March Madness fans got their first buzzer-beater of the tournament on Sunday night when Maryland just narrowly fended off Colorado State in a 72–71 finish, courtesy of Terrapins freshman Derik Queen.
With just seconds remaining and the Rams up 71–70, Maryland took a time-out, at which point Queen confidently asked head coach Kevin Willard for the ball. Well, Willard gave him what he wanted, and the 6'10" Queen delivered, nailing a buzzer-beater off the glass despite some potentially questionable footwork.
Asked after the fact where he gets his confidence (vis-à-vis his request for the ball), Queen had the perfect response for reporter Andy Katz: "I'm from Baltimore. That’s why,” he said.
Katz: Where does that confidence come from"
— CJ Fogler 🫡 (@cjzero) March 24, 2025
Derik Queen: "I'm from Baltimore..." pic.twitter.com/8TyAVvEL1h
Yeah, that explains it.
Outside of the electric buzzer beater, Queen had an otherwise great game vs. the Rams, putting up a team-leading 17 points, plus six rebounds and one assist.
The Terrapins now move to the Sweet 16, where they'll have their work cut out for them against No. 1 Florida. That game is slated for Thursday, March 27.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Maryland's Derik Queen Had Perfect Explanation for Confidence Ahead of Game-Winning Shot.
