The fifth-seeded Maryland Terrapins women’s basketball team fell 74-66 to the fourth-seeded North Carolina Tar Heels in the 2026 NCAA Tournament’s round of 32. Terrapins star Oluchi Okananwa had an efficient outing, scoring 21 points on 9-of-18 shooting, but Maryland head coach Brenda Frese wanted more from her leader on the floor.
ESPN camera crews caught Frese giving Okananwa some tough coaching during a break in play with Maryland’s season on the line.
— sports (@ilikesportsvids) March 22, 2026
Although the Terrapins fell short, Okananwa isn’t harboring any feelings of ill will toward her head coach. Instead, she loves what her head coach is doing to bring out the best in her.
“Coach understands I’m a competitor at heart,” Okananwa said in her postgame press conference. “I’ve told her this before, and I’ll keep on telling her this until forever: I love to be coached hard, and that’s what she does with me every single day.
“Really, what that was was a regroup moment for myself and her telling me she believed in me, because sometimes that’s really all you need to hear to get back out there. You know it’s a long game, lots of ups and downs. And I feel like after that conversation, that’s when I went back out and did what I had to do for my team in that moment.
“So, I’m forever appreciative of that.”
Oluchi Okananwa on her moment with coach Brenda Frese 🗣️
“I love to be coached hard, and that’s what she does with me every single day.” https://t.co/vNlmH4zfAR pic.twitter.com/WZWC1oAyaS
— The Sporting News (@sportingnews) March 22, 2026
In Frese’s postgame press conference, she confirmed that the intense moment was about instilling confidence in her star player.
“I kind of wanted to implore just how much belief I had in her,” Frese said.
“We do have to have those tough conversations. You can’t have them without a relationship. I kind of wanted to implore just how much belief I had in her.” – @BrendaFrese on her interaction with @oluchi_okananwa ❤️#MarchMadness x @TerpsWBB pic.twitter.com/aHRw6g8O88
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB) March 22, 2026
Okananwa will be a senior next season, and if she returns to the Terrapins, not only can she expect to be coached just as hard, but she’ll be looking forward to it.