SEATTLE — The first weekend of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament began with plenty of drama away from the court for fourth-seeded Maryland. It ended with the Terrapins rejoicing over their first trip to the Sweet 16 in nearly a decade after Derik Queen banked in a buzzer-beating jumper for a 72-71 win over No. 12 seed Colorado State in Sunday’s second-round game at Climate Pledge Arena.
The most consequential shot in the freshman center’s career triggered a bench-emptying celebration, with Queen flexing and mean-mugging as his teammates mobbed him near the baseline.
The first game-winner in Queen’s career, college or otherwise, he said, gave the Big Ten freshman of the year 17 points on 7-for-12 shooting and sent the Terps (29-8) to the West Region semifinals.