SWEET 16! Terps Rally Past Colorado State To Advance, 72-71


SEATTLE – Freshman sensation Derik Queen scored the game-winner at the buzzer as the No. 11-ranked and No. 4-seeded Maryland men’s basketball team advanced to the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 for the 15th time in program history after defeating No. 12-seeded Colorado State, 72-71, in the second round at Climate Pledge Arena on Sunday.

The win improved Maryland to 27-8, the most wins for the program since going 27-9 in 2015-16 – the last time the Terps advanced to the Sweet 16. Before that, Maryland’s previous Sweet 16 appearances came in consecutive years – 2001, 2002, 2003 – on the way to the 2002 National Championship and 2001 Final Four. 

 

Maryland will play No. 1 seed Florida in the Sweet 16 on March 27 at Chase Center in San Francisco, California. The game time and streaming platform will be announced. It will be broadcast on the Maryland Sports Radio Network. 

Queen finished with a team-high 17 points to go along with six rebounds and two blocks. His game-winner occurred out of a timeout with just three seconds left to play. The freshman dove left and kissed a fadeaway jumper off the glass and through the bottom of the net.

  

The win shattered Colorado State’s 11-game win streak, ending its season at 26-10 overall. The Terps trailed by as many as 12 points at the 9:50 mark of the first quarter. This was their second win this season, where they previously trailed by double-digit points. Maryland later trailed 37-30 at halftime. The last time Maryland came back from a seven-point or higher halftime deficit in an NCAA Tournament game was in 1983 against Chattanooga in the Round of 48. 

Queen had the game-winner, but it was Julian Reese, Rodney Rice and Selton Miguel who also helped lead Maryland’s comeback effort. The trio combined for 30 of Maryland’s 42 second-half points. Reese knocked down two clutch free throws to put Maryland ahead 70-68 with 22 seconds remaining. Although the Rams hit a 3-pointer to take the lead on the other end, the free throws were pivotal to Maryland’s ability to close out the game.

 

Reese scored 15 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to earn his 37th career double-double, including his 15th of the season. The senior big man even moved to second all-time in program history in rebounds, eclipsing the 1,000 career threshold. He passed Lonny Baxter’s 998 from 1998-2002. Reese is now also the only player in program history to accumulate 1,400 points and 1,000 rebounds in a career. He joined Len Elmore (1,053 from 1971-74) as the only Terps with 1,000 career boards. 

Rice tallied 16 points overall on 3-of-7 shooting from three with a team-best 13 second-half points. Miguel recorded 11 overall on 3-of-5 shooting from deep with eight points in the final 20 minutes. Miguel made three or more three in each of Maryland’s tournament games, joining a list of five Terps in program history to knock down three or more in consecutive games.

  

Ja’Kobi Gillespie totaled 11 points, seven assists and four steals. This was his 22nd game with multiple steals this season. That’s the most by a Maryland player since Juan Dixon also had 22 during the 2001–02 season. Gillespie is also the first Maryland player with four or more assists and three or more steals in an NCAA Tournament game since Greivis Vasquez in the 2010 Round of 32 against Michigan State. 

 

This was the eighth time The Crab Five scored in double figures this season, the most such games by any starting unit for any program. It was also the second time in Maryland’s NCAA tournament history that all five starters scored in double figures. The other was in 2007 against Davidson. 

This is the 31st all-time appearance for Maryland in the NCAA Tournament. The bid marks Maryland’s seventh appearance in the last nine applicable years (2020 canceled due to COVID-19). The Terps boast a 45-29 overall record in the dance.

 



Breaking Down The Action

  • Colorado State led 12-8 at the first media timeout at 15.59. It sparked a short 6-0 run, but Ja’Kobi Gillespie already had two steals, and Derik Queen made two 3-pointers. He entered the game with just four makes from beyond the arc all season. 

  • The Rams led the Terps 18-10 at the 11:57 media timeout. They were on a 12-2 run over the last five minutes of action. 

  • The Terps responded with a 7-0 run heading into the 7:39 media timeout. They trailed 24-19, making four of their last five shots from the floor. Queen had 10 of Maryland’s 24 points. 

  • Maryland trailed 37-30 at halftime. Colorado State made five of its last seven shots from the floor. 

  • At the 15:23 second-half media timeout, the Terps made it a one-possession game. Maryland trailed 46-43, making five of its last seven shots from the floor.

  • A stepback jumper by Rodney Rice at 13:40 gave Maryland its first lead of the second half at 48-47. The Terps and Rams then went back and forth, but the Rams led 54-52 at the 11:35 media break. Rice already had 11 points in the half. 

  • Maryland called a timeout as it trailed 60-57 at the 8:31 mark. Selton Miguel and Rice were leading the Terps’ comeback efforts. They had a combined 19 points in the second half. The Terps had 27 as a team in the half. 

  • Maryland and Colorado State were tied at 64 apiece with 3:04 left to play. Gillespie drilled a massive three, and Rice made a fastbreak layup entering the break.  

  • Colorado State called a timeout as Maryland led 68-66 with 1:36 to play. Julian Reese scored four straight points before CSU made it a two-point game with a pair of free throws. 

  • The Rams took a 71-70 lead with a clutch 3-pointer with three seconds left on the clock. It occurred after Reese made two free throws to put Maryland ahead 70-68 with 22 seconds to play. 

  • With one second left on the clock, Queen drove down the left lane and hit a fading one-legged shot off the backboard with a defender’s hand in his face. The shot occurred as time expired and went down as the game-winning shot. 

Double-Figure Factors

  • Derik Queen scored 17 points, giving him double-digit points for the 29th time in his freshman season. It was his 14th straight game scoring in double figures. He’s tied with Gillespie for the most double-digit scoring games this season.

  • Rodney Rice netted 16 points and scored in double digits for his 28th career game. It was his 25th game in double figures as a Terp this season. 

  • Julian Reese recorded 15 points for his 80th career game in double digits. He has scored double figures for the 24th time this season.

  • Selton Miguel scored 11 points, his 87th career double-figure game and his 26th as a Terp this season. He leads the Terps in double-digit scoring games and overall scoring, with 1,608 career points in his five-year career. 

  • Ja’Kobi Gillespie scored 11 points and earned his 69th career game in double figures. It was his 29th game scoring double digits this season. He’s tied with Queen for the most double-digit scoring games this season. 

Terps In The Big Dance 

  • This is the 31st all-time appearance for Maryland in the NCAA Tournament. The NCAA Tournament bid marks Maryland’s seventh appearance in the last nine applicable years (2020 canceled due to COVID-19). The Terps boast a 46-29 overall record in the dance. 

  • The four seed is the highest for Maryland in the NCAA Tournament since also being a four seed in 2015. 

  • The Terps have reached the Sweet Sixteen 15 times, the Elite Eight four times, the Final Four twice and won the NCAA National Championship title in 2002.

  • Maryland is 10-5 all-time in NCAA Tournament games on the West Coast. The most recent was the 2016 Midwest Regional Second and Third Rounds in Spokane, Washington, where the Terps defeated South Dakota State and Hawaii to earn their most recent trip to the NCAA Sweet 16.

  • Most recently, Maryland defeated West Virginia in the 2023 NCAA First Round before falling to top-seed Alabama in the second round. 

Call It A Comeback 

  • The Terps trailed by as many as 12 points at the 9:50 mark of the first quarter. This was their second win his season, where they previously trailed by double-digit points. The other occurred against Villanova on Nov. 24, 2024, where the Terps trailed by 14 before winning 76-75.  

  • Maryland later trailed 37-30 at halftime. The last time Maryland came back from a seven-point or higher halftime deficit in an NCAA Tournament game was in 1983 against Chattanooga in the Round of 48.

  • Maryland’s last win in an NCAA Tournament game where it trailed by double-figures was in 2023 against West Virginia, where it trailed by 13 in the Round of 64 before winning 67-65. 

  • The last time Maryland overcame a halftime deficit to win an NCAA Tourney game was in 2019 against Belmont in the Round of 64 (trailed by six, won by two). 

Willard’s Coaching Success

  • With 27 wins this season, head coach Kevin Willard has his most wins for a single season. He previously surpassed his 2015-16 season, leading Seton Hall to a 25-9 overall record as the Pirates won the Big East Tournament Championship. 

  • Willard’s 14 league wins are also the most of his career. His previous high mark was 13 at Seton Hall in 2019-20.

  • He has 65 overall wins and 33 Big Ten conference wins in his first three seasons at Maryland. That marks the best opening three-year win total for any coach in Maryland history. The previous high was 54 by Lefty Driesell from 1969-72. 

  • His 32 league wins are tied for the most in an opening three-year stretch with Bud Millikan (1951-53).

The Crab Five  

  • Maryland’s starters, dubbed “The Crab Five” on social media, combined to score  70 of its 72 points in the game. 

  • The scoring amongst the starters was as follows: Derik Queen (17 points), Rodney Rice (16 points), Julian Reese (15 points), Ja’Kobi Gillespie (11 points) and Selton Miguel (11 points). 

  • Maryland is one of four major conference programs with all five starters scoring double figures while starting at least 50 percent of the team’s games. Arizona State, Kentucky and Michigan join the Terps. The Terps’ five consists of: Queen (16.2), Gillespie (14.7), Rice (13.9), Reese (13.3), and Miguel (12). 

  • Maryland’s five starters — the team’s five leading scorers — have a combined scoring average of 70.8. It’s the highest among all major conference programs.

  • This was the eighth time The Crab Five scored in double figures this season, the most such games by any starting unit for any program (Arkansas has seven). 

Juju Beast 

  • Julian Reese scored 15 points while grabbing 11 rebounds, earning his 37th career double-double, including his 15th of the season. 

  • He ranks fifth in program history in double-doubles. Next on the list is Joe Smith (38 from 1994-95). Since 1996-97, Reese has the most double-doubles of any Terp in program history.   

  • Reese moved to 17th all-time in program history for scoring with 1,476 points. He broke a tie with Greg Manning (1,461 from 1977-81) and passed Laron Profit (1,466 from 1995-99) and Nik Caner-Medley (1,573 from 2002-06).

  • He has 1,006 rebounds in his career, moving to second on Maryland’s all-time rebounds list. He passed Lonny Baxter (998 from 1998-2002). First place is Len Elmore (1,053 from 1971-74). 

  • The big man also ranks eighth on Maryland’s all-time blocked shots list, with 179 in his career. Joe Smith ranks seventh with 190 blocks from 1993-95. 

  • Reese has over 1,400 points and 1,000 rebounds in his career. He’s the only player in program history who reached those career thresholds. Reese’s 1,000th rebound occurred at the 7:13 mark in the first half. 

  • There are 14 other active players with 1000+ career rebounds. However, Reese is the only one to do it in the Big Ten. He’s the seventh Big Ten player this century with 1000+ career rebounds. 

Queen Of The Court 

  • Derik Queen scored 17 points while grabbing six rebounds. 

  • Queen’s points per game mark (16.2) is second among Maryland freshmen from 1947-48. Joe Smith (19.4) is the only one who averaged more points. Furthermore, 18 of the top 26 freshmen scorers in program history were NBA Draft picks.

  • The freshman is third on the program’s freshman scoring list with 567 points this season. Next on the list is Melo Trimble, who scored 568 points in 2015. 

  • Queen is third on the freshman rebounding list with 318 boards. Second on the list is Joe Smith (322 from 1994). 

Numbers And Nuggets 

  • 1: Reese is the only player in program history to record over 1,400 points and 1,000 career rebounds.

  • 2: This was Maryland’s second win this season, where it previously trailed by double digits. 

  • 4: Gillespie has the fourth most 3-pointers in a single season in program history. 

  • 4: Maryland is the No. 4 seed, the highest seeding for Maryland in the NCAA Tournament since also being a four seed in 2015. 

  • 4: Maryland is one of four major conference programs with all five starters scoring double figures while starting at least 50 percent of the team’s games.

  • 6: Rice has the sixth most 3-pointers made in program history. 

  • 10: The Terps are ranked No. 10 in the NET Rankings. 

  • 11: The Terps are ranked No. 11 in the AP Poll. 

  • 15: Maryland advanced to the Sweet 16 for the 15th time in program history. 

  • 21: Rice has made a three in 21 straight games – the longest streak by a Maryland player since Anthony Cowan Jr. in 2018-19 (22)

  • 22: Gillespie has 22 games with multiple streaks this season, the most since Juan Dixon in 2001-02. 

  • 27: Willard’s 27 wins are a single-season best for wins in a season. 

  • 30: Queen and Reese have combined for 30 total double-doubles this season, the most of any combination in the nation.

  • 34: The Terps have 34 10-0 or better runs this year.

  • 37: Reese posted his 37th career double-double, ranking fifth in program history.

  • 65: Willard won his 65th game this season, the most for any Maryland coach in the first three years of a Terrapin head coaching career.  

  • 237: Three-pointers by Gillespie, Miguel and Rice – the most combined threes in a single season by a trio of Terps.

  • 286: The Terps have 286 3-pointers made this season, which is the most for a single season in program history. 

  • 468: The Terps have now made a 3-pointer in 468 consecutive games. 

  • 1,608: Miguel leads the Terps with 1,608 career points in his five-year career.

  • 1,000: Reese became the second player in program history to reach 1,000 career rebounds. 

Up Next

  • Maryland will play No. 1 seed Florida in the Sweet 16 on March 27. The game time and streaming platform will be announced. It will be broadcast on the Maryland Sports Radio Network.





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