Maryland basketball star Derik Queen's instant reaction to epic March Madness buzzer-beater

The Terrapins’ superstar has been the face of this program’s revival 

While Maryland basketball has been slowly growing under head coach Kevin Willard, the program has really taken a step up in year three under him. The Terrapins have gone 27-8 overall and are into the second weekend of The Big Dance. And this group had to earn it. The “Crab Five” were pushed to the limit on Sunday thanks largely to a terrific effort from Rams star guard Nique Clifford. Twelfth-seeded Colorado State, fresh off an upset of Memphis, looked like it was going to pull another shocker when Jalen Lake knocked down a deep three to give his team the 71-70 lead with 6.1 seconds left.

But it ended up being too much time, and now the rest is history as the Terrapins’ story continues. And that next opponent will be the No. 1 seed in the West Region, Florida. The Gators, likewise, are coming off an epic second-round victory over two-time defending champion UConn. The Sweet 16 clash is bound to be epic, with many bracket makers having Florida either lose to the Terrapins in this round or win it all. But, if Maryland basketball were to win, it would advance to its first Elite Eight since the 2002 national championship run.

Overall, regardless of what happens going forward, this program has had a terrific third year under Kevin Willard and is trending in the right direction. That being said, this group is a rare combination of phenomenal experience, talent, and upside. And it’s led by a freshman who will surely be a lottery pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. This team has the ability to have more in them. And fans can start dreaming big if the Terrapins pull the upset against one of the national championship favorites.