Courtesy of Colorado State Athletics
There was no easy way out – no shortcuts.
And in the same breadth, Colorado State’s Big Dance has come to an end.
In a wire-to-wire finish, Maryland’s Derik Queen delivered the game-winning floater – sealing a 72-71 victory in true March Madness fashion.
The game cut off a season no Ram fan wanted to see end.
“I can’t put it into words,” coach Niko Medved said. “It’s a season you never want to end. A ride that goes by so fast and I feel like we did everything right to give ourselves a chance. It’s just gut wrenching. I know, being part of this game as long as I have that you’re going to be on both sides of these. And that was an unbelievable college basketball game.”
It truly was a game with a winner and a loser. The Rams have looked at their season that way from the beginning.
Despite the tense atmosphere and the fact that the Rams held on to the lead for 31 minutes of the game were no longer relevant. However, two things can be true at the same time.
Satisfaction and disappointment, joy and sadness – two opposing ideals can coexist.
Finishing his college basketball career playing in the tournament for the first time as a transfer, Bowen Born takes the sentiment to heart, detaching from the disappointment at the ending.
“It’s hard to explain the emotions I’m feeling right now,” Born said. “I just feel removed from the game itself. I’m thankful and very appreciative of my time here at CSU. These coaches and guys, everybody in the locker room have made a really positive impact on me.”
Seeds aren’t deciders, neither is national attention – passion for the game and resolve carves out a winner and nothing is guaranteed.
They passed, scored and lost as a team – the only way anybody does during the pressure of March. And Colorado State great Nique Clifford ended his season as the all-time scoring leader in single season for the program with 681 points.
“My time here at CSU has gone by so fast,” Clifford said. “I’ve been here for two years, I wish I was here even longer. It was the best time in my life. I can’t thank coach Medved and Ali Farokhmanesh enough for what they’ve done for me, they really changed my life, and I’m just thankful for my teammates. It was a fun run we were able to go on this year and the adversity we went through to see where we are now is special.”
Never having played Maryland in the history of CSU’s program, the toss-up could be sensed from fans from both allegiances.
Knowing Maryland had the size advantage with four players at and above the 6-foot-9 mark getting around the large defense was one of the focuses in preparation on Saturday and on Sunday, achieving their goal in many ways.
CSU held the rebound advantage at the end of the game 39 – 26 of them defensive.
“By the end of this season, we’re a pretty dang good team,” Medved said. “I think we proved that every night. Our guys came in this game, and we just battled defensively, and we out-rebounded this team by 10. We fought, we moved the ball and I’m not surprised we battled the way we did. I believed that we were going to win, and Maryland did too.”
Belief was at an all-time high when Jalen Lake scored a 3-pointer with six seconds left on the clock.
Reminiscent of his buzzer-beater earlier in the season against Boise State, CSU fans erupted the in a similar fashion.
But despite everyone now knowing how it went, nothing much compares for Lake than his time wearing the green and gold.
“It’s been the best four years of my life,” Lake said. “I wouldn’t be standing here first without God and then second without coach Medved. He just believed in my since I was a freshman. I wish I could wear Colorado State for the rest of my life.”
And so the team huddled for the last time on the biggest stage; faces etched with a mixture of sadness and exhaustion.
The season now at its end, the memory of their run remains relentless in the hearts and minds of those a part of it.
A lasting reminder that sometimes the greatest victories aren’t measured by the scoreboard, but by the courage it takes to give everything until the very last second.
It’s the moments of resilience that define a season – and for this team, it will never be forgotten.
“This is something they are going to remember for the rest of their life,” Medved said. “This is something no one will ever be able to take away from this team. It’s going to go down as one of the best seasons ever. Working with each other and being together, these moments don’t happen all the time. It’s hard to process right now, but when they look back on it, this team will have an unbreakable bond.”
