Viral reaction claims CSU got robbed on buzzer beater

The Colorado State Rams were just seconds away from becoming the Cinderella story of the 2025 NCAA Tournament. After Jalen Lake hit a go-ahead 3-pointer that grazed the clouds before touching nothing but nylon, CSU needed to hunker down for one more stop to reach the Sweet 16 for the first time in program history.

However, Maryland’s Derik Queen caught the ball at the top of the key, drove to his left, and hit a floater of the highest degree of difficulty as the buzzer sounded to crush the Rams’ dreams.

DERIK QUEEN FTW 😱

OH MY GOODNESS 🤯#MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/06QRH6eK3R

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 24, 2025

To get to his spot, Queen took three leaping bounds with the ball in his hand. In this modern era of basketball in which gather steps are the new normal and travels rarely get called, the debate of whether or not Queen traveled on this play ignited immediately. However, the gather step is only legal in the NBA, but not at the college level. That means that if Queen had possession of the ball before his right foot hit the ground, the play technically should’ve been a travel since he took three steps.

For you gather-step-haters: This Maryland game-winner is a travel by the rulebook. He gathers the ball with his right foot down (pivot foot), then lifts it and puts it back down—travel. BUT this happens so often on drives, no one bats an eye. pic.twitter.com/TEvRVgL4fm

— BBALLBREAKDOWN (@bballbreakdown) March 24, 2025

Many people had differing opinions on social media, with a lot of Rams fans claiming that Queen traveled on the play and his bucket shouldn’t have counted.

However, CBS Sports rules analyst Gene Steratore went on the air last night to analyze the play, and disagreed with the social media discussion and explained how Queen actually didn’t commit any violations on his game-winning shot.

“To me, it just really doesn’t jump off the screen as anything big.” – @GeneSteratore

Our rules analyst @GeneSteratore joins the crew to discuss the travel rule and why he doesn’t see a violation on Derik Queen before his game-winner against Colorado State. pic.twitter.com/krV0lTkjfD

— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) March 24, 2025

It’s very close to tell whether or not Queen had fully possessed the basketball before or after his right foot hit the ground for the first time. Queen was also bumped on the play when he attempted to gather the ball, which possibly delayed him from gathering the ball before he took the first step. The other side of social media caught onto this, and along with saying things like “let the kids play,” agreed with the no-call from the officials on the play.

Looks like defender checked him (watch him legit thrust into him) then queen briefly lost ball, regained it, and took two steps.

Kinda iffy but they let the boys play. https://t.co/7fwWYQj3rc pic.twitter.com/j5GDV6UNqB

— Spencer Schultz (@ravens4dummies) March 24, 2025

This debate will most likely go on long after the tournament ends as fans go back and forth on whether or not a violation was committed. As tough as it is, no call was made, and Queen made the shot, sending the Rams home. Niko Medved, now the ex-head coach of the Rams, handled it like a pro by saying that it didn’t matter because no violation was called.

While the controversial no-call came on the most important play of the game, there were two other no-calls that went in favor of CSU on Sunday. One was a hook by Nique Clifford on a drive that led to a dunk for CSU, and another was an elbow by Clifford that showed shades of Ron Artest which wasn’t reviewed by the officials.

At the end of the day, there will always be an argument surrounding plays like these in sports. The debate will go on for a while, but at the end of the day, the Rams are at home after one of the best seasons in the history of the program.