Derik Queen and No. 2-seed Maryland men’s basketball thought it had the game in hand over No. 3-seed Michigan.
Down 79-78 with seconds remaining, Queen sunk two of the biggest free throws of his life to put the Terps up by one. But Michigan’s Tre Donaldson had other plans.
Running the full length of the court, Donaldson dashed around Maryland defenders and released a contested layup with one second remaining. It fell. Looking to make its first-ever Big Ten Tournament championship game, the Terps’ hearts were broken Saturday in Indianapolis, losing 81-80.
Even in the loss, Queen was as spectacular as he’s been all season long. He unleashed his complete arsenal of moves Saturday, putting up a season-high 31-points and two blocks. His aggressiveness also earned him nine free throws — he made every one.
Unlike Friday’s quarterfinal match, when the Terps erupted with a first-half flurry, Saturday’s contest unfolded as a methodical, low-scoring chess match early on. Head coach Kevin Willard turned to his bench early, as nine players saw action in the first six minutes.
While Rodney Rice was Maryland’s spark plug against No. 7-seed Illinois — knocking down three consecutive first-half 3-pointers — Queen took on the scoring load this time. He poured in nine points within the first seven minutes, including just his third 3-pointer of the season.
Michigan center Vlad Goldin, who struggled in the first half against Maryland in the teams’ previous matchup, had a similarly quiet start this time. The media’s All-Big Ten first-team honoree managed just two points through the opening 15 minutes. He flipped the script later, though, finishing the afternoon with 25 points and 10 rebounds.
Even so, Michigan strung together a 9-0 run in just three minutes, turning a deficit into a four-point lead. Maryland went cold during that stretch, misfiring on multiple 3-point attempts from Rice and Selton Miguel. Meanwhile, Nimari Burnett found his rhythm, attacking the rim with crafty layups and drilling a corner three. He entered halftime with 10 points.
Maryland managed to push back briefly, but Michigan closed the half on a 7-0 run, carrying a four-point lead into the break.
The Terps struggled offensively, shooting just 37.5% from the field and scoring 23 fewer points than they had by halftime Friday.
If Goldin’s first half was underwhelming by his standards, his start to the second was anything but. He opened with three quick buckets — including two thunderous dunks — and delivered a emphatic block on Julian Reese, fueling Michigan’s surge to a 12-point lead just two minutes in. Meanwhile, the Terps remained scoreless during that stretch.
But Maryland showed resilience, as it has in spurts all season. The Terps responded with a 9-0 run, ignited by a Ja’Kobi Gillespie 3-pointer. Still, Michigan’s size and dominance on the glass proved troublesome. With 13 minutes remaining, the Wolverines held a 10-3 edge in offensive rebounds and a 12-4 advantage in second-chance points.
Even with Goldin on the bench — he played just five of the first nine minutes in the second half — Michigan didn’t miss a beat. His counterpart, 7-footer Danny Wolf, took command, opening the period a perfect 4-for-4 from the field with five rebounds.
But basketball can be a game of runs, and Maryland’s biggest came at the perfect moment.
Led by Queen, the Terps erupted for a 12-0 surge. The freshman center showcased his full skill set, breaking out an array of moves and even drilling another 3-pointer before pointing to his bench. His layup to take the lead with just over eight minutes left gave him 12 second-half points.
The game remained extremely tight as the minutes dwindled down, as both teams exchanged back-and-forth buckets. Even when Michigan wasn’t converting from the field, it still found success at the free-throw line.
But clutch makes in the final minutes — including Goldin and Donaldson threes, as well as a Reese layup — ultimately swung the way of the Wolverines, who advance to play No. 5-seed Wisconsin in the Big Ten Tournament championship game Sunday.
Three things to know
1. Queen was at his best. In what was perhaps his most dominating performance of the year, Queen was an all-around superstar. He finished with 31 points on 10-of 19 from the field, along with three rebounds and a steal.
2. Turnovers. Remarkably, Michigan finished on top despite losing the turnover battle, 19-6. Maryland’s defenders were pesky all afternoon, as team amassed seven steals.
3. What’s next? Maryland will learn its NCAA Tournament seeding Sunday night. Following Saturday’s loss, the Terps are likely in line for a No. 4 seed, but their fate will depend on the results of other conference championships.
