Maryland basketball coach has intense moment with player during March Madness game

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Maryland Terrapins women’s basketball coach Brenda Frese came face-to-face with guard Oluchi Okananwa in an intense coaching moment on Sunday.

Frese and Okananwa came nose-to-nose during the Terrapins’ 74-66 loss against the Tar Heels in the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament. Maryland came into the game as the No. 5 seed, while North Carolina was the No. 4 seed.

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Maryland Terrapins head coach Brenda Frese looks on during the first half against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Xfinity Center on March 24, 2025. (Daniel Kucin Jr./Imagn Images)

The longtime head coach was unhappy with Okananwa’s sequence in the third quarter. She turned the ball over, missed three free throws and missed a layup before she was subbed off the floor. Frese met Okananwa on the sideline.

"I believe in you, but you got to want this moment," Frese said.

Okananwa scored 21 points, leading the team. She grabbed six rebounds and notched two steals. However, she did end up with six turnovers.

She told reporters after the game that she loves the hard-nosed style of coaching.

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Maryland head coach Brenda Frese, center, and assistants draw up a play against North Carolina during the second half in the second round of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Sunday, March 22, 2026, in Chapel Hill, North Carolina (AP Photo/Chris Seward)

"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