Story By: Andrew Lang
Photos By: Sol Tucker
College Park, MD–
We have a candidate for Big 10 game of the year tonight in College Park that was so electric that you would have thought this game was a March Madness game.
Tonight’s game was all started with the sellout crowd on hand at Xfinity Center and the raucous and rowdy fans that brought the energy all night long… however they left defeated on a buzzer beater by Michigan State that was heard around the nation tonight as part of the 58-55 loss.
The dramatic ending was all set up by a last second turnover by the Spartans with 42.1 seconds remaining allowing Ja’Kobi Gillespie to the the game and set up the final second drama.
State took the quick inbound pass Tre Holloman launched a heave from just beyond halfcourt that swished and gave the eighth-ranked Spartans a massive 58-55 victory over the 15th-ranked Terrapins and took them another step closer to a Big Ten title.
What is most impressive about the finish is that the Terps put together a 12-3 run over the final five minutes but missed a chance to go ahead after Jaxon Kohler missed a layup for MSU and Gillespie clanged a 3-pointer in the final 8 seconds, leaving the game looking like it was headed to overtime.
As we look back on what the Terps could have done better in the second half, avoid having to make a late run. This was the opposite of what we had seen from the team so far this season. The sluggish start was also a problem later in the game, as the Terps starting five seemed to a bit gassed during that 12-3 run.
Rodney Rice had 20 points and Gillespie added 15 for the Terrapins, while Derick Queen had 10 points and 10 rebounds. The Spartans held Maryland to just 4-for-20 from 3-point range and 31.3% shooting overall to overcome their own 33.8% shooting. Queen also had one of his least efficient games of the season going just 2 for 11 from the field and 0-2 from three point range.
“It was a great atmosphere,” said Terps Head Coach Kevin Willard. “It was a great college basketball game. I hate to lose on a buzzer-beater. Third one this year. Our fans have been great all year, but we have a lot to look forward here these next few weeks and will plan on keeping this intensity up.”
