said the coach, who took over a 10-18 team four years ago after winning the 2002 coach of the year award with Minnesota. Maryland was a charter member of the Final Four 25 years ago but struggled before Frese took over the program in 2002.
"Who would have ever thought in my wildest dreams I would have gotten two rings this year?" Frese said. "One getting married and the other a national championship." Duke took a 75-74 lead before Toliver sank two free throws to put Maryland ahead for good. Coleman, who bounced back from Frese's furious first-half tongue-lashing to finish with 10 points and 14 rebounds, hit the last two free throws for Maryland with 13.4 seconds left before Foley's 3 barely hit iron.
Toliver had 16 points, four assists and just three turnovers in the title game. Final Four Most Outstanding Player Laura Harper and Shay Doron also scored 16 for the Terrapins.
Maryland also becomes the first school to win national titles in football (1953), men's basketball (2002) and women's basketball. It's the third NCAA title Maryland teams have won in 2005-06 (field hockey and men's soccer were won in the fall), and it appropriately comes during the 150th anniversary year of the university. ...Go here for slide show
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