Norfolk State coach demands more respect for Spartans after competitive loss to heavily favored Maryland

Norfolk State entered Saturday's matchup against Maryland successful the women's NCAA Tournament arsenic sizeable underdogs. But the Spartans pushed the Terrapins good into the 4th fourth earlier losing 82-69.

The first-round crippled got disconnected to a astonishing commencement with Norfolk State scoring the game's archetypal 7 points. The historically achromatic assemblage located successful Virginia besides entered the locker country with a 32-30 pb astatine halftime. 

The underdog Spartans trailed by conscionable 4 points aboriginal successful the 4th quarter.

Despite losing to Maryland, longtime Norfolk State caput manager Larry Vickers said his squad showed it deserved better.

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Norfolk State caput manager Larry Vickers during the 2nd fractional against Maryland successful the archetypal circular of the NCAA Tournament Saturday, March 22, 2025, successful College Park, Md.  (AP Photo/Terrance Williams)

"This radical won 30 games this year, 27 games past year, 26 games the twelvemonth before, and we inactive locomotion into these things having to get respect from the 3 radical connected the floor," the Norfolk State manager said. "I’m not going to kick astir officiating. That’s not what I’m going to do. But erstwhile you each spot these Spartan heads successful your gym, I deliberation we should get a small spot much respect than we get."

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Maryland did person a beardown 3rd quarter, making each 12 of its escaped throws.

"I’m not saying we didn’t foul due to the fact that it was a ample moment. We were astir apt fouling. I’ve got to ticker the film," helium said. "But you can’t nonstop teams to the escaped propulsion enactment — particularly arsenic bully shooters arsenic they were."

Norfolk State defender Diamond Johnson (3) shoots implicit Maryland defender Sarah Te-Biasu (1) during the archetypal fractional of the archetypal circular of the NCAA Tournament successful College Park, Md. Saturday, March 22, 2025.  (AP Photo/Terrance Williams)

For the game, Norfolk State was whistled for 21 fouls to Maryland’s 12, and the Terps went 23 of 25 from the line. That was a important factor, though Vickers did suggest his squad deserved immoderate of the blame.

A crippled shot with the March Madness logo during the archetypal circular of the 2025 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament astatine Pete Maravich Assembly Center March 22, 2025, successful Baton Rouge. (Beau Brune/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

"I’m not saying that the officiating mislaid america that game," helium said. "We fouled. And we fouled. And we fouled. And we fouled. And we fouled leap shooters, and we fouled leap shooters immoderate more."

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Vickers besides praised defender Diamond Johnson, who scored 18 points Saturday, and pushed backmost against her perceived dropping WNBA Draft stock.

"I’ve watched her spell from seventh successful the archetypal round, erstwhile she got to me, and driblet and driblet and driblet and drop, and I don’t cognize why," Vickers said. "She needs to beryllium connected each mid-major finalist list, each Dawn Staley grant victor finalist list, each Nancy Lieberman finalist list. She’s ace special."

Vickers, who has spent the past 9 seasons astatine Norfolk State, was asked astir his coaching aboriginal aft each the occurrence he’s achieved astatine the school. On that, helium wasn’t offering overmuch insight. 

"We each person visions and goals," helium said. "I don’t know. I don’t know. We’ll see."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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