Holloman hits 60-foot buzzer-beater as No. 8 Michigan State stuns No. 16 Maryland

COLLEGE PARK — No. 16 Maryland came back from down seven points in the final two minutes to tie No. 8 Michigan State, but a beyond-half-court heave from Tre Holloman as the horn sounded delivered the knockout blow in an intense 58-55 Spartans win Wednesday night.

Trailing late, the Terrapins started getting to the foul line. Guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie made two after being fouled on a layup attempt, and then backcourt mate Rodney Rice made one of his own to cut Maryland’s deficit to 55-51.

In the final minute, Gillespie drove from the top of the key to again draw contact in the lane, making both. Maryland immediately forced a backcourt turnover, and  Gillespie went back to the line, hitting two more shots to tie the game at 55.

Gillespie had his chance to win the game after Maryland stopped Michigan State on defense. His 3-pointer was offline, and with 2 seconds left, Jaxon Kohler got the rebound to Holloman just in time for him to get off a 60-foot shot that didn’t even need the backboard to go in.

“That’s just a tough way to lose a game,” Maryland coach Kevin Willard said. “But give them credit, they got back, they came back, and Holloman hadn’t made a shot all night, so once he released it, I knew that thing was going in.”

Maryland (21-7, 11-6 Big Ten) was led by Rice’s 20 points, as well as 15 from Gillespie and 10 from Derik Queen. The loss snaps a four-game Terrapins win streak. Maryland has now lost its last seven games against the Spartans, and its third buzzer-beater loss of the season drops it into a three-way tie for fourth place and the final double-bye slot in next month’s Big Ten Tournament.

Queen and fellow big Julian Reese were held to a combined 4-of-18 shooting, as Maryland didn’t make a field goal in the final 5:07 of the game. All 58 Maryland points came from its newly-anointed “Crab Five” starting lineup, none from its bench.

“I thought for the most part, as bad as we played offensively, these guys still brought great effort and gave us a chance to win,” Willard said.

Michigan State (23-5, 14-3) was led by Big Ten Freshman of the Week Jase Richardson’s 15 points, the only Spartan in double figures. All 10 Spartans starters scored, including 23 points off the Michigan State bench, as they moved into sole possession of first place in the conference with the win.

“If you ever saw a rock fight — if you didn’t see one — you saw one tonight,” Spartans coach Tom Izzo said.

The first true sellout crowd of the season — striped in alternating red and black hues — provided the most electric Xfinity Center atmosphere in nearly two seasons, led by Maryland students who lined up hours in advance to get in.

“It was a great atmosphere. It was a great college basketball game,” Willard said. “I mean, you know, I hate to lose on a buzzer-beater. It’s our third one this year, but I think it was a great atmosphere. Our fans have been great all year, but I thought our student section was great tonight.”

But a game that was anticipated to be a shootout, with both sides averaging at least 79 points per game, turned into a grinding slog quickly.

Queen hit a midrange jumper moments after tipoff, but the next seven points went to Michigan, as the Spartans ran their offense through Richardson early. Two Selton Miguel fouls in the first three minutes forced him from the lineup while Michigan State opened 4-of-6 from the floor.

Miscues, however, cropped up for both sides amid a 3-plus minute scoring drought. Maryland put up quick, perimeter attempts early in the shot clock that were off-balanced and unsettled. Michigan State was unable to take advantage the entire half, though, as it was met with the Terrapins’ hallmark defensive intensity.

“It’s unlike probably any team we’ll see for the rest of the year, or maybe in the future,” Willard said of the Spartans. “Their pick and roll defense is so good because they constantly have fresh big guys on the court. He’s playing five big guys.”

The hockey-like intensity continued all half, with action replete with blocks, travels and missed shots due to it. Only a Miguel baseline layup as the horn sounded was the difference, with the Terrapins taking a 23-21 lead into the break. Both teams didn’t break 30% from the floor in the session.

“As I told the team, I’m like, ’You got to switch your … this is going to be a grind out game. It’s not always going to be able to run up and down and make shots,’ and sometimes you have to switch the mode a little bit and realize it’s going to be a grind out,” Willard said.

The rock fight started to continue in the second. But the Spartans found a glimmer of an opening to break through.

Six points from Holloman spurred a 13-4 run four minutes after halftime, and a 37-31 Michigan State lead. Yet, the pendulum would swing back in Maryland’s favor.

Rice was fouled attempting a three, and made all of his ensuing foul shots. He came back down the floor on the next possession and hit from deep to tie the game at 39 with less than nine minutes to go. 

“They made it tough for us down low. They were physical. And yeah, we just ain’t hit shots,” said Rice, who scored 15 of his 20 in the second half. “The team in general didn’t hit shots.”

Rice’s efforts finally broke open a scoring frenzy, relatively speaking. His six were part of 14 combined points in nary two minutes, with end-to-end action punctuated by an Akins 3-pointer with 7:43 remaining to give Michigan a 45-41 advantage.

“I think they finally started realizing we’re just not gonna be able come down, run a pick and roll and try to do that. So I thought they got a little bit more aggressive,” Willard said. “I thought they started coming off screens and down screens a little bit more aggressive. But it is a learning experience.”

Mistakes hampered the Terrapins. Rice, Miguel and Reese all got into foul trouble, and Richardson backed up his conference honor with six straight points to give Michigan State its largest lead, 52-43, in the final six minutes, before Maryland mounted its comeback.

d”It’s efinitely going to get us tougher, get us better, bring us together in the long run,” Rice said. “We just got to stick together, stick to the game plan, keep practicing hard and get better.”