A prediction born from personal success
Derik Queen stood in the shadows of SECU Stadium Saturday, jersey draped over his shoulder, eyes set ahead. He didn’t come to watch the Ravens, but to speak — to say what his former team could achieve. 'Maryland’s going to win the Big Ten this year in basketball,' he declared, voice sure, face calm. A 27-point game and a Sweet 16 run had done more than elevate his name. They had planted belief.
Queen, the 2024-25 freshman phenom, averaged 16.5 points and nine rebounds for the Terps. He led them past Colorado State in March Madness, then fell to Florida in the next round. But he did not fall without leaving his mark. That mark now follows him off the court and into his forecasts. 'I just feel like I'm back at home again,' he said, wearing a Ravens No. 22 jersey and still feeling the pulse of College Park.
Rebuilding amid high expectations
Maryland lost Queen and the rest of the 'Crab Five' last offseason. Coach Buzz Williams, entering his second year, took over a roster in pieces. The result? A team record 21 losses, a season that ended in disarray. But Queen's prediction hinges on what lies ahead. The Terps signed top-10 recruit Baba Olatodun and added New Mexico’s Tomislav Buljan. Center Pharrel Payne returns after earning a medical waiver.
The additions have turned heads. Olatodun, a Silver Spring native, is 247Sports' 11th-ranked player in his class. Buljan brings experience. Payne, with another season, could stabilize the frontcourt. Guard DJ Wagner, a former top-five recruit, says the team 'has been clicking very well during the practices.' Off the court, he adds, the chemistry 'has been helping us.'
A title in sight or just confidence?
Maryland has won the Big Ten regular-season title only once, in 2020. That year, they shared the crown with Michigan State and Wisconsin. Now, Queen sees another shot — one fueled by the talent returning and incoming. But the 2025 competition looms fierce. Illinois, Michigan, Purdue and Iowa all return core rotations.
Still, the belief is there. Queen is not alone in his optimism. Wagner, speaking to The Baltimore Sun in July, said the group is 'real good people' with 'small things' making big differences. Practices are sharp. Locker rooms are light. The season will test it all.