Terps Advance to Elite Eight
Women’s Basketball Team Downs Notre Dame 76-59, Will Face South Carolina Tonight
Diamond Miller (1) and Bri McDaniel (24) celebrate Maryland’s victory over Notre Dame in the NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen in Greenville, S.C. on Saturday.
Photo by Mackenzie Miles/Maryland Terrapins
Maryland women's basketball heads to the Elite Eight on Monday for the first time since 2015 after the No.2-seeded Terps beat No.3-seeded Notre Dame, 76-59, on Saturday in the NCAA Sweet 16 at Bon Secours Wellness Arena.
The Terps (28-6) will take on No. 1 seed and defending national champion South Carolina (35-0) on Monday night for a spot in the 2023 Final Four in Dallas.
Diamond Miller (18 points) and Shyanne Sellers (18 points) combined for 17 points in the decisive third quarter to lead the Terps to victory. The duo had 30 combined points in the second half while Notre Dame scored 27 points in total.
Down by as many as eight midway through the second quarter, Maryland cut its deficit to one by halftime, 32-31. In the third quarter, the Terps broke open a 44-44 tie as Miller keyed a 9-0 run to put Maryland up 53-44 and the Terps never trailed again.
In addition to their scoring totals, Miller and Sellers played all-around games. Miller also had five rebounds, two assists, four steals and two blocks while Sellers contributed eight assists, five rebounds and three steals.
Lavender Briggs added 12 points on 4-of-8 shooting. Abby Meyers scored 11 points, nine in the first half, keeping the Terps in the game.
The Terps' defense pressured Notre Dame throughout the game, forcing the Irish into a season-high 25 turnovers; Maryland had 15 steals, led by Meyers and Sellers, who each had four. The Irish were led by Sonia Citron, who had 14 points and seven rebounds.
The Terps beat the Irish for the second time this season after downing them 74-72 in South Bend on Dec. 1. In that game, Miller hit a game-winning buzzer-beater shot in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.
Overall, it is the 15th time Maryland has reached the Elite Eight, with six of those trips resulting in moving on to the Final Four. This is the Terps' 13th straight NCAA Tournament appearance, dating to 2010, and 18th in head coach Brenda Frese's 21 seasons at Maryland (with the 2020 NCAA Tournament was canceled). Maryland is 53-28 (.654) all-time in the NCAA Tournament and 41-16 (.719) under Frese.
Maryland is now 11-4 (.733) all-time in the NCAA Sweet 16. The Terps will be making their seventh Elite Eight appearance under Frese.
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