Reactions to Derik Queen breaking Colorado State's heart to send Maryland to Sweet 16

Coming into the season, Derik Queen was viewed as one of the best freshmen in college basketball. The 5-star prospect came through for the Terrapins, leading them with 16.2 ppg and 9.2 rpg throughout the season. In the NCAA Tournament Round of 32 win over Grand Canyon, the big man produced 12 points and 15 rebounds in a game that was never in doubt from opening tip.

But in the Round of 32 matchup against Colorado State, the script was flipped on the Terrapins, going down double-digits and having to climb out of a hole. They eventually did in the second half, creating a hotly contested game in the final seconds.

But after Colorado State made a three-pointer with five seconds to go to go up by one point, Maryland devised a play to try and win the game. And they opted to give it to their best player at the end. 

Queen’s buzzer-beater gave Maryland the 72-71 win over Colorado State to advance to the Sweet 16. The best player in the game was Nique Clifford of the Rams, who led all players with 21 points. But all five starters for the Terps were in double figures, including Julian Reese with 15 points and 11 rebounds. 

In the end, it was Queens’ two of his team-high 17 points that were just enough to advance his team in the NCAA Tournament. Maryland’s next opponent will be the Florida Gators, who survived the UConn Huskies earlier in the day. We’ll seed if the Terps can be the first team to defeat a 1 seed in this event.

As expected, the reactions to Queen’s game-winner were great, though a few argued about whether it was a travel. Ultimately, it didn’t count, and Maryland remains in the NCAA Tournament, one of several still from the Big Ten.