Maryland coach Brenda Frese has intense sideline exchange with guard Oluchi Okananwa in NCAA tournament loss
CHAPEL HILL, North Carolina -- Maryland Terrapins women's basketball head coach Brenda Frese came nose-to-nose with guard Oluchi Okananwa during a third-quarter timeout in the team's 74-66 loss to the North Carolina Tar Heels in the second round of the NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament on Sunday, March 22, 2026.
The exchange occurred after Okananwa turned the ball over, missed three free throws and missed a layup. Frese subbed her out and met her on the sideline, saying, "I believe in you, but you got to want this moment."
Okananwa led Maryland with 21 points, six rebounds and two steals but recorded six turnovers. It was her first season with the Terrapins after spending two years with the Duke Blue Devils.
- Maryland entered as the No. 5 seed
- North Carolina was the No. 4 seed
- Game played in Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Post-game, Okananwa said she appreciated Frese's approach. "Coach understands I’m a competitor at heart," she said, via The Athletic. "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, head coach at Maryland since the 2002-03 season,[1] described the interaction as part of her relationship-building style. "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. You can’t have them without a relationship. ... At that moment, I watched Oluchi struggle within this tournament. She’s just too gifted, so I wanted to implore how much belief I have in her and challenge her."
Okananwa transferred to Maryland from Duke in May 2024.[2]
Sources
- University of Maryland Athletics, "Brenda Frese - Women's Basketball Coach", accessed October 2024, https://umterps.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/coaches/brenda-frese/1448
- University of Maryland Athletics, "Women’s Basketball: Oluchi Okananwa Transfers to Maryland Terrapins", May 16, 2024, https://umterps.com/news/2024/5/16/womens-basketball-oluchi-okananwa-transfers-to-maryland-terrapins.aspx
