Maryland

Staley talks up Gamecocks’ resilience in ‘ugly’ win

Published

2 months ago

March 28, 2025

Staley talks up Gamecocks’ resilience in ‘ugly’ win

Andrea AdelsonMar 28, 2025, 07:43 PM ET
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- ACC reporter.
- Joined ESPN.com in 2010.
- Graduate of the University of Florida.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – South Carolina coach Dawn Staley knows what will be said about her team after a 71-67 win over Maryland in the Sweet 16 on Friday.

For the second straight game, the reigning national champions trailed at halftime and had to come from behind to win after shooting poorly for stretches and making uncharacteristic mistakes.

Where Staley sees a resilient team, one that is unshakeable and unflappable, in its quest to repeat, others, she acknowledges, may not see it the same way.

“Is it ugly? Yes. Are people going to say this doesn’t look like a national championship team?” Staley asked. “Well, we didn’t look like one last year to most in the beginning of the season. Probably didn’t look like one — we looked like one in ’22. (2017) we didn’t look like one. I think we’re back to where we don’t look like one, and hopefully we can win it and even it out.”

To get the win Friday, South Carolina turned to MiLaysia Fulwiley, one of its best players off the bench. Staley saw a starting group that did not have much cohesion or spark in the first half, so she turned to Fulwiley because of her ability to create shots.

Maryland went up six early in the third quarter before the Gamecocks started chipping away, thanks in large part to Fulwiley.

Her dazzling plays – from a spin move dish out to Te-Hina Paopao to a behind-the-back lay in -sparked South Carolina in the second half. On her behind-the-back score, Fulwiley said she heard Maryland players screaming, “Come on, come on, she’s not going to score this.”

“I just let my confidence finish the rest and it went in. So I was excited to prove my haters wrong.”

Fulwiley set her own NCAA tournament high with 23 points, including 11 in the fourth quarter, the most by South Carolina player off the bench in an NCAA tournament game since 2000.

“If it’s that kind of game, Lay is the perfect guard that you can call on to manufacture points and she did that,” Staley said of Fulwiley. “Everybody just started to flow around her. We haven’t really had to play that way a whole lot, so it was a little bit different but refreshing to know we can call on the youngster and she can come through for us.”

Still, South Carolina trailed 60-59 when Maryland forward Allie Kubek fouled out of the game with 3:07 left. That changed the dynamic. Without her presence inside, South Carolina went on a 7-0 run to essentially seal the game. Fulwiley had two driving layups on that run and was exceptional all night on her drives to the basket, shooting 78 percent on paint baskets, according to ESPN Research.

She scored or assisted on 29 total points in just 21 minutes played.

“Nobody in the country has anyone to be able to match that kind of speed,” Maryland coach Brenda Frese said. “We were trying to corral her with two to three players, but you see her end-to-end speed. I thought she was no question the most valuable player in this game. We had no answer for her. That’s just how elite she is with her speed.”

Frese said she did not want to criticize the officiating but pointed out her team went to the free-throw line 16 times in the first half, but had only two free-throw attempts in the second half.

“Something changed,” Frese said. “I didn’t think the way we were attacking getting to the rim and making plays (changed). We just for whatever reason weren’t able to get to the free-throw line and that’s a big piece of who we are.”

Despite the loss, Frese added, “We showed that we could win this game, and I think we gave a pretty good blueprint on how to beat South Carolina, to be quite honest, for the teams moving forward.”

The next team is Duke, one of the best defensive teams left in the NCAA tournament. The teams played previously this season, with South Carolina winning 81-70 in December.

“People thought we had the easiest region,” Staley said. “It’s not easy at all. It gets harder.”

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Maryland

CBS Sports says Maryland football has one of the ‘bleakest’ QB rooms in College Football

Published

9 hours ago

May 13, 2025

Press Room

CBS Sports says Maryland football has one of the ‘bleakest’ QB rooms in College Football

After losing its top four QBs from the 2024 season, Maryland football is going to have a new look to it come 2025. Billy Edwards Jr., the starter last season, is now at Wisconsin, and Maryland will likely either start UCLA transfer Justyn Martin or four-star freshman Malik Washington. Either way, there will be inexperience at the helm for the Terrapins.

Will Backus with CBS Sports ranked the ‘bleakest’ QB rooms in the Power Four Conferences, and Maryland came in with the fourth-worst QB room in the country. Only Wake Forest, Minnesota, and Oklahoma State came in lower than the Terrapins.

Former four-star prospect Justyn Martin transferred to Maryland in December after three seasons at UCLA. He appeared in five games with the Bruins, registering his first career start in 2024 when Ethan Garbers missed a game against Penn State due to injury. Martin completed 22 of his 30 passes for 167 yards and one touchdowns in the 27-11 loss, which is… fine. The real buzz-worthy piece here is Washington, the No. 54 overall prospect and No. 6 quarterback in the class of 2025. As with Cal, it’s hard to lean on a freshman, but there’s a chance Washington will take starting reps at some point.
– Will Backus (CBS Sports)

Maryland isn’t being picked by many people to be a very good team in 2025, but if the Terrapins could get better than average QB play, Maryland has a chance to win some games. The schedule is far from daunting and with Mike Locksley believing Washington is the future of the program, he might get his shot way earlier than some expected when he committed to the Terps.

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Maryland

Commitment: Maryland 'always felt like right place' for 2026 ATH Zahir Cobb

Published

1 day ago

May 12, 2025

Press Room

Commitment: Maryland ‘always felt like right place’ for 2026 ATH Zahir Cobb

Class of 2026 high-three-star athlete Zahir Cobb is staying local, as he committed to Maryland on Monday.

Cobb currently attends St. Albans School in Washington, D.C., which is approximately a 30-minute drive to the University of Maryland. College Park is also only about a 15-minute drive away from Cobb’s home.

He ranks as the No. 3 prospect in Washington, D.C. and the No. 23 athlete in the 2026 cycle.

There were many aspects about the Terrapins that drew Cobb to pledge to Maryland. In addition to it being his hometown program, he has built strong relationships with head coach Mike Locksley, co-defensive coordinator/associate head coach for defense/ cornerbacks coach Aazaar Abdul-Rahim and the rest of the Terps’ staff. He believes in the staff’s vision for the future, and academics are also important to Cobb.

“Maryland always felt like the right place for me from the beginning,” Cobb said. “The staff believes in me, the program is on the rise and I want to be a part of what they’re building. It’s also a great school academically.”

Cobb wants to continue to build upon Maryland’s reputation of bringing in homegrown talent, and doesn’t want to follow players from the area who choose to go elsewhere for their college career.

“What stands out the most is how many great players grow up in the area and choose to play far from home,” he said. “(Maryland) has one of the best facilities and campuses, and their vision for the future is great. Our relationship and distance, and also their development of players in the league recently stands out a lot.”

Cobb shares a connection with Locksley (“Coach Locks”), who also grew up in the DMV area. The fact that Locksley recruits local players to build up Maryland’s program was an important factor to Cobb.

Meanwhile, Abdul-Rahim had a prior relationship with Cobb’s father, so there is strong trust between Cobb’s family and the staff. Cobb felt like a priority for the Terrapins.

“Coach Locks also grew up in the D.C./Maryland area, so we share the same views on certain things, which makes our relationship stronger,” Cobb said. “His belief in players and building in the area he is from is an example of who he is and I respect that.

“I’ve built a strong relationship with the entire staff, especially Aazaar (Abdul-Rahim), who knew my dad since they were young. He understands what my ceiling is and wants me to make the most of it and that stood out for me.”

Cobb was last in College Park for an unofficial visit in April. He was able to watch the Terps compete in a spring practice and it was during that trip where Cobb realized that Maryland was the place for him.

“My last visit was to a spring practice about a month ago,” Cobb noted. “Just being around the players and coaches, feeling the energy and seeing how they work helped me realize it was the place I wanted to be. The facilities, the culture, the family vibe — everything stood out.”

He will return to Maryland for his official visit from June 12 through June 14. Cobb previously had official visits set with Penn State, Virginia and Virginia Tech as well, but he will he canceling those trips.

In addition to the schools already mentioned, Cobb has received scholarship offers from Boston College, Indiana, South Carolina, West Virginia and others.

The 6-foot-3, 193-pound Cobb is a true athlete who could play multiple spots for Maryland, but he will most likely play on the defensive side of the ball as a defensive back. He expects to start out primarily as a cornerback, but also believes he will cross-train at nickel back and safety as well.

“They’re recruiting me at each position, and I’m most likely going to be working at each position until I step on campus, however, it’s more on the DB side as of now,” Cobb explained. “I’d describe my game as versatile, physical and a playmaker. I can move around, make plays on the ball and bring energy every snap.”

All in all, Cobb is excited about becoming a future Terrapin and thankful for the chance to join Maryland’s roster in 2026.

“I’m just grateful for the opportunity,” Cobb said about committing to Maryland. “It’s bigger than football for me — it’s about family, legacy and proving that you can stay home and still chase greatness.”

With Cobb’s pledge, Maryland’s 2026 class grows to five total commitments as of press time.

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