Maryland's Derik Queen Buries Colorado State with Buzzer-Beater to Advance to Sweet 16

Derik Queen proved himself royalty in March Madness as his buzzer-beater sent the Maryland Terrapins soaring into the Sweet 16 with a dramatic win over Colorado State on Sunday night.

Trailing 71-70 with less than four seconds left, Maryland entrusted Queen with their season on the line. He grabbed the inbound pass like it was a golden ticket, turned to his right, and charged toward the hoop. Colorado State's defense stuck to him like glue, forcing Queen into an off-balance, high-pressure shot. The ball kissed the glass with just the right amount of finesse and slid through the net as the buzzer screamed the end of the game.

It was perfection. The crowd erupted in pure pandemonium, and Maryland stormed the court, surrounding Queen like he was the hero of a Hollywood sports movie. With 17 points, six rebounds, and one assist, Queen’s stat line was solid, but it’s the final shot that will be etched into March Madness history.

Colorado State had controlled the first half with a seven-point lead, showcasing their knack for resilience after pulling off a comeback win against Memphis in the first round. Jalen Lake even hit a clutch three-pointer with six seconds left, putting the Rams up by one and seemingly on the brink of another gutsy victory. But Maryland’s counterplay was flawless, and Queen delivered the dagger with ice-cold precision.

Looking ahead, Maryland now faces the No. 1-seeded Florida Gators, fresh off an upset of the back-to-back national champion UConn Huskies. The Terps will need every ounce of their firepower, especially with Queen leading the charge. The entire Maryland starting five delivered double-digit points, including Rodney Rice with 16 and Julian Reese, whose sister Angel Reese is a WNBA star, adding 15.

For Colorado State, Nique Clifford led the team with 21 points but struggled with efficiency, shooting just 7-of-17 from the field. While the Rams fought valiantly, it’s Queen’s jaw-dropping shot that steals the spotlight.

March Madness always delivers drama, but Queen’s buzzer-beater? That’s the stuff dreams—and highlight reels—are made of.