The fourth-seeded Maryland men’s basketball team advanced to the NCAA Tournament by decisively defeating No. 13 Grand Canyon, 81-49, in their first-round matchup on Friday afternoon.
Next Up for the Terps
Maryland (26-8) is set to take on No. 12 Colorado State (26-9) this Sunday in the Round of 32. A victory would lead the Terps to their first Sweet 16 appearance since 2016 and mark head coach Kevin Willard’s inaugural Sweet 16 as a head coach.
Performance Highlights
Against Grand Canyon, Julian Reese led the Terps with 18 points and nine rebounds. Other notable contributors included Ja’Kobi Gillespie with 16 points, Selton Miguel scoring 13, and Derik Queen contributing 12 points and 15 rebounds. Queen became the first Terp since Bruno Fernando in 2019 to record a double-double in an NCAA Tournament game.
Record-Breaking Performance
The Terps also shattered their single-season program record for three-pointers made, while Willard achieved a personal best with 26 wins in a single season.
Matchup Details
Tipoff: 7:10 p.m. ET on Sunday, March 23 at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle
TV: TBS – Commentary by Lisa Byington, Robbie Hummel, Jalen Rose, Andy Katz
Streaming: March Madness Live
Radio: Maryland Sports Radio Network, 105.7FM (Baltimore), 980AM (D.C.) – Play-by-play by Johnny Holliday, analyst Chris Knoche, and engineer Claude Jennings, Jr.
Colorado State’s Streak
Colorado State, champions of the Mountain West Tournament, comes into this matchup riding an impressive 11-game winning streak, including a 78-70 victory over No. 5 Memphis. Their performance has placed them as the No. 11 team in the country according to BartTorvik.
Player Recognition
A standout player for the Rams is All-Mountain West first-teamer Nique Clifford, who averages 18.9 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game. In the Memphis game, he recorded 14 points, eight rebounds, and six assists. The Rams also boast solid contributors in Jalen Lake and Kyan Evans, who average 11.2 and 10.6 points per game respectively.
Conclusion
The Terps have had an exceptional season to date, and they cannot afford to underestimate a formidable Colorado State team led by elite players. Maryland is just one win away from their first Sweet 16 appearance in nine years, with the chance to face top-seeded Florida if they win.
