After the 12th ranked CSU Rams completed an upset against the 5th ranked Memphis Tigers winning 78-70, they were set to move on to the second round. The Rams would face off against the 4th ranked Maryland Terrapins.
As the first half began, the two teams battled from the beginning. It seemed like each possession the two teams had, they would score. Each team exchanged buckets after buckets. The Rams went on an 8-0 run giving them a 12-point lead at that point of the game.
The Terrapins then followed that, going on an 8-0 run, and cut the Rams lead to two, leaving the score at 24-22. The Rams were able to extend their lead to seven going into halftime 37-30.
Would the Rams complete another upset?
As the second half started Nique Clifford extended his lead to nine by hitting a jump shot. The Terrapins capitalized off a missed three-pointer by the Rams and made their own three-point jumper. After a few missed shots and fouls, the Terrapins regained the lead, winning 49-47.
It didn’t last long though — the Rams made a layup tying the game at 49.
The Rams and the Terrapins kept going back and forth; however, the Rams kept hold of their lead. The Terrapins kept the score within one but couldn’t gain their lead back. A costly foul towards the end of the game gave the Terrapins the lead. 70-68 — Colorado State had called a timeout.
Being down by two late in the fourth quarter with about 6 seconds left, junior guard Jalen Lake hit a three pointer uncontested, giving the Rams the lead 71-70. With about 3.6 seconds left, the Maryland head coach called a timeout.
After the Terrapins came out of the huddle, they inbounded the ball to Derik Queen, a freshman center, who dribbled into the paint shooting a highly contested fadeaway at the buzzer. This gave the Terrapins the win, advancing them to the sweet 16.
Later a debate broke out on social media platforms questioning if the freshman center had traveled before his shot. Many people said that he took 3 steps and others said that it was a totally legal move.
Even if it was a bad no call or the right no call, it’s March Madness, and anything could’ve happened.
The next day, March 24th, it was announced that the CSU Rams head basketball coach was leaving to take a head coaching job in Minnesota, leaving the Rams to figure out a new coach for the coming 25-26 school year.
