Maryland's Derik Queen make a game-winning shot against Colorado State in the 2025 NCAA Tournament Photo Credit: TBS
By Reice Shipley on

Sunday’s Round of 32 matchup between the Maryland Terrapins and the Colorado State Rams produced the biggest moment of the NCAA Tournament thus far when Maryland star Derik Queen made a game-winning layup as time expired. But unfortunately, the moment brought controversy regarding whether the basket should have ever counted.

Trailing by one, Maryland had one last chance to fend off an upset attempt from Colorado State with 3.6 seconds remaining in the game. And Queen rose to the occasion, driving left after receiving the inbound pass and putting up a floater attempt that he got to drop as time expired to win the game and sent Maryland to the Sweet 16.

In real time, it appeared as if Queen did everything right. But when you watch a replay of the final possession, it becomes pretty clear that Queen may have taken one extra step before putting up the game-winner.

Fans at home quickly caught onto this, arguing that a travel should have been called, which obviously would have waived off the basket.

Interestingly, not everyone saw the travel on the play.

CBS rules analyst Gene Steratore, along with the CBS studio team consisting of Charles Barkley, Clark Kellogg, and Kenny Smith, argued that there was no travel from Queen on the play.

Shortly after the game ended, John Fanta took to social media to share his perspective on the game-winner and the no-call on the potential travel from Queen, outlining how he believes that, given the situation, the officials could not call a travel on the play.

“This sums everything up on these platforms,” said Fanta. “Sitting here watching the tournament, it’s utter madness, Colorado State and Maryland. Some folks are complaining ‘Not enough drama, not enough buzzer beaters. We need something crazy to happen.’ And then Derik Queen hits an incredible shot. Outstanding shot off the glass. And immediately, everybody starts slowing it down, saying ‘Travel, three steps he traveled.’

“In your right mind, do you actually think that is going to get called in a game? Where does that ever get called in a game? Child, please, don’t ruin what was a beautiful thing for Maryland. I know it stinks for Colorado State, it’s brutal, it’s heartbreaking. They let them play, it’s not a travel. You are nitpicking. Basketball has changed. If you are gonna be that much by the rule book, you are going to blow the whistle on every play. Get the heck out of here. It’s a clean game-winner. It counts; you are not calling it in that situation. Enough, enough, enough, enjoy the games.”

On one hand, Fanta’s point is certainly a valid one in that you rarely see that kind of call on a game-winning shot attempt. And if a travel had been called in that moment, there likely would have been just as many people angry about that call as there were about the no-call.

But on the other hand, if we’re just going to start ignoring the rules of the game because of the situation in the game at any given time, we would have players fouling left and right because they know it won’t be called.

Simply put, if the officials saw the violation happen, it should be called as such.

One could argue that they missed the travel call in this situation. But to Fanta’s point, that also shouldn’t take away from the awesome moment for Maryland and Derik Queen, which is one of the highlights of the tournament thus far.

About Reice Shipley

Reice Shipley is a staff writer for Comeback Media that graduated from Ithaca College with a degree in Sports Media. He previously worked at Barrett Sports Media and is a fan of all things Syracuse sports.

View all posts by Reice Shipley