Maryland’s Derik Queen etched his name into NCAA Tournament lore on Sunday with a buzzer-beater to lift the No. 4 seed Terrapins to a 72-71 win over No. 12 seed Colorado State. The freshman center demanded the basketball and then delivered when he got it, lifting his team to the Sweet 16 in legendary fashion.
It was the first game-winning buzzer-beater of the 2025 NCAA Tournament, and it capped arguably the best game of the opening weekend. Part of what made it so spectacular is the conversation that preceded it. As Maryland coach Kevin Willard explained it, the Terrapins were discussing what to do in their huddle after Colorado State had surged ahead with a clutch shot of its own just moments earlier. Queen spoke up.
“Give me the M-F ball,” Queen said, according to Willard. The Terrapins obliged that request, and the Big Ten Rookie of the Year delivered with a heroic play.
There’s no doubt it ranks among the greatest shots in Maryland history and as the greatest shot so far in the 2025 NCAA Tournament. But Queen’s game-winner falls just short of being a top-10 all-time buzzer-beater in the Big Dance, and it’s not just because he may have gotten away with a travel. The reality is that the competition is stiff.
Did Derik Queen travel? Evidence, experts split on Maryland’s thrilling buzzer-beater vs. Colorado State
Kyle Boone
Here is a spin through memory lane and a look back at the all-time great last-second shots in the tournament’s rich history.
1. Kris Jenkins | Villanova | 2016 National championship game
Jenkins lifted Villanova to the 2016 national title when he drilled a 3-pointer from the right wing to beat North Carolina 77-74. Ryan Arcidiacono assisted on the basket…
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