Alabama-Maryland produces 2025's best March Madness game
Alabama Crimson Tide guard Sarah Ashlee Barker (3) takes a shot over Maryland Terrapins guard Sarah Te-Biasu (1) during the first half at Xfinity Center. Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images
Alabama and Maryland delivered the best game of this year's March Madness on Monday with a double-overtime thriller.
Regional 2 - Birmingham No. 4 Maryland (25-7, 13-5 in Big Ten) outlasted No. 5 Alabama (24-9, 10-6 in SEC), 111-108, to advance to its fourth Sweet 16 in five seasons.
Alabama fifth-year senior guard Sarah Ashlee Barker had a performance for the ages in the loss, scoring a career-high 45 points on 17-of-25 shooting while adding eight rebounds, three assists, three steals and a block.
Barker forced a second overtime by making three free throws with 0.7 seconds left after being fouled on a three-point attempt down three, 96-93.
— Dime (@dimeuproxx.bsky.social) March 24, 2025 at 6:38 PMAlabama's Sarah Ashlee Barker got fouled on a 3 before time ran out, and she made all 3 free throws to send the game to double overtime
According to Stathead, Barker's 45 points tied former Ohio State guard Kelsey Mitchell for the fourth-most points by a player in women's NCAA Tournament history.
Maryland had three players score at least 20 points, led by senior guard Shyanne Sellers (28 points). Senior Sarah Te-Biasu (26 points) and junior Kaylene Smikle (24 points).
Alabama shot 54.1 percent from the court, while Maryland was 45.1 percent, including 42.3 percent (11-of-23) from beyond the arc.
With the stellar performances on both sides, it was a shame that either team had to lose.
It was arguably an even bigger tragedy that the game didn't go a third (and fourth, and fifth...) overtime.
Besides Maryland's men's and women's basketball teams, this year's NCAA Tournaments have lacked dramatic endings.
On Sunday, the men's squad defeated Colorado State on a buzzer-beater from freshman 6-foot-10 center Derik Queen. Maryland's women's team did them one better with Monday's thriller.
Both teams will play No. 1 seeds in the Sweet 16. While the men are scheduled to play Florida, the women's team will play South Carolina on Friday for a chance to advance to the Elite Eight for the second time in three seasons.
Eric Smithling is a writer based in New Orleans, LA, whose byline also appears on Athlon Sports. He has been with Yardbarker since September 2022, primarily covering the NFL and college football, but also the NBA, WNBA, men’s and women’s college basketball, NHL, tennis and golf. He holds a film studies degree from the University of New Orleans
