Maryland men’s basketball downs Colorado State 72-71 on buzzer beater, advances to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2016

Photo by Mackenzie Miles/Maryland Terrapins

Down by one in the NCAA Tournament Second Round, Maryland men’s basketball was in a familiar situation. 

The Terps’ last four losses all came on buzzer-beating shots, but this time, they had a chance to win on the final shot.

After calling timeout with 3.6 seconds left, center Derik Queen took the inbound pass. The freshman put his shoulder down and drove to the left side of the lane. Unable to turn the corner on his defender, he planted and faded away, sinking an improbable shot off the window as time expired.

Queen’s game-winner gave him 17 points and powered No. 4-seeded Maryland (27-8) past No. 12-seeded Colorado State Rams (26-10), winning 72-71 on Sunday at Climate Pledge Arena. The victory gives Maryland its first trip to the Sweet 16 since 2016.

“[Queen’s] exact words: ‘I want the M.F. ball.’ And so once he said that it was a pretty simple decision,” head coach Kevin Willard said. “Maybe we were due, eventually, for one of those [buzzer beaters] to go for us.”

The “Crab Five” were solid as they all finished with double-digit points but were absent and out of sync for large stretches. 

They endured several extended stretches without points and did not score inside at the same rate they had all season. Their first free throw attempt did not come until almost five minutes into the second half.

Colorado State senior guard Nique Clifford had an outstanding night, logging 21 points, seven rebounds and six assists. Senior guard Jalen Lake started hot and had the game-winner until Queen’s buzzer-beater. Lake finished ending with 13 points.

Maryland’s start looked similar to Friday’s, ripe with turnovers and a lack of open looks due to a swarming Colorado State defense. The Terps’ offense improved around the five-minute mark against Grand Canyon but could not do the same against the Rams. 

Instead, Colorado State ramped up its defensive intensity, pushing up on screens and creating havoc for each Maryland ball handler. The Terps turned the ball over five times in the first half and did not get to the free-throw line.

While Maryland’s offense struggled to start the game again, Queen did not. The freshman scored 10 of Maryland’s first 14 points and finished the half with 12 on 5-for-7 shooting, including two three-pointers. 

Lake had the hot hand early for Colorado State, dropping eight-straight Rams points over an 85-second stretch early in the first half before Clifford stepped in to help maintain the lead.

Out of the break, Maryland’s guard play drastically improved after a dreadful first half. Rice heated up quickly, scoring Maryland’s first four points. When Rice cooled, Gillespie and Miguel supplied supplemental threes as the Colorado State lead vanished.

“Even though I’m missing shots, I’m still gonna shoot the ball; I’m still gonna be myself,” Rice said. “[I will] always be in attack mode.”

Rice finished the game with 16 points, while Gillespie and fifth-year guard Selton Miguel each had 11.

The pace and intensity increased as the teams traded baskets midway through the second half. Miguel converted a sudden barrage of 3-point shots, while Rams junior guard Bowen Born converted several difficult attempts around the rim.

Down the stretch, a key sequence by Gillespie gave the Terps life. He forced an ugly Rams turnover off an inbound and nailed a three on the subsequent possession. Shortly after, a punishing Queen block allowed Gillespie to run the floor and assist on Rice’s layup, tying the game at 64.

The individual effort sparked a 9-0 run, giving the Terps a lead and a familiar feeling in the final minute.

Despite Lake draining a deep, high-arching three to take a one-point lead, Queen secured the win for Maryland as time expired. The win snaps Colorado State’s 11-game winning streak.

“When coach drew up the play, my teammates trusted me,” Queen said. “I was a little bit nervous, but I knew I had to make this.”

Maryland now looks to Thursday in San Francisco, where it will face top-seeded Florida in the Sweet 16.