There's a Surprise at the Top
Maryland Overcomes ACC Tournament Loss, Claims No. 1 Seed in Spokane

By Kathy Orton
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, March 18, 2008

ESPN host Trey Wingo called Maryland Coach Brenda Frese, Brenda "Frasier." The lights went out during the selection show. And little Tyler Thomas, just a month old, wouldn't quiet down when his mommy was speaking live on television.

There were plenty of glitches last night, but in the end it was all worth it. Maryland is a No. 1 seed for just the second time in school history and the first time since 1989.

"I'm ecstatic," center Laura Harper said. "It's my first No. 1 seed here at Maryland. We didn't know that we were getting it. I guess the committee believed in us. We're just so happy."

Maryland (30-3) will play No. 16 Coppin State (22-11) at 2:30 p.m. Sunday at Comcast Center in College Park. The Terrapins are the top seed in the Spokane Region.

When the players and coaches gathered in Frese's basement family room last night to watch the show, everyone was anticipating a No. 2 seed, particularly after Maryland lost in the ACC tournament semifinals to Duke.

"All of us follow bracketology," guard Marissa Coleman said. "We kind of thought it was pretty accurate. And with us losing in the ACC tournament, we kind of figured we were going to be a two seed. But definitely surprised with that one seed. I'm happy at the same time. It's nothing but a number. We still have to perform, but just to know that we're considered one of the top four teams in the country means a lot."

Most observers expected Stanford or LSU to join Connecticut, North Carolina and Tennessee as the top four seeds. But Maryland's difficult non-conference schedule seemed to trump the Terrapins' disappointing finish in the ACC tournament as well as Stanford winning the Pacific-10 regular season and conference championships. Maryland went 13-3 against teams in the tournament and its strength of schedule was rated the eighth most difficult.

"I really feel like the body of work was done all season long," Frese said. "The fact we played such a tremendously tough strength of schedule and the fact that we play in one of the best conference in the country was recognized."

NCAA committee chairman Judy Southard agreed.

"The body of work for Maryland was so overwhelming," she said.

It was a special evening for Maryland, but it was not without its mishaps. ESPN, which set up to show a live shot of the Terrapins' reaction, overloaded the circuits with its electrical equipment, causing the lights and television to go out just as the Oklahoma bracket was being announced. For the players eagerly awaiting their seeding under the hot lights, it was a tense moment.

"It was nerve-wracking," Coleman said. "I'm sweaty. I'm hot. I had to take care of the baby at the same time. I had a lot going on."

The lights were turned back on after just a few minutes. When Texas A&M received the No. 2 seed in that region, Crystal Langhorne said: "We're with Stanford."

The players were prepared to wait until the end of the bracket to see Maryland appear on screen. But when the Terrapins were the first team announced in the Spokane Region, they screamed with joy. Coleman, who held Markus throughout the show, and Kristi Toliver, who claimed Tyler, managed not to throw the babies in the air.

"I'm a natural," Coleman said. "The nurturing mother part of me first came out when I saw the seed."

Of course, Markus wasn't sure what to make of all the commotion.

"He threw me a death stare," Coleman said. "He's mad I woke him up."

Maryland, who was a two seed the past two seasons, including the year of its national championship, sees a path familiar to the one they took to the title game two years ago. That year, they also went out west before winning their championship.

"Strikingly similar. I'll take it," Frese said. "I love our bracket, where we're headed. Again, you've got to take it one game at a time. But I really like to see where our bracket is at."