When the Gophers hired Ben Johnson as men\u2019s basketball coach four years ago, Niko Medved was in his third season at Colorado State.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Medved hadn\u2019t reached the NCAA tournament yet in eight years as a head coach, including at Furman and Drake. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n
The U alum and Minnesota native has made three NCAA tournaments since then. He was close to taking Colorado State to its first Sweet 16 but lost on a buzzer-beater Sunday night.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Medved watched as Derik Queen nailed a shot off the backboard as time expired to ruin the upset bid for the No. 12-seeded Rams in a 72-71 loss to No. 4 seed Maryland in Seattle.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
With six seconds left, senior guard Jalen Lake nailed a three-pointer for a one-point lead that seemed to be enough to give the Rams the chance to advance.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\u201cAbsolutely gut-wrenching loss for these guys,\u201d Medved said in his postgame news conference. \u201cI thought we did just about everything right. It was an unbelievable college basketball game. Both teams going at it, trying to fight to go to the Sweet 16.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
The Rams (26-10) had a historic year come to an end. They won an NCAA tournament game in back-to-back seasons for the first time. They reached the NCAA second round for the first time since 2013. They won the Mountain West tournament for the first time in 22 years.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
On Sunday, Medved\u2019s Princeton-style offense confused Maryland early to take a 37-30 halftime advantage. Guard Nique Clifford, an NBA prospect, had 12 of his 21 points in the first half.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
In their first-round victory Friday against fifth-seeded Memphis, the Rams trailed 36-31 at halftime, but they rallied to score 47 points in the second half in the 78-70 victory.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
The Terrapins, who finished tied for second in the Big Ten regular season, used a 9-0 run to take a 68-64 lead with 2:30 to play in Sunday\u2019s game, but the Rams responded with a 7-2 run. Things looked bleak for Maryland until Queen\u2019s last shot, which appeared to come after he traveled.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Related Coverage<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n\n\u201cI thought we defended that last play pretty well,\u201d Medved said. \u201cIt\u2019s about all we could ask for. And [Queen] made an \u2026 unbelievable shot. That\u2019s what happens in March Madness.\u201d <\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n\n![\"basketball\"](\"https:\/\/arc.stimg.co\/startribunemedia\/AJRTOBJFWNFL7EHGCIFWQYRYOI.jpg?&w=712\")
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Maryland freshman Derik Queen puts up his winning shot against Colorado State’s Ethan Morton (25) on Sunday night. (Ryan Sun)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nMedved, a former Rams assistant, has not yet addressed the speculation that he might leave Colorado State for the Gophers or any other job. He has a 143-85 record in seven years in Fort Collins. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n\u201cCoach Medved is certainly an elite coach,\u201d Rams athletic director John Weber told a Colorado radio station. \u201cWhen he\u2019s had that level of success, there\u2019s always going to be people that are knocking on your door.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n\nMedved signed a contract extension last year with Colorado State through the 2030-31 season. His buyout was reportedly $1.8 million, or 33% of his remaining base salary owed.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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\u201cI thought we defended that last play pretty well,\u201d Medved said. \u201cIt\u2019s about all we could ask for. And [Queen] made an \u2026 unbelievable shot. That\u2019s what happens in March Madness.\u201d <\/p>\n<\/div>\n
<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Maryland freshman Derik Queen puts up his winning shot against Colorado State’s Ethan Morton (25) on Sunday night. (Ryan Sun)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Medved, a former Rams assistant, has not yet addressed the speculation that he might leave Colorado State for the Gophers or any other job. He has a 143-85 record in seven years in Fort Collins. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\u201cCoach Medved is certainly an elite coach,\u201d Rams athletic director John Weber told a Colorado radio station. \u201cWhen he\u2019s had that level of success, there\u2019s always going to be people that are knocking on your door.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
Medved signed a contract extension last year with Colorado State through the 2030-31 season. His buyout was reportedly $1.8 million, or 33% of his remaining base salary owed.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n