Maryland Terps fall to top-seeded Florida in Sweet 16 round of March Madness tournament

SAN FRANCISCO - Florida’s trio of standout seniors, backed by a deep bench, proved too much for Maryland’s "Crab Five" to handle.

The top-seeded Gators pulled away in the second half for an 87-71 victory over the No. 4 seed Terrapins on Thursday night.

Maryland falls to Florida in March Madness tournament

What we know:

The win secures Florida’s place in the NCAA Tournament’s West Region final.

Freshman standout Derik Queen delivered a stellar performance, scoring 27 points to lead Maryland (27-9). However, the team’s impressive season concluded in bittersweet fashion.

"I think their bench really wore us down," Terrapins coach Kevin Willard said according to the Associated Press.

Top-seeded Florida (33-4) will face No. 3 seed Texas Tech on Saturday in the West Region final. Texas Tech earned its spot after a dramatic overtime comeback against Arkansas on Thursday.

READ MORE: Maryland Terps edge Colorado State in 72-71 March Madness buzzer-beater to advance to Sweet 16

Freshman Derik Queen shines in Maryland’s Sweet 16 loss

The "Crab Five," led by Julian Reese -- brother of WNBA star Angel Reese, who cheered from the stands -- mounted a first-half rally when Florida threatened to pull away.

Queen, who secured Maryland’s second-round victory with a buzzer-beater in their 72-71 win over Colorado State on Sunday, remained a key contributor for the Terps despite their defeat.

The loss has left many unanswered questions about the program moving forward and could mark the end of Willard’s tenure as head coach of the Terrapins. The coach’s future was unclear after he was linked to the Villanova job and also publicly expressed concerns about the program’s leadership.

Julian Reese #10 of the Maryland Terrapins shoots the ball against Rueben Chinyelu #9 of the Florida Gators during the first half in the West Regional Sweet Sixteen round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Chase Center on March 27, 2025 in Sa

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