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Maryland Basketball: Ja'Kobi Gillespie's father responds to backlash over final shot

The Maryland Terrapins lost to Michigan State in a heartbreaker on Wednesday night.
Chris Breiler|
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The Maryland Terrapins dropped an absolute heartbreaker to Michigan State on Wednesday night, losing on a last second halfcourt shot by Tre Holloman. It was a whirlwind of emotion down the stretch, as the Terps fought they way back to tie the game with less than a minute to go. Maryland got a critical stop with about 10 seconds left and no timeouts, and junior point guard Ja'Kobi Gillespie brought the ball down the court looking for the game-winner.

But instead of driving to the basket, Gillespie pulled up from about 30 feet out for a long three pointer. The shot was short, the Spartans scooped up the rebound, and you know the rest.

Following the loss, plenty of fans and observers flocked to social media to criticize Gillespie's shot selection at the end of the game. Not only was it a low percentage shot from deep, but it also left significant time on the clock. And while some of the criticism may be valid, we all know how this works. If you make it, you're a hero. If you miss it, you'll be criticized. Unfortunately for Gillespie, he missed it.

Seeing the criticism his son was facing online, Gillespie's father offered his own take.

"No one is beating himself up more than him," Byron wrote. "If he hits it, he's a hero, and not a bad decision. Then it still took a half court shot! My guy will learn and be better next time. Period!"

Head coach Kevin Willard echoed support for Gillespie after the game. Although he acknowledged it would have been better to take a few more seconds off the clock to ensure the last shot, he said he trusts his veteran point guard.

"You always want to make sure you get the last shot," Willard said. "But again, that's something that... he came down, pushed it. Maybe if he waits, he doesn't get an open look. I trust Kobi. He's been great all year. At the end of the day, the kid still had to hit a 60-footer to beat you. So yes, do you want him to take the last shot? Absolutely. But it's not like he took it at six seconds and Hollman was able to dribble up and get a layup. So, would I have liked him to wait one more second? Sure. The kid still had to hit a 60-footer to beat us."

Maryland will look to bounce back on Saturday as the Terrapins hit the road for a matchup with Penn State. That game is set for Noon on Big Ten Network (BTN).

- Enjoy more Michigan Wolverines coverage on Michigan Wolverines On SI -

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Chris Breiler
CHRIS BREILER

Christopher Breiler launched Winged Helmet Media and began covering the Michigan Football program in an unofficial capacity in 2017. He then joined Wolverine Digest as part of the FanNation network in 2021 as a contributing writer, where he served as both a writer and a photographer on game days. In 2024, he took over as the Managing Editor for Michigan Wolverines On SI. In January of 2025, he took over as Publisher for Maryland On SI. His love for Michigan Football brought him into the industry, and his passion for being a content creator has led to some amazing experiences along the way.

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