Reacting to aftermath of "The Shot"

She may not be the face of the Brenda Frese era like Shay Doron, nor did she win the NCAA tournament's Most Outstanding Player award like Laura Harper. She is not an All-American like Crystal Langhorne; in fact, she may not even be considered the best of her class on the Terrapins - she finished behind Marissa Coleman as ACC Rookie of the Year in 2006.

But with the help of one memorable shot amongst an incredible tournament run, sophomore point guard Kristi Toliver has become a BWOC - Big Woman On Campus - at this university.

At Maryland Madness last month, it was Toliver who received the loudest ovation as the Terps were announced. She could stop playing basketball altogether and still be remembered for years down the road due to her freshman-year tournament heroics, which included a 28-point performance in the regional finals against Utah and a game-tying 3-pointer in the national championship to force overtime against Duke.

"The recognition has picked up tremendously after the championship, and rightfully so," Toliver said. "Obviously a lot of us are on TV a lot lately and people know who we are around the area. Even walking into restaurants or into the gas stations, people know who we are, so that's kind of cool."

It has been quite a change for Toliver, who, at 5-foot-7-inches, was barely noticed when she walked around College Park a year ago. Now the Terps' playmaker can't walk five minutes to class without being greeted or asked for an autograph.

"It has its downfalls sometimes," Toliver said. "You want your privacy and things like that, but [the recognition] is still definitely something you want just because you've done something special. And this team is definitely a special team, and we've accomplished great things, so the recognition will follow."

Even as Toliver escapes the outside world and enters Comcast Center to practice or train, she still does not escape her fame. Across from the team's weight room hangs the court from last year's final four, with a picture of none other than Toliver sinking her memorable championship shot.

"Instead of walking through the front [of Comcast Center], I walk through the back, just to walk past it everyday," Toliver said in September after the court was displayed on the wall.

"Every time I walk by the wall, it just brings back memories and keeps us motivated," she said on media day. "We want another one in Cleveland. It would be something really special to get another one this year and just seeing that every day makes us hungry."

For Toliver to get what she covets in another championship, she has to prevent her recent star status from getting to her head. The Terps built much of their motivation last year on the conviction that they were disrespected - an expression few, if any, will show the Terps this year after last season's success.

Toliver said she watched last year's national championship game a handful of times in the off-season, but only because her relatives wanted to watch at family gatherings.

"They like to relive the moments, so I kind of do it with them, but other than that I try to stay away from it," Toliver said.

Coach Brenda Frese harped on the heart and hunger Toliver still has, even after reaching the peak of collegiate women's basketball as a freshman. At an open practice last week, Toliver fought for a rebound over an opposing practice-squad player and Frese paused the drill to instruct the rest of her squad that it is that type of heart they should always be playing with.

When asked if she wanted Toliver to become more of a passing point guard, as the Terps already have a multitude of offensive threats, Frese chuckled, "No. And I wouldn't want her to be.

"I've always believed in a system were you have all five players on the floor being a legitimate threat. With the way she can shoot the ball and get squared up, she just brings so much to the table. At the same point, she is unselfish and knows how to get everyone involved."

"She can shoot," Toliver's backup and Tennessee transfer Sa'de Wiley-Gatewood said. "She shoots like Shanna Zolman [who was] on Tennessee's team, and Shanna Zolman was one of the best shooters in college basketball."

The one thing Frese and the Terps would like to see more of from Toliver is leadership. It comes with the territory that freshmen often struggle trying to direct older teammates, but the team will look for Toliver to control the offense even more as a sophomore this season.

"Her personality is a quiet personality," Frese said. "I'd like to see her become more vocal, and she's improved in that area. As a sophomore, she knows what to expect. There is a big difference coming back your sophomore year when you know what to expect, and you know the system, the plays you're running and how to get everyone involved."

It seems like, for Frese, there isn't much question as to whether Toliver will ever be a leader on the team, but rather when she will emerge in that leadership role.

After all, she is the BWOC at this university, and there is no reason why she can't be the leading lady for the Terps as well.

Contact reporter Mark Selig at mseligdbk@gmail.com.