Diamonds Shine Brighter Under The Big Lights

A dream start for Maryland women's basketball turned quickly as a nine-point first-quarter lead became a one-point halftime deficit against Arizona. 

Playing in front of the home fans at XFINITY Center, the Terps needed a jolt to send themselves to the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA tournament.

Who else would Maryland turn to than its diamond in the rough, senior guard Diamond Miller?

"I don't know if it was Arizona's intensity that ramped up, maybe we relaxed a little bit in that second quarter," Maryland head coach Brenda Frese said. "But then your All-American does what she's supposed to do. I thought the third quarter, it was Miller Time coming out. You know, 9-0 to start the third and like we've seen Diamond do so many times in this building is just will her team, and I thought it started with her defense, the impact she was making there to her offense. They had no answer for her."

Miller Time couldn't have come at a better time for Maryland as the future WNBA lottery pick put on an absolute display in the second half, showing why she was named an AP All-American this season.

She scored 20 of her game-high 24 points in the second half, spearheading a 29-9 third quarter for the Terps, who advanced to their third-straight Sweet Sixteen with a 77-64 win over the Wildcats.

However, the story was about the New Jersey native putting on a show at home for the final time.

"I think it's just -- it was like a lot of emotions," Miller said. "I was so happy that we're going to the Sweet Sixteen again and it's like, this could be my last time playing here, too, which is also like, wow, like a lot -- four years go by so quickly and then when it's your last home game, You're like, wait, what does that mean. So yeah, it was definitely a surreal moment. Yeah, I definitely sometimes need a second to just live in the moment. That's what I was doing right there."

To count the number of times Miller has carried Maryland on her back throughout her four-year career in College Park would need its own book.

Sunday night was no different, as she scored 13 of the Terps' 29 points in that third quarter, including five quick points early on as part of a 9-0 Maryland run.

"Diamond is a great player," Arizona head coach Adia Barnes said. "She's versatile. She's long, she's athletic. She's a gamer. She's an All-American. I coached her at USA Basketball and we won a gold together, so I was very familiar with her. She poses a difficult matchup. So I think she was just a handful for us, and really, it looks like to me that probably Brenda got into her at halftime and challenged her because she came out like a different player in the second half, and that was clearly evident."

Despite hitting a quick three off a second-chance opportunity, most of her points came in the paint, driving in to finish at the rim.

Miller has found ways to dazzle on the interior and can beat opponents with physicality and finesse, something she showcased against the Wildcats.

Through roster changes and the highs and lows that come during a career, Miller has always been a constant, sticking with the program throughout change.

"Of course I'm biased, but I believe this is one of the best colleges to go to," Miller said. "I feel like every top player should come here. You're going to play with a wonderful coach who lets you thrive at who you are."

Who better to advertise Maryland than the three-time All-Big Ten selection who has won Big Ten Player of the Week honors, been named to the Naismith Award Watch List, made it on to two preseason All-Big Ten teams, and countless other accolades during her Terps tenure.

She's hit game-winners against ranked teams on the road and made a name for herself amongst the best players in Maryland history, as her number will almost certainly be hanging in the XFINITY Center rafters soon.

"When you look at her freshman year, you know, her season was completed with COVID," Frese said.

"She didn't get to go into the NCAA Tournament to the journey of her knee injury last year and having to battle through that to having the game that she just finished with to leave XFINITY here with. Just has matured in so many ways. I think what makes her special this season is the trust, the old Diamond, even though she put the team on her back with the scoring, she had some really great passes tonight that really helped us to be able to widen that gap. It's just she's really learned how to trust everybody around her."

Sunday night's win was bittersweet for Miller and the Terps, finishing things out at XFINITY Center for the final time during the 2022-23 season. Still, the work is far from done for a program that has seemingly defied expectations throughout this year.

Maryland now heads to Greenville and a rematch with a team that Miller caught the attention of NBA superstars Kevin Durant and Steph Curry against: Notre Dame.

That game-winner in South Bend has assuredly burned a hole in the minds of Fighting Irish fans, but after beating them on the road already this season, Miller and the Terps are looking to have the luck of the Irish on their side next weekend.

"It's definitely going to be exciting to play them again," Miller said.