Story By: Sol Tucker
Photos By: Sol Tucker
Seattle, WA–
After being on so many of the wrong side of a buzzer beater this season, the Terps finally had one go their way as Derik Queen took things into his own hands with seconds left to knock off #12 seeded Colorado State and move on to the Sweet 16 with a 72-71 victory.
After the game Derik Queen was asked about whether Kevin Willard asked him to get the ball in the final 3.2 seconds and said, “he knew I wanted to get the ball. I’m from Baltimore that’s why I took that shot.” said Queen.
Well Queen was right on, but not without some after game questioning of the officiating on the call as to whether he walked to the basket, but it was a no call and at that point it didn’t matter, Maryland was moving on to the Sweet 16.
Maryland retook the lead at 70-68 on a pair of Julian Reese free throws with 22 seconds remaining, setting up what would be one of the best finishes of the 2025 Tournament so far.
After a CSU timeout, Jalen Lake got the ball and hit a 3-pointer with 6.1 seconds left to retake the lead at 71-70.
Maryland drove the ball over half court to set up the time-out by Willard setting up the finish that all of College Park was looking for, which now sets up a match-up against #1 seed Florida on Thursday in San Francisco.
This will be the first trip for the Terps to the Sweet 16 since 2016 in hopes of moving on for chance to repeat for a National Championship for the first time since the heroics of 2002.
For anyone who has watched or covered this team for as long as we have, they have some of the same characteristics of that 2002 team and the way they stepped up when they most needed it and caught some of the best teams off guard during that run. Could this run set up a must see tv against #1 ranked Duke? Only a week will tell what these Terps have left in the tank.
For now, it’s back to Maryland, where the Women’s team has an important match-up Monday evening against Alabama for a chance to move on to Birmingham next weekend. Could we have two teams playing in the Sweet 16. For the Terps, a season to remember is right around the corner. Stay turned folks… could be a good week to be a Terp.
