COLLEGE PARK, MD – In a game where defense dominated and points were at a premium, No. 8 Michigan State edged out No. 16 Maryland 58-55 at the XFINITY Center on Wednesday night, thanks to a stunning half-court buzzer-beater by junior guard Tre Holloman.
"You got to take the last shot there," head coach Kevin Willard said after the game.
The first half set the tone for a grueling contest. Both teams struggled offensively, with Maryland's backcourt duo of Ja'Kobi Gillespie and Rodney Rice combining for a mere 4-for-15 shooting, including 1-for-8 from beyond the arc. This shooting slump allowed the Spartans to pack the paint, contesting every shot inside. Maryland finished the half with a 28.6% field goal percentage, connecting on just 8 of 28 attempts.
Michigan State faced similar challenges, managing only 9 of 31 shots (29%) in the opening frame. Freshman guard Jase Richardson provided a spark with 7 points, but the Spartans couldn't capitalize on their rebounding advantage, often missing second-chance opportunities. The half concluded with Maryland's Selton Miguel sinking a buzzer-beater in the paint, giving the Terrapins a narrow 23-21 lead—the lowest first-half point total for both teams this season.
The offensive woes persisted through the first chunk of the second half, as both squads continued to miss shots and commit turnovers. Momentum shifted midway through the half when Coen Carr electrified the Spartans with a powerful dunk, igniting a Michigan State rally. Richardson took command, driving aggressively to the basket and drawing fouls, while guard Tre Holloman facilitated the offense efficiently.
Maryland remained resilient, with Rice finding his rhythm, hitting crucial shots to keep the Terrapins within reach.
“They weren't leaving [Selton Miguel]," Willard said postgame. "And what makes Michigan State's so tough, it's unlike probably any team we'll see for the rest of the year, maybe in the future, their pick and roll defense is so good because they constantly have fresh big guys on the court. He's playing five big guys minutes so they don't really wear you down from the standpoint of like ducking in. Where they wear you down is that their pick and roll defense is elite because everyone on the court is really, really fresh at all times. So we’ll go back and look at it. And change some things if we play them again.”
With the game deadlocked at 55 and under 10 seconds remaining, Maryland had possession after a stop on the defensive end, but took a shot with just enough time left on the clock, setting the stage for a dramatic finish.
"Fought back, tied the game up and then just hit the shot," Rodney Rice said postgame. "Like you said, it was a rollercoaster of emotions. We stay with it at the end. That shot just went through."
With only 2.1 seconds left, Michigan State's Tre Holloman grabbed the rebound, took a dribble past halfcourt, and launched a shot as the buzzer sounded. The ball swished through the net, sealing a 58-55 victory for the Spartans. The Michigan State bench erupted in celebration, while the home crowd was left in stunned silence.
Richardson led the Spartans with 15 points and 8 rebounds, showcasing maturity beyond his years. Holloman added 9 points and dished out 3 assists, including the game-winning shot that will be remembered for years to come.
For Maryland, Rice tallied a game-high 20 points, including four three-pointers, while Gillespie contributed 15 points and was a perfect 11-for-11 from the charity stripe. Despite their efforts, the Terrapins were unable to overcome their early shooting struggles and the late-game debacle.
Statistically, both teams mirrored each other. Michigan State shot 40% from the field, slightly edging Maryland's 38%. From three-point range, the Spartans connected on 30% of their attempts, while the Terrapins hit 33%.
The victory propels Michigan State to a 23-5 overall record, including 14-3 in Big Ten play, solidifying their position atop the conference standings. Maryland falls to 21-7 overall and 11-6 in the conference but remains a formidable contender as the postseason approaches.
Both teams will look to build on the contest as the Spartans aim to maintain their momentum in their upcoming matchup against Ohio State, while the Terrapins seek to rebound when they face Indiana.
Takeaways
Rodney Rice leads in a quiet night for the ‘Crab Five’
After buzz building around the ‘Crab Five’ as a tribute to the efficiency of Maryland’s starting five, Wednesday didn’t produce the same level of results with just three starters in double figures scoring.
Derik Queen quietly notched his 11th career double-double with ten points and ten rebounds, despite shooting 2-of-11 from the field and 0-of-2 from three while missing three of his nine free-throw attempts. Ja’Kobi Gillespie added 15 points, thanks to a perfect 11-of-11 from the free-throw line. Selton Miguel saw his night limited to just 23 minutes, his fewest since playing just 21 in the blowout win vs. Ohio State back on Dec. 4, but it was for different reasons against the Spartans after picking up a pair of fouls within the first 2:42. Julian Reese was held to four points for the second time in February, so it was Rodney Rice’s turn to pick up the slack.
Rice finished with 20 points on 6-of-12 shooting, including 4-of-8 from three, for his second consecutive 20-point game and fifth of the season. It’s not a surprise given the sharpshooter showed his ability to get hot quickly through non-conference play, now extending it into conference play where he’s scored 14 or more points in eight consecutive games.
After Michigan State jumped out to a quick 11-4 lead less than five minutes into the game, it was Rodney Rice who tied it at 13 less than six minutes later with a three to send Xfinity into cheers. Four minutes later, it was Rice again who came up big to tie the game at 15 with a midrange jumper over his defender.
That hot touch extended into the second half where, once again, a Rice three tied the game, but there would be no bigger stretch than midway through the second half. After knocking down all three free throws following a foul on his three-point attempt, Rice connected on another deep three on an expiring shot clock to tie the game at 39, erasing a six-point deficit in a span of one minute.
But it’d mark the closest Maryland would get the rest of the night as the Spartans led for the final 8:36 in regulation.
The transfer guard ended his night knocking down his final four shots, but it was his steal with 43 seconds left that gave Maryland’s late comeback life, leading to a trip to the free-throw line for Ja’Kobi Gillespie where he tied the game at 55.
Maryland would get a chance to win the game after holding Michigan State scoreless on their final full possession, but a deep three-point attempt with five seconds remaining missed wide for Ja'Kobi Gillespie before Tre Holloman became the hero, knocking down the 60-foot buzzer beater. Though Gillespie has been the backcourt’s go-to guy in late game situations for much of conference play, in a game when it was Rice who had the hot hand, Rice didn’t have the chance to close it.
Frontcourt struggles
Queen’s 11th double-double of the season couldn’t have been quieter, but after a month of watching the Baltimore tandem dominate the paint to help give the shooters open looks, Michigan State held Maryland’s frontcourt in check on Wednesday.
Reese and Queen scored a combined 14 points while shooting 4-of-18 from the field, marking their lowest combined production in conference play. The duo did have to battle through a Spartans’ frontcourt that was able to lean on its depth as head coach Kevin Willard noted the fresh bodies routinely going against Reese and Queen. It was evident on both ends of the floor where Reese struggled maintaining position on the block, a big reason why Maryland was outrebounded 45-33 in the loss with the (-12) the largest differential this season.
The Spartans were able to turn 23 points off the bench to Maryland’s zero, a question mark plaguing Kevin Willard’s team this season, but it was Jordan Geronimo who was able to provide timely minutes. That included a first-half block on Coen Carr in transition, a play that sent Xfinity rocking before adding four rebounds in ten minutes.
But for Maryland to make a potential March run, it’ll need the frontcourt at its best and against the Big Ten’s best, the starting tandem fell short.
Big Ten implications
While the win now gives the Spartans a clear path to securing at least a share of the Big Ten regular season title, Maryland can now, at best, finish fourth heading into the final three regular season games. After dropping their seventh consecutive game vs. Michigan State, Maryland will look to end a similar streak as they look for their first win at Penn State since Feb. 14, 2015. With Northwestern set to close out the regular season home slate, a road trip vs. Michigan will give Maryland one last chance at one more signature win as they look to rebuild momentum heading into postseason play.
By: Henry Lilienfeld
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