The University of Maryland’s Independent Student Newspaper
the diamondback
2022
women’s march madness preview
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Table of contents
contents
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A Guide to Winning Your Bracket Pool
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women’s basketball bounced from big ten tournament by indiana
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Regular season adversity has hardened Maryland with postseason ahead
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How Channise Lewis offers a new perspective Diamond Miller pushes through two defenders during Maryland women’s basketball’s 62-51 loss to Indiana in the Big Ten tournament on March 4, 2022. julia nikhinson/the diamondback
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Bracket guide
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A Guide to Winning Your Bracket Pool Whether you’re a pick’em pro or novice, here are a few tips for filling out your bracket. By Jacob Richman | @JacobHRichman | Sports editor This could be where you look at a team like fourth-seed Maryland that has had injury issues for the majority of the season, while playing a rigorous schedule to prepare for the tourney. Be careful when picking your upsets Yes, we wish every year we could see something the likes of No. 16 Harvard beating No. 1 Stanford in the opening round of the 1998 NCAA tournament. But odds are it won’t happen. Teams seeded Nos. 14-16 are a combined 1-324 in women’s tournament history. So if you want to win your bracket pool, you should probably avoid picking Montana State to beat Stanford. If you want an opening-round upset, look to the 10-13 seeds. A strong choice might be 13-seeded IUPUI (Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis). The Jaguars have won 19 of their last 20 games, winning the Horizon League Conference tournament and have shown they can compete with high-level competition in nonconference play. IUPUI narrowly lost to then-No.11 Michigan in overtime in November before a major upset of current two-seed Iowa. While not a lock against a solid Oklahoma squad, the Jaguars have upset potential just as No. 13 Wright State did last year against No. 4 Arkansas. Brenda Frese Surrounded by her children, Markus and Tyler and Maryland women’s basketball players celebrate on Selection Sunday as Maryland’s NCAA tournament matchup against Delaware is announced. julia nikhinson/the diamondback March Madness is upon us, and it’s time for the ultimate fight for bragging rights among casual and fanatic sports fans: bracket challenges and pools. For the first time ever, the NCAA Women’s March Madness field will include 68 teams, adding First Four games that will take place March 16 and 17. That means there’s even more chances for your bracket to go horribly wrong. No need to fear! Whether you’re a seasoned pro or a newbie to the world of making a perfect bracket, we’ve got you covered. So as we all hope to earn eternal superiority over friends, family and coworkers (until next season of course) this March, here’s some tips for picking your bracket. You win by picking differently Everyone loves those upsets that seem obvious when the bracket first comes out. There’s a 12-seed the basketball community is certain will take advantage of a team that started the season hot, but cooled down in the final weeks. However, sometimes it’s best not to follow the rest of the field on upset picks. If everyone in your group picks Florida Gulf Coast to upset Virginia Tech, it’s an opportunity for you to get an advantage by sticking with the higher-seeded team. A team to watch out for is sixth-seeded Kentucky. The Wildcats were the seventh seed in the SEC tournament after a slow start to the season. However, they’re riding
a 10-game winning streak including wins over LSU, Tennessee and No. 1 South Carolina en route to an SEC tournament title. While it may be tempting to catapult them all the way to the Final Four, remember they’ll likely have to go through Indiana and UConn, two teams that have been much more consistent this season. If most of your pool sends them to the Final Four and you halt them at the Elite Eight and the Wildcats make an early exit, you’ll have the chance to earn points where others can’t, depending on the rest of your picks. Don’t pick all No. 1s In the past decade, the Final Four has been all No. 1 seeds just three times. Although you’re likely to see the last four standing have at least two of the top seeds, it’s common to see one or two make an early exit. This year in particular, the top seeds are as vulnerable as ever. The four No. 1 teams — South Carolina, NC State, Stanford and Louisville — have combined for 12 losses this season. That’s the most since 2009. It’s only the fourth time the top seeds have combined for 10-plus losses in the last 15 tournaments. It’ll be tempting to stick with teams such as the Cardinal who have been fairly dominant in the Pac-12 conference this season. But look toward some of the two through four seeds for some good competition.
Make multiple brackets (if allowed) Not every pool allows for multiple submissions, but if you can make multiple brackets, you should! It’ll give you a couple chances to try out and experiment with upsets. It’s also perfect for creating your “chaos” bracket. Send Charlotte to the Final Four? Why not? UConn losing before the Sweet Sixteen? Of course (even though it hasn’t happened since 1993)! And when one of them inevitably does better than your “serious” brackets, you can feign being a complete bracket genius. Remember to have fun! Building your bracket has become an integral part of the communal enjoyment of one of sports’ grandest traditions. When your bracket ceases to be perfect, remember you’re not out of it just yet. And keep watching because March Madness is full of incredible moments and performances from the many talented basketball players from across the nation. Lastly, if you plan to wager money on the results of March Madness, do so responsibly. And if you or someone you know has a gambling problem, and wants help there are information and resources available. National Helpline: 1-800-522-4700 Maryland Center of Excellence on Problem Gaming: 1-800-426-2537 mdproblemgambling.com
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big ten Tournament
Maryland women’s basketball bounced from Big Ten Tournament by Indiana, 62-51 The Terps failed to reach the finals for the first time since joining the Big Ten. By Joseph Lotano | @JoeLotano1 | Staff writer INDIANAPOLIS— Maryland women’s basketball struggled from start to finish in its quarterfinal matchup against Indiana. The one area in which the Terps thrived in, however, was on the offensive glass. Twenty second chance points kept the game within reach, but when it mattered most, the same reason for the nail-biting finish came to be the downfall for the Terps. Facing a seven-point deficit with just under five minutes left to play, Indiana was able to eat away at a significant chunk of time thanks to two timely offensive rebounds. The first came from Nicole Cardano-Hillary, who crept down the baseline to gather the missed shot from Grace Berger. The second came a possession later, with Aleksa Gulbe collecting the back iron ricochet. In total, those two possessions from Indiana ate up
just under two minutes. While Maryland still had opportunities to close the gap, Indiana’s clock management was emblematic of the one-sided affair of the outing. The Terps exited the Big Ten Tournament in disappointing fashion, 62-51. “This is a feeling for us that we’re not used to, but I think it shows you just how tremendous the league has been all season,” coach Brenda Frese said. “All the credit goes to Indiana. I thought they were the tougher team.” The first of many marquee matchups in the Big Ten Tournament fit the billing early on, with both teams showing off their grit. Aggressive defense set the tone for both sides, with the combined shooting percentage sitting at 31.3 percent by the first media timeout. When enough room was given, it was the Hoosiers who capitalized. Berger took advantage o f t h e s i z e m i s m a tc h a ga i n s t K a t i e Be n za n , sinking two mid-range jumpers over the smaller defender. Although Maryland fell behind, second chance opportunities ca m e i n a b u n d a n ce — albeit due to the 5-for-17 showing from the field. “ We s h o t rea l ly ba d today, but you got to make layups, you got to find other ways,” Bibby, who shot 2-for-11, said. “We just didn’t have that flow in our offense. We were driving the lane with four people and we didn’t find the open person.” T h e Te r p s ’ o f f e n s e wasn’t clicking in the first quarter, resulting in a deafening Hoosier rally. But Shyanne Sellers stymied the momentum dead in its tracks with a mid-range shot to end the period. Despite the buzzer-beater, Maryland fell ba c k i n to h a rd t i m e s. Angel Reese was partic-
ularly unable to combat the Hoosier defense. Her visible frustration following an 0-for-5 start led to a brief benching. “That’s just [a part of] her maturation process,” Frese said. “She got caught up in the physicality, the lack of calls that she perceived that needed to be there.” But upon her return to the floor, the sophomore layed the ball in through contact after collecting the Terps’ seventh offensive board, making it 24-17. Two possessions later, she pulled off a beautiful euro-step — much to the chagrin of Hoosier fans wanting a travel call. Facing a nine-point deficit with four minutes to go, Maryland began to gain some consistency on offense, only for it to quickly evaporate. Indiana ended the half on a frenetic 4-0 run. There was no last-second shot to save the Terps this time, leaving them with more questions than answers heading into the locker room in a 34-25 hole. The defensive energy continued out of the intermission, with Maryland holding a slim 4-3 advantage through the first four minutes of the third quarter. Ashley Owusu showed flashes of being the aggressor in the first half. And on back-to-back possessions in the third, the powerful guard took on Berger and Chloe Moore-McNeil — the latter of which resulted in two free throws. The four-point run by Owusu ignited the rest of the lineup thereafter. Mimi Collins hit a long two with 4:05 left to cut the deficit to four. A steal by Katie Benzan then set up the fast break layup for Owusu, making it a 41-39 game. Despite all the momentum built by the Terps in the quarter, it ended on a sour note. Berger stripped Owusu with seconds left on the clock, just enough time for her to go the length of the court and lay in a buzzer beater. The play capped off a 6-2 run to end the third for Indiana. “Our mentality was one, to be aggressive and two, to take some calculated risk in terms of blitzing and trying to get in gaps,” Indiana coach Teri Moren said. Moore-McNeil hit an emphatic three to kick off the fourth, which the Hoosiers used to build up its lead to seven at the midway point of the quarter. Maryland was playing Indiana’s game throughout the contest, but no time was it more prominent than in the final quarter of action. “Maryland has always been the bar. They tell you ‘they’re not’ and I think ‘they’re lying,’” Moren said. “A team that has all the pieces to get to the Final Four.”
Postseason game
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Regular season adversity has hardened Maryland women’s basketball with postseason ahead The Terps have pushed through a challenging schedule and a surplus of injuries before reaching the NCAA tournament. By Varun Shankar | @ByVarunShankar | Staff writer Maryland women’s basketball has walked a winding path throughout the regular season, one intentionally laden with dangerous opponents at every turn while mired with unexpected injuries. All things considered, the Terps navigated that path pretty well. There were troublesome moments and strings of losses, but a year after sliding through a straightforward regular season, coach Brenda Frese’s squad trudged through adversity. As Maryland readies itself to go into the fray of the NCAA tournament once again, the Terps will have a season full of hardship to reflect on — hardships that cultivated the squad for a deep run in March. “I would say that I think if you ask the team in general, across the board, it’s been a season of adversity,” Frese
said. It started with Diamond Miller, who didn’t consistently play until Dec. 21 and didn’t make her first start until the Terps’ first matchup against Penn State in January. Channise Lewis was forced to sit out the whole season due to challenges in her rehab after an ACL tear over a year ago. The adversity continued during Maryland’s trip to the Bahamas, where they took on two top-10 teams without Miller, Lewis, starting guard Katie Benzan, and forward Faith Masonius — the latter two absent due to illnesses. The depleted Terps lost those two games by a combined 36 points. Masonius would tear her ACL on Jan. 2. A month later, Ashley Owusu suffered a high-ankle sprain against Michigan State that sidelined her for four games. Even in her return against
Michigan, she came off the bench and was visibly hampered, missing a wideopen layup late in the game. “You can’t predict what a season is going to look like from year to year,” Frese said. “That’s why they’re so valuable to never take a day and never take a practice or game for granted.” The constant adversity of this season has impacted Owusu the most. At the beginning of the season with Miller out, Angel Reese dealing with near-constant foul trouble and Chloe Bibby in a shooting slump, the junior guard was one of the few constants in the ever-changing lineup. That’s taken a toll on her numbers. She’s averaging over four fewer points per game than she did a year ago and is shooting just over 40 percent from the field, largely due to a precipitous drop in her two-point field goal shooting
Ashley Owusu walks out to the court before Maryland women’s basketball’s 80-65 win over Nebraska on Feb. 6, 2022. julia nikhinson/the diamondback
percentage. Owusu’s also averaging two fewer assists than a year ago. Owusu put in a full shift in the Terps’ Big Ten tournament loss to Indiana, but extra time before the NCAA tournament will only mean more time for her to recover from her injury and recapture the form that made her one of the Big Ten’s best. “We’ve got to get her back healthy and we’ve got to get her back in shape,” Frese said. “It’s just using those days to be able to [get] her back in the best possible shape that she can get in.” Though the 2021-22 campaign has looked incredibly different than last season’s, Maryland has been capable of strong play against some of the nation’s toughest. Combine that with fighting through countless injuries and illnesses, the Terps are as battle-tested as anyone.
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channise lewis
How Channise Lewis offers a new perspective for Maryland women’s basketball Since stepping away from competitive play due to injury, Lewis brings guidance and mentorship to the Terps in an advisory role. By Joseph Lotano | @ JoeLotano1 | Staff writer On Feb. 2, Maryland women’s basketball guard Channise Lewis took to Instagram to announce she was going to sit out for the remainder of the season. The fifth year floor general was recovering from a season-ending knee injury suffered on Jan. 7, 2021, against Michigan State. The decision to call it a season — and ultimately a collegiate career — was all about prioritizing her health. The Miami product leaned on guidance from her mother, Ivy, throughout not just the most recent recovery process, but also her first knee injury back in October 2019.
“Attacking the day no matter what the situation is,” Lewis said. “Her not seeing me on the court anymore was tough, but she also saw the game from a different perspective.” Seeing things from a new point of view runs in the family. Throughout this season, Lewis has occupied a key advisory role on the bench. Her unique perspective from the sidelines has resulted in her maturity and wisdom blossoming. With complete trust and leeway from coach Brenda Frese and the rest of the coaching staff, Lewis has im-
Channise Lewis walks onto the court on Feb. 6, senior day. julia nikhinson/the diamondback
pacted individuals on the court in ways others can’t. With Frese and the rest of the coaching staff needing to address the team as a whole during games and practices, Lewis finds the time to speak with individuals behind the scenes and build relationships off the court. “Channise is always in my ear, definitely like a big sister to me,” freshman Shyanne Sellers said. “She’s not very loud, but she definitely has the best advice.” This coaching approach has been the
most rewarding part of her time away from the court — she chooses to credit all the coaches as opposed to one particular mentor. “I took something away from [each of the coach’s] coaching style,” Lewis said. “Seeing them during games like during timeouts and how they look at the game, totally different from each other. That’s what balanced the coaching staff out here.” This lead-by-example approach has paid significant dividends for the Terps this season.
channise lewis
7 continues to bring,” Frese said. “She has been a big influence day in and day out on our players.” Bibby added, “Just her basketball IQ and her wisdom of the game … it’s a great asset to our team.” The ability to connect with her teammates and coaches has given Lewis several paths to choose from upon leaving College Park. The options are endless. From building on her experience this season and getting into coaching, continuing to pursue a playing career overseas, or even expanding her cooking company, Ary’s Trin-Lu Kitchen. Ary’s Trin-Lu Kitchen is a self-started fusion of Trinadadian and St. Lucian cuisine, rooted within her mother’s and father, Carlisle’s, heritage. Lewis has always had a fondness for being creative in the kitchen, but during the COVID19 pandemic, she expanded her area of
expertise to new heights. Specialties such as oxtail and jerk shrimp pasta (a.k.a. Rasta Pasta) have reached the masses, with her company’s Instagram having surpassed 150 followers. Lewis catered her brother’s wedding and has even indulged her fellow teammates. It’s clear that Lewis is as selfless as they come. In the kitchen, as a facilitating point guard, and now as an extra assistant coach in Frese’s arsenal. “I can’t say enough about her loyalty,” Frese said. “Everyday comes in the same mood and gives great nuggets, great pieces of advice.” Whichever road Lewis chooses to embark down next, she is primed to make a monumental impact on the people around her. For now, however, her veteran leadership for the national title-hopeful Terps will only gain importance down the stretch.
Channise Lewis’s Instagram Post announcing her decision to not play for the rest of the season. (screenshot via instagram) After stumbling to start Big Ten play, Maryland rattled off eight consecutive wins, including nine of its last 10 regular season games, to reestablish itself as a perennial threat in the conference. On an individual scale, Maryland’s entire starting five received All-Big Ten honors: Angel Reese (first-team), D i a m o n d M i l l e r, C h l o e B i b by a n d Ashley Owusu (second-team) and Katie Benzan (honorable mention). Sellers also clinched All-Freshman honors and earned Sixth Player of the Year. Lewis’ approach wasn’t the sole contributor to the team’s string of success, but the personal advice distributed to each player served a pivotal role in the team’s turnaround. “For example, I’ll go to Angel and say, ‘You need to box out better,’ or ‘You need to set screens better,’” Lewis said. “‘Chloe, hey, use your advantage
of your length to shoot over the smaller defenders.’ ‘Ashley you need to attack. Watch the charges, slow up a little bit.’” Lewis’ leadership is unique because she can approach each and every player with helpful advice, regardless of position. The valuable extra set of eyes is a result of the role Lewis held during her playing career at Maryland. “As a point guard, you have to see the game as a whole, so you’re pretty much playing every position,” Lewis said Through surveying the court and understanding each position’s tendencies, Lewis developed rapport with the entire lineup. This further established Lewis as a vital piece for the team despite not logging any minutes. “She has always continued to stay that steady, consistent leader for us, and honestly we need that experience, that leadership, that maturity, that she
Channise Lewis and her family on senior day. julia nikhinson/the diamondback