"We let them know what we prefer, crowd-wise," Worthington said. "But prime time for national TV isn't the same as prime time for our fans here." (Rotten start times aside, the final attendance figures were higher than those from any other first- and second-round site.)
Fortunately for Terps fans, despite the inconvenience (and the late-night pot of coffee), things are looking much better on the court. Maryland will pack a bit of momentum with them in their carry-on luggage to Spokane.
After a ho-hum tournament opener against Coppin State, almost across the board, the Terps played with more energy and seem to be within flirting distance of their true potential.
Despite a season's worth of evidence to the contrary, there were actually signs of a bench early on last night. Jade Perry was tied for the team lead in scoring at the half with eight points. They controlled the ball, hit their free throws and owned the middle when it counted most.
Despite the late tip, there were some in Maryland jerseys who waited even longer to start playing. Junior Marissa Coleman wasn't a factor in the first half, but her 15 second-half points spurred the Terps' exciting finish and helped them stave off a late Nebraska charge. "I knew at some point Marissa was going to click it on," Frese said.
Coleman finished with 19, after she and her fellow starters shot a combined 6-for-26 in the first half.
In fact, in the opening minutes of the second half, when Nebraska cut the Maryland lead to 41-40 the Terps' high-powered offense was sputtering. The Terps were scattering their shots like a water sprinkler. While Langhorne was 2-for-5 from the field, Coleman was 1-for-7, Kristi Toliver 3-for-12, Marah Strickland 1-for-5 and Laura Harper 1-for-6. Thanks to strong play in the paint, they shot 51.5 percent in the second half.
Their reward is at least one more game that will be broadcast at a perfect hour for most of the country but will require an afternoon nap for Maryland's fan base.
That doesn't seem to bother the Terps at all - "We just wanted to get out of College Park," Coleman said.
So, sure, Vanderbilt has more time to study film, and sure, other teams might have an extra day to adjust to the time difference. But it almost makes sense for this team to find the toughest path possible.
It hasn't always been easy, but the Maryland women are still alive. All Terps fans have to do now is stay awake.
rick.maese@baltsun.com
