Maryland men’s basketball stunned by beyond half court from Michigan State
Maryland’s Ja'Kobi Gillespie battles Michigan State Carson Cooper, Tre Holloman, Coen Carr and Jase Richardson during Wednesday's game at the University of Maryland's Xfinity Center, College Park (Theodore Rose/The Black Explosion)
COLLEGE PARK, Md. – The No. 16 Maryland Terrapins (21-6, 11-6) were stunned by the No. 8 Michigan State Spartans (23-5, 14-3), 58-55 Wednesday evening at the Xfinity Center.
As March looms, the Terps looked to bolster their résumé and take down a conference foe with a win against a top 10 matchup in the Spartans. The Terps are coming off four straight victories against Rutgers, Nebraska, Iowa and USC. The Spartans looked to take down their third straight ranked opponent after wins against Illinois, former No. 13 Purdue and former No. 12 Michigan.
In what was one of the craziest finishes Maryland has seen yet this year, a beyond half court shot from Michigan State’s Tre Holloman won the game at the buzzer for the Spartans and devastated Maryland.
After the game Michigan State Head Coach Tom Izzo told the press he thought the shot was in as soon as it left his hands. He said at the last practice before games, Michigan State allows every player to shoot a half court shot. Holloman made his last two.
Maryland Head Coach Kevin Willard said, “sometimes you have to switch the mood a little bit and realize, it’s going to be a grind out and you’re not going to have your offense going and you still have to play.”
The Terps trailed by nine as Richardson added his 15th point of the game with just over five minutes left to play, leaving the crowd silenced, but Rodney Rice who led all scorers with 20 points, had an answer. He knocked down his fourth three of the game, a DeShawn Harris Smith steal led to two free-throws by Derik Queen, Terps trailed 52-48 with just over four minutes to play. Queen finished with his sixth double-double of the season, 10 points and 10 rebounds.
The Spartans’ Jeremy Fears Jr. cashed in a three over Julian Reese to give Michigan State a 55-48 advantage with three minutes in the game left. Ja’Kobi Gillespie knocked down two free-throws to cut the lead to five. A Rice drive to the basket resulted in a foul, but only one made free-throw. Willard called a full timeout with 56.5 seconds to play in the game.
Gillespie was fouled once more and put in two more free-throws to cutting Michgan’s lead. Rice’s steal led to another foul on Gillespie and he once again, knocked down both free-throws. The game was all tied at 55 with 42 seconds to play.
As tipoff approached, the sold out crowd was boisterous with over sixteen minutes left in warmups, and a Queen midrange jumpshot to open the game made things deafening.
Jase Richardson of Michigan State opened the game with five quick points, and a layup from the Spartans’ Fears Jr. gave Michigan State an early 7-2 advantage. The Terps brought the game back to within one after Gillespie was fouled on a jump shot he knocked down.
Jordan Geronimo’s block on Coen Carr gave the Terps some momentum once again, but they continued to struggle to convert on the offensive end.
Both teams' defenses have stifled offensive opportunities and neither had many open looks especially from beyond the three-point line. However, both teams have combined for 13/45 shooting from the field within the first 15 minutes of the game. The game was tied 17-17 with five minutes to play in the first half.
A floater by Gillespie was immediately answered by a monstrous dunk on the other end from Carr. After an all out defensive slugfest in the first half, Selton Miguel’s last second layup gave Maryland some life, and the lead going into half. The Terps led 23-21 at the half.
Izzo said, “I’m not sure either coach is happy with their performance in the first half, I know I wasn’t happy with nine turnovers,” he added, “I give a lot of credit to them, I give some of the blame to us,” Izzo said.
Reese, who finished with four points and seven rebounds, added a bank in floater as Maryland took the lead back 25-24 in the second half. Miguel added in another two-point basket to give the Terps a three point advantage on the ensuing possession.
Rice added to his total as he cashed in his second three of the game, but with 13 minutes to play in the game, it seemed like both offenses settled in. After the Rice three, the Spartans went on a 7-1 run to take the lead 37-31.
Rice told the press afterwards, “[the Spartans] made it tough for us down low, they made it physical, we didn’t hit shots, the team in general.”
Rice knocked down another jumpshot to close the gap to four and just a few plays later he was fouled on a three-point attempt where he knocked down all three free-throws. He continued his personal 9-0 run with another three to knot the game at 39.
After a few quick shots by Michigan State the Spartans captured the lead once again at 45-41 with just over seven minutes to play in the game.
After a timeout, Gillespie put in two free throws, but a free-throw by Szymon Zapala and a Richardson layup on the very next possession followed. After two free-throws by Richardson the Spartans led 50-43.