COLLEGE PARK, Md. — Norfolk State believed it could produce a distinctly different experience in its third consecutive trip to the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament. And the Spartans did — for a half.
The trouble was the second 20 minutes, when fourth-seeded Maryland belatedly cut down on turnovers, found a regular path to the foul line and pulled away from 13th-seeded Norfolk State 82-69 before 7,040 at Xfinity Center. Senior forward Kierra Wheeler had 20 points and fifth-year guard Diamond Johnson scored 16 for the Spartans (30-5), whose 19-game winning streak ended. “That first half, we played with a lot of heart, and I think our intensity stopped a little because we got a little comfortable,” Wheeler said.
“I just try to tell them a lot of times we can’t get comfortable. We’re never in a position to get comfortable. That third quarter, they did make some tough shots, but we knew the defensive assignment.
I think (some) of it was a lack of intention.” Sarah Te-Biasu scored 22 points and Kaylene Smikle had 21 for Maryland (24-7), which improved to 17-0 all-time in NCAA first-round home games and will face fifth-seeded Alabama (24-8) on Monday. Meanwhile, the Spartans are left to ponder both the remarkable moments of a splendid season and the suddenness of its end after losing for the first time since Dec.
21. A lot happened in those three months. Johnson was named the MEAC Player of the Year and set a school single-season scoring record.
Wheeler broke the.
