The Maryland women's basketball team may not have won their Sweet 16 matchup against the No. 1 seed South Carolina Gamecocks, but what they did was earn the respect of everyone who watched them play in the NCAA Tournament.
They pulled off an improbable comeback against No. 5 seed Alabama in the Round of 32, earning the win after being down by as much as 17, and they battled Dawn Staley and her team down the final seconds.
While there is a ton to be proud of for the Terrapins, the majority of their main contributors were seniors, which means that they will need to reload in a major way next season. They did have a handful of non-seniors who were critical to the team's success but in the current age of college basketball, you can't pencil in any player for the following season.
Maryland could lose key players after Sweet 16 loss
1. Saylor Poffenbarger
Poffenbarger started 17 games for the Terrapins this season and was the team's sixth-leading scorer at 9.1 points per game. Depending on who coach Brenda Frese brings in through the transfer portal, Poffenbarger could want an increased role at another school. She is a Maryland native, but she has already transferred twice in her career, so it's not out of the realm of possibility.
2. Bri McDaniel
McDaniel missed the second half of the year after sustaining a season-ending injury in the middle of January. While she was having a solid campaign for the Terrapins, her role and production both went down this season before she got hurt, which may encourage her to seek out her other options. She should be ready to go by the beginning of next season and would surely have some buzz in the transfer portal.
3. Kaylene Smikle
Smikle was Maryland's best player this season, and while she still has another year of eligibility, it would not be unheard of for a player of her caliber to forgo her final season and declare for the WNBA Draft. She is likely to stay in College Park next year if she remains in college, but her run late in the season and in the NCAA Tournament could push her to the professional level.