Where ESPN ranks Maryland basketball among the Sweet 16 teams in NCAA Tournament
The first weekend of the NCAA Tournament is under the books and while there weren't too many upsets, there were plenty of good basketball games to watch. The Maryland Terrapins escaped a thrilling game. The Terrapins got past Grand Canyon in the first round with no issues, but Colorado State presented a new issue in the Round of 32.
Maryland trailed at halftime and it took a buzzer-beater from Derik Queen for the Terrapins to advance to the Sweet 16. Maryland's next game will come against No. 1 seed Florida.
Looking ahead to the next round, ESPN ranked all 16 teams that will be competing in the Sweet 16. Obviously, Duke came out with the No. 1 ranking, but you have to do some scrolling to find Kevin Willard's squad. ESPN ranked Maryland No. 12 out of 16 entering the Sweet 16.
"Cooper Flagg's emergence as the favorite to win national player of the year and freshman of the year has overshadowed the other first-year payers this season. Derik Queen, a former high school teammate of Flagg's at Montverde Academy (Florida), is one. Per Synergy Sports, he's rated an "excellent" defender, a skill he crucially demonstrated with a big block against Colorado State on Sunday that turned into a fast break. Queen is also one of the most impressive players around the rim, shooting 56% inside the arc. According to Evan Miyakawa's BPR rankings -- which measures a player's overall impact when he's on the court -- he's even ahead of Alabama's Mark Sears. And, he is a Baltimore native. Remember, 22 years ago a young man named Carmelo Anthony -- also raised in Baltimore -- led Syracuse to the national title. Flagg won't be the only freshman trying to make magic in March in San Antonio."
According to ESPN, Maryland will be facing the No. 2 best team left in the field when it faces the Gators.
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Trent began writing and covering Michigan athletics back in 2020. He became a credentialed member of the media in 2021. Trent began writing with Sports Illustrated in 2023 and became the Senior Writer for Michigan Wolverines On SI for the 2024 football season. Trent is also the managing editor for Maryland On SI. Trent’s love of sports and being able to tell stories to fans is what made him get into writing.
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