Maryland freshman Derik Queen had college basketball fans on their feet when he sunk the first buzzer-beater of the men's 2025 NCAA tournament Sunday night, and he was as confident as anyone that he could pull it off.
With seconds left on the clock, Queen requested his coach give him the ball to finish things out. The center then made good on his request and won the game.
Speaking with media after the fact, Queen revealed that that was his first game-winning basket ever; of course, he is just a freshman, but high school buckets would have counted here.
So in response to the revelation, Willard then fired back with the perfect line.
"I wouldn't have given it to him if I had known that," the coach quipped, to laughs around the room.
Watch that below:
Reporter: Derik, this is your first game winner ever or?
— FOX College Hoops (@CBBonFOX) March 24, 2025
Derik Queen: Yeah.
Kevin Willard: I wouldn't have given it to him if I had known that.
😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/0YtjKoCLB9
Well, now that a game-winner on the biggest stage of Queen's life is behind him, surely Willard—and any coach for that matter—won't have an issue giving him the ball from here on out, including during the Terps' Sweet 16 matchup vs. No. 1 Florida on Thursday.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Maryland Coach Had Funny Line After Hearing That Was Derik Queen’s First Buzzer-Beater.
