Brady HendersonMar 23, 2025, 11:09 PM ET
Shut
- Brady Henderson is a reporter for NFL Country and covers the Seattle Seahawks for ESPN. He joined ESPN in 2017 after overlaying the staff for Seattle Sports activities 710-AM.
SEATTLE — Kevin Willard wasn’t positive who to visit with Maryland’s hopes of advancing to the Candy 16 at the line. So when the Terrapins trainer referred to as a timeout with 3.7 seconds left after Colorado State had taken a one-point lead, he requested his avid gamers within the huddle which one sought after the general shot.
That is when Derik Queen made up our minds for him.
“Infrequently, you’ll be able to draw one thing up for a man that possibly does not need the basketball, and his precise phrases have been, ‘I would like the MF ball,'” Willard mentioned. “So as soon as he mentioned that, it used to be a gorgeous easy resolution.”
Queen paid it off.
The 6-foot-10 freshman heart banked in a working, fadeaway soar shot on the buzzer to boost 4-seed Maryland to a 72-71 win in a back-and-forth mystery Sunday night time at Local weather Pledge Enviornment. Queen’s ultimate basket in a 17-point effort sends the Terrapins to the Candy 16 for the primary time since 2016. They’re going to face 1-seed Florida on Thursday.
Queen changed into best the fourth freshman to hit a buzzer-beating sport winner within the NCAA males’s match for the reason that box expanded to 64 groups in 1985, in step with ESPN Analysis.
“That used to be my first sport winner,” mentioned Queen, a possible lottery select in June’s NBA draft. “When trainer drew up the play, my teammates relied on me and he relied on me. I used to be a bit bit apprehensive, however I knew we used to be due for one and I needed to — needed to — make this.”
Editor’s Choices
1 Comparable
Queen’s successful shot used to be the sport’s fifteenth lead exchange. In line with ESPN Analysis, that is tied for the second one maximum in any sport prior to now two NCAA tournaments, in the back of best the 16 lead adjustments between Auburn and Creighton on Saturday.
Maryland senior ahead Julian Reese, the brother of WNBA All-Celebrity Angel Reese, hit a couple of loose throws to place Maryland forward 70-68 with 22 seconds left. That used to be after drawing a nasty whilst grabbing one in every of his game-high 11 rebounds.
“I have never checked out my messages but, however I do know she’s most likely going loopy,” Reese mentioned of his sister. “However so far as the rebounding working within the circle of relatives, I feel it is only a center factor. We simply play the sport with such a lot depth and simply put on our emotions on our sleeve and simply attempt to play our toughest. I simply truly did not need that to be our ultimate sport so I simply truly sought after to play actual onerous.”
Colorado State took a 71-70 lead when Jalen Lake nailed a 3-pointer with six seconds left, leaving the 12-seed Rams one forestall from their best shuttle to the Candy 16 for the reason that box expanded to 64 groups.
That is when Willard referred to as timeout, nonetheless now not realizing who used to be going to get the ball with the sport at the line.
Queen, seated on level subsequent to a couple of teammates and his head trainer of their postgame media classes, showed to journalists that he had by no means made a sport winner at any degree earlier than this one, main Willard to interject with a remark that lit up the room in laughter.
“I shouldn’t have given it to him if I had recognized that,” he mentioned.
However Willard used to be satisfied within the second that the 20-year-old Queen would ship.
“I may just see everybody’s frame language roughly perk up a bit bit as a result of he used to be so assured in the truth that he sought after the basketball,” Willard mentioned. “So, it used to be only a easy zipper. Give him the basketball and let him cross to paintings.”
Queen took the inbounds go and drove to his left in opposition to 6-foot-7 guard Ethan Morton earlier than leaping off his proper foot and banking within the sport winner.
“There is no alternative to double him there,” Colorado State trainer Niko Medved mentioned. ” … He simply stuck it and put his head down on an iso. I believed we prolonged the catch outdoor the three. He stuck it and drove it. He used to be riding left. I believed we angled him off, compelled him going left off the fallacious foot, step again from no matter it used to be. He made it. It is a heck of a shot. I truly have no idea what else you do to shield that.”
Derik Queen made just right on his request for the general shot, banking in a fadeaway jumper on the buzzer to get Maryland into its first Candy 16 since 2016. AP Picture/Lindsey Wasson
Medved used to be requested whether or not he concept Queen traveled.
“I have never observed the video but,” mentioned Medved, who has been related to the top training opening at Minnesota. “It’ll be onerous for me to observe. I am positive I will be able to one day. I have no idea. … Perhaps it used to be, possibly it wasn’t. However it isn’t important. They did not name one. So whether or not it used to be or it wasn’t, they did not name one they usually by no means return and alter the decision.
“However once more, he made a truly tricky shot. He made a truly, truly tricky shot they usually simply made yet one more play than we did.”
Colorado State’s Nique Clifford, who had the lend a hand on Lake’s go-ahead 3-pointer, led all scorers with 21 issues to wreck the college’s single-season scoring file.
Maryland bounced again from a deficient first part offensively, erasing a 37-30 deficit with a balanced assault. All 5 starters scored in double digits, with Rodney Rice scoring 16 and Reese including 15.
Willard believed the Terrapins have been because of win a detailed sport. Each and every in their previous 4 losses had come on a game-winning shot within the ultimate 10 seconds, together with 3 buzzer-beaters.
“Those guys have proven such personality in how they have got bounced again,” Willard mentioned. “That is all I instructed them within the huddle, I mentioned, ‘Guys, for the primary time, now we have time left. It is our time to roughly make our second occur.’ We hadn’t had that opportunity. So, they simply bounced again
“… I am simply satisfied for them. It is a second they are going to be mindful for the remainder of their lives. I am nonetheless going to be training for expectantly 10 or 12 extra years. However for those guys, Ju’s a senior, DQ’s going to the professionals, Rod’s going to be round with me for some time, however it is a nice enjoy for them.”
Queen completed with six rebounds and two blocks in 33 mins.
“He simply has this sort of nice power about him that when you find yourself round him, you’ll smile and you’ll snort and you’ll hug him,” Willard mentioned. “His teammates are the similar approach. Now not too many of us on this international have certain power anymore. He is so a laugh to be round as a result of he is all the time certain.
“So when he mentioned he sought after the ball, and the best way he mentioned it, I knew one thing just right used to be going to occur as a result of just right issues occur to nice other folks, and he is a smart, nice individual.”
