Maryland won a fast, close, foul-filled, ragged, physical, sometimes ugly semifinal game.

Did an injury decide it? Could be: several minutes into the first half, Latta landed wrong and had to be carried out. She returned soon, but something threw her off: she scowled and mugged as always, but shot badly, with more turnovers than assists.

With outside shooting largely MIA, both teams tried to hammer the ball inside: Carolina fed Larkins, but Maryland fed Langhorne and Harper, controlling the paint by the end.

The Terps, however, kept giving the ball away. Frosh PG Kristi Toliver accounted for 12 of Maryland's 26 turnovers, but built a late lead with dramatic makes; Shay Doron took over some ballhandling down the stretch.

Little, Larkins, and Latta fouled out, Latta in the final seconds with a ridiculous two-armed wrestling move. Maryland center Jade Perry fouled out, too; Harper and Toliver finished with four apiece.

Maryland had the emotional advantage. Coach Frese: "We've made a habit of exceeding people's expectations." Marisa Coleman: "Nobody thought we'd get to this point." (Not true.)

Perry twists the knife: "Carolina shows off for the cameras, but we're real with our stuff."