The Maryland women’s basketball team is marching to its fourth Sweet 16 in five years after a thrilling double-overtime win over Alabama, 111-108, on Monday. Maryland clawed back into the game after trailing by 17 points with just under three minutes in the third quarter.

However, the Terrapins went on a relentless rally, forced overtime, and watched an opportunity to win wash away in OT before pulling off the win in arguably the best tournament game in recent years.

Ultimately, Maryland’s star, Shyanne Sellers, put the Terrapins ahead with clutch free throws. Then, Sarah Te-Biasu grabbed the biggest steal of her collegiate career to seal the dramatic win.

Sarah Ashlee Barker shines despite Alabama’s loss

Alabama star guard Sarah Ashlee Barker put on an incredible performance. Barker finished her five-year collegiate career with a jaw-dropping 45 points.

Alabama was down by 10 in the mid-second quarter, losing 33-23. Barker led the Crimson Tide to a 10-0 run with six points of her own. Then she knocked down a corner three to give her team the lead.

She added eight rebounds and three assists. She put herself in the history books with the most points in a tournament game by any Alabama player. In addition to her historic performance, four of Barker’s teammates scored double-digit points.

• Sarah Ashlee Barker: 45 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists
• Essence Cody: 18 points, 5 steals, 2 blocks
• Karly Weathers: 9 points, 6 assists, 5 rebounds
• Aaliyah Nye: 11 points, 4 assists, 2 steals
• Zaay Green: 11 points, 5 assists

Despite Baker’s jaw-dropping game, Sellers led Maryland to the win with a season-high 28 points, including 16 in the fourth quarter and overtime. Her high scoring in the clutch pushed the team to the finish line and into the next round.

She wasn’t the only Terp to have a high-scoring game. The starting five were just as determined as she was to advance to the next round, as four starters scored 19+ points.

• Shyanne Sellers: 28 points, 9-9 free throws
• Sarah Te-Biasu: 26 points, 6 assists, 3 steals, 5-8 from three
• Kaylene Smikle: 24 points, 7 assists, 3 steals
• Allie Kubek: 19 points, 12 rebounds, 5 assists

Chaotic key moments lead to double OT

Maryland trailed by 12 early in the fourth quarter, following an and-one by Alabama’s Essence Cody. Desperate to keep their season alive, the Terps answered with a scoring barrage, chipping away at the deficit throughout the fourth.

Maryland closed the game with a pair of free throws by Sellers with 1:01 remaining. Barker responded with a three to put the Crimson Tide back in front with 37 seconds remaining. However, with the season on the line, Maryland’s guard Sarah Te-Biasu came away with the biggest shot of her career. Te-Biasu found Kaylen Smikle for a three, but Barker blocked her shot. Smikle followed her miss and kicked the ball back to Te-Biasu, who drained the game-tying three, sending the contest into its first overtime.

In the first overtime, Maryland seized control late. With six seconds left, Maryland owned a 95-93 lead and had Saylor Poffenbarger going to the free-throw line to extend the lead to four points. Unfortunately, Poffenbarger made 1-of-2 free throws, leaving Alabama with one final possession in OT.

As the buzzer sounded, Poffenbarer made matters worse, fouling Barker on a three-point attempt with the buzzer sounded. Barker shrugged off the pressure and knocked down all three free throws, tying the game for a second overtime.

Maryland seals deal in double OT

Maryland approached double overtime, knowing they blew an opportunity. Te-Biasu scored eight points in the second overtime. Her fifth-three pointer of the game gave the Terrapins a 106-100 lead. Alabama never recovered from that moment on.

Barker gave it her final push with a jumper that cut the deficit to 109-108 with 16 seconds remaining. Yet, Sellers extended Maryland’s lead with two free throws.

Maryland leaned on its defense to close out the game. The Tide’s Diana Collins missed a three that got deflected out of bounds. Alabama retained possession for one final chance with 1.8 seconds left.

Te-Biasu, who saved Maryland’s season with a regulation three, broke up the in-bound pass intended for Barker to seal the Terps’ trip to the Sweet 16.

The 219 combined points by both teams were the second-most scored in NCAA women’s tournament history. Only Alabama’s four-overtime thrilling win against Duke in 1995 had more combined points (241). That game was also in the second round and between a No. 4 and 5 seed.

Maryland will play Regional 2’s No. 1 seed and defending national champion, South Carolina, in Friday’s Sweet 16. The Terrapins and Gamecocks have met eight times, including a South Carolina win in a 2023 Regional Final.

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Finally, the Maryland men’s basketball team ended up on the right side of a buzzer-beater. Trailing Colorado State 71-70 with 3.7 seconds remaining, Big Ten Freshman of the Year Derik Queen took an inbound pass, dribbled right, and pulled up to bank a fadeaway off the glass to beat the buzzer, sending Maryland to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2016.

The Seattle crowd at Climate Pledge Arena witnessed the most memorable game of the 2025 NCAA Tournament. The West’s 12-seed Colorado State gave the 4-seeded Maryland Terrapins everything they could handle.

Stats of the Game

Colorado State opened up with a 22-10 lead in the first half behind an early 16-2 run. However, Queen refused to lose. The Super-freshman scored 10 of Maryland’s first 14 points. Eventually, fellow Maryland big Julian Reese got going. Then Maryland’s guard followed suit.

Yet, the Rams took a 37-30 lead into halftime. Colorado State star guard Nique Clifford scored 12 of his game-high 21 points in the first half.

• Nique Clifford: 21 pts, 7 reb, 6 ast
• Jalen Lake: 13 pts
• Kyan Evans: 10 pts, 4 reb
• Bowen Born: 10 pts, 4 reb

The country’s best starting five got on track and chipped away at the Rams’ lead. All five starters, dubbed the “Crab Five,” scored in double figures.

• Derik Queen: 17 pts, 6 reb
• Julian Reese: 15 pts, 11 reb
• Rodney Rice: 16 pts, 4 reb
• Ja’Kobi Gillespie: 11 pts, 7 ast, 3 reb
• Selton Miguel: 11 pts

Frantic moments down the stretch

Maryland looked to have control of the game, up 68-64 with 1:36 remaining. However, Clifford made a pair of free throws. Then Gillespie missed a floater at the rim that Colorado State translated into a game-tying jumper by Lake with 54 seconds remaining.

Doubt crept into Maryland, whose final four losses have all come with their opponents hitting game-winning shots in under 10 seconds. Reese made a pair of clutch free throws with 22 seconds remaining to give Maryland a 70-68 lead. However, with 11 seconds remaining, the Rams executed a perfect play when Clifford found Lake on the wing for an open three-pointer with 3.7 seconds left to give Colorado State a 71–70 lead.

Derik Queen: Give me the Ball!

Queen refused to lose. The potential NBA lottery pick called his shot.

According to Maryland head coach Kevin Willard, Queen said, “Give me the [expletive] ball,” during the Terrapins’ final timeout.

Gillespie inbounded the ball to the freshman, who went to work over, beating Ethan Morton to bank the game-winner.

During the TBS broadcast, Queen was asked why he asked for the basketball despite being a freshman. The Maryland native responded, “I’m from Baltimore.”

Later, Queen admitted he had never made a game-winner at any level. Willard joked he wouldn’t have given Queen the ball if he’d known that.

Maryland stayed in game despite slow start

Maryland’s backcourt withstood a slow start to the game. Clifford was too much to handle in the early going. The Terrapins ultimately got the ball inside to Reese and Queen, using their size advantage.

Maryland’s perimeter offense took time, but its defense was solid outside. The Rams shot 5-of-21 from three-point range. Colorado State’s ability to get 13 offensive rebounds and physical play kept the Rams in the game.

Officials struggled throughout game

The officials’ work was debatable throughout the game. They missed a blatant elbow by Clifford to Maryland guard Jordan Geronimo’s head. Despite Geronimo falling to the floor, officials did not access a foul or review for a potential flagrant 1.

Clifford also got away with a potential offensive foul on a hook in the second half, leading to a dunk and two points. Maryland had some calls go its way, including an argument that Queen may have gotten away with a travel on the game-winner.

The missed calls are debatable and result from such a highly contested game.

What’s next for Maryland

Nonetheless, Maryland is marching on to the Sweet 16 in San Francisco. The Terrapins will play Florida, the West’s No. 1 seed and SEC Tournament champion.

The loss snaps Colorado State’s 11-game win streak. The Rams are left to wonder what could’ve been. Colorado State came one defensive stop short of its first Sweet 16 since 1969.

Maryland had suffered heartache throughout the season. Their last four losses have occurred with a go-ahead basket by an opponent under ten seconds, including a loss at the buzzer to Michigan in the Big Ten Conference Tournament semifinals. On Sunday, it was Maryland’s turn to be on the favorable side of a clutch moment. Derik Queen left Colorado State sleepless in Seattle by calling game.

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Colorado State guard Nique Clifford has the Rams smelling an upset over the West Region’s No. 4 seed Maryland with 12 points, four rebounds, and three assists in the first half. The Rams took a 37-30 lead into halftime as Clifford beat the first-half buzzer with a layup over Maryland’s Julian Reese.

However, the chatter at the break is about Clifford’s elbow to the head of Maryland guard Jordan Geronimo in the first half. Somehow, the contact went unnoticed by the officials despite Geronimo crashing to the floor.

Geronimo got attention briefly after a dead ball. Officials went straight to the inbound without a review. CBS Sports rules analyst and former official Gene Steratore was shocked the game officials did not stop play to review the contact. Steratore added a Flagrant-1, and there was enough forceful contact to consider a Flagrant-2 and ejection.

Geronimo and Maryland head coach Kevin Willard didn’t stress the issue. Yet, Clifford acknowledged he hit Geronimo with his elbow during an on-court interview with CBS Sports broadcast.

In an age where the NCAA has stressed excessive and unnecessary contact, it’s hard to fathom Sunday’s officials missed an opportunity to review Clifford’s elbow.

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The Maryland Terrapins cruised past Grand Canyon 81-49 to advance to the Round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament. The Terrapins’ starting five, dubbed the “Crab Five,” led the charge with four starters scoring in double digits. The 32-point blowout marked the most significant tournament win in program history.

• Julian Reese- 18 points, 2 blocks, 9 rebounds, 2 steals
• Derik Queen- 12 points, a block, 15 rebounds
• Ja’Kobi Gillespie- 16 points, 2 steals, 3 assists
• Rodney Rice- 9 points
• Selton Miguel- 13 points

Maryland’s sixth man DeShawn Harris-Smith scored 11 points, making all five of his field goal attempts. He also grabbed four rebounds.

Senior forward Julian Reese piloted the scoring, finishing with 18 points and was one rebound shy of a double-double with nine. Meanwhile, his frontcourt partner, and Big Ten Freshman of the Year, Derik Queen, chimed with 12 points and a historic 15 rebounds—the most rebounds by a Maryland freshman in a tournament game.

Maryland (26-9) pounded the paint early, but its offense attacked from the perimeter as well. The Terrapins backcourt duo of Ja’Koi Gillespie and Selton Miguel spread Grand Canyon’s defense.

Miguel finished with 13 points, making each of his three, three-point attempts. Gillespie shot 5-of-10 from the field, and made 4-of-5 free throws.
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With 12:30 in the first half, Gillipse drained a transition three-pointer to give the Terps the lead, and they never looked back. He finished the game with 16 points and 3 assists.

Maryland’s dominant performance was not without flaw. Virginia Tech transfer Rodney Rice struggled through 3-of-11 shooting. However, he finished with nine points.

The Terrapins also struggled from the free throw line, shooting 12-of-24. They’ll have to clean up from the charity stripe to continue advancing through a loaded West Region.

Still, Friday’s performance in Seattle showed the nation how strong is the “Crab Five.” Maryland looks to advance past the Round of 32 for the first time since 2016. Maryland will meet 12-seed Colorado State, who upset 5th seed Memphis on Friday.

Colorado State (26-9) has won 11 straight games, including the Mountain West Conference tournament. The Rams are more than a Cinderella story and expect to be a formidable opponent for the Terrapins.

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The Maryland Terrapins were given a four-seed by the NCAA Tournament’s selection committee. However, the Terrapins were placed in the West Region and, more importantly, will play their Round of 64 game against WAC tournament champion Grand Canyon in Seattle, Washington.

On the surface, placing the Big Ten Conference’s second-best regular season team as a No. 4 seed and sending them over 2,700 miles across the country seems unrewarding. However, when examining the men’s bracket further, the committee may have committed a gaffe.

Maryland has the farthest travel of any No. 4 seed for Round of 64

The committee’s seeding list revealed Maryland as the 15th overall seed. Typically, as the 15th overall seed, you’re at the mercy of the other 14 teams getting preferred locations in the first weekend of the tournament. Arizona, the 16th overall seed, is the only four-seed team ranked below Maryland.

The Wildcats will open the tournament against Akron in Seattle, roughly 1,500 miles from their Tucson campus.

Among the four seeds, Texas A&M (14th overall) got placed the closest to its campus, as the Aggies will play in Denver (334 miles).

Maryland’s Big Ten rival, Purdue, also received a four-seed. Purdue will start the NCAA Tournament in Providence, Rhode Island (938 miles).

Maryland and Arizona scratching their heads about Regions

However, the focus shifts to Maryland’s Region of choice. The Terrapins are in the West. If Derik Queen and the “Crab Five” advance out of the first weekend, they’ll play their Sweet 16 game in San Francisco.

Meanwhile, Arizona is in the East Region. A trip to the Sweet 16 will be in Newark, New Jersey. The committee’s choice to send Maryland (15th overall) to the West and Arizona (16th overall) to the East is fascinating. Maryland’s overall seeding is in line with Duke’s, while Arizona’s is in line with Florida, the fourth No. 1 overall seed.

While Arizona and San Francisco are over 1,500 miles apart, the Wildcats prefer the Bay Area over going 2,900 miles to New Jersey. On the other hand, Maryland would travel 2,700 back and forth to Seattle and then go another 2,800 miles to San Francisco. The potential closest location Maryland would play in the tournament is San Antonio, Texas—the site of the Final Four.

Why the committee didn’t swap the Terps and Arizona regions

So why didn’t the committee just swap Maryland and Arizona to their right seed lines? Maryland fans will be quick to say the committee avoided a potential showdown with former ACC rival Duke in the Sweet 16. Maryland is closer to New Jersey and Duke (Durham, NC).

Duke travels well, and the Blue Devils fans could still outnumber the Maryland faithful. The better explanation may be that the committee is trying to avoid a potential Sweet 16 matchup for Maryland against Big Ten Conference foe Oregon.

The Ducks are the No. 5 seed in the East and the 19th overall seed. The committee avoids rematches in the Round of 64 and 32 unless, like the SEC this year, a conference gets an abundance of bids.

Oregon beat Maryland 83-79 in Eugene in January. The Ducks were on the seed line with Purdue. However, Purdue is also in the Big Ten. The Boilermakers topped the Ducks 65-58 on Jan. 18. Oregon likely got bounced around to avoid Maryland and Purdue, slotting them in the East Region.

Maryland can point to its last four losses as to why it didn’t receive a more favorable seed. The Terps’ last four losses have occurred on buzzer-beaters against Northwestern, Ohio State, Michigan State, and most recently Michigan in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals.

Maryland’s cards are dealt. Understandably, head coach Kevin Willard isn’t dwelling on the travel. Instead, Maryland is focused on the Antelopes of Grand Canyon University. Win, and everything plays itself out.

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On Saturday, the Maryland Terrapins were 5.3 seconds away from reaching its first men’s Big Ten Conference tournament title appearance. Big Ten Freshman of the Year Derik Queen capped off a career-high 31-point performance with free throws to put Maryland ahead 81-80 against Michigan.

However, with no timeouts, Michigan executed a perfect play that ended in guard Tre Donaldson beating the buzzer with a layup over Queen to advance the Wolverines to Sunday’s championship game. The hearts of the Maryland faithful got broken in the process.

After inbounding the basketball, Donaldson got the handoff and raced down the court, beating Maryland’s press. With the lane clear, Donaldson laid the ball into the hoop over a reaching Queen with 0.4 seconds remaining.

The reaction to Tre Donaldson stunning Maryland

The reaction from supporters of both teams explained the ending of March Madness.

Maryland head coach Kevin Willard may regret not sitting back on defense to force a longer shot. Terps’ hero in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten tournament, Rodney Rice, was late getting over to Donaldson charging.

Queen froze at the wing and was late recovering. Meanwhile, Julian Reese, who should have been the last line of defense, mistimed his jump to contest. In hindsight, Reese should have stepped up to create contact or impede Donaldson’s path.

Selton Miguel appeared to be the only Maryland defender in his proper place. He sealed off Donaldson, potentially dumping a pass-off on his teammate Roddy Gayle Jr.

Maryland last four losses coming on opponent’s final shot

Overall, the Terrapins’ performance in the play was nearly a total breakdown. Michigan executed the play they needed to perfection, and one has to give credit to Wolverines head coach Dustin May.

Michigan improved to 12-4 on the season in games decided by five points or less. Meanwhile, Maryland fell to 4-7 in the same situation. Maryland’s last four losses have come when their opponent beat the buzzer with a made shot.

Northwestern topped Maryland on Jan. 16 behind a Nick Martinelli jumper in overtime before the final horn sounded. On Feb. 6, Ohio State’s Bruce Thornton drained a three-pointer with nine seconds remaining that proved the game-winner. Then, on Feb. 26, Tre Holloman sank a half-court heave at the buzzer to lift Michigan State past Maryland.

Add up the time remaining after the game-winning shots in Maryland’s last four losses and you’d get 7.8 seconds — two buzzer-beaters, a banked-in 3-pointer with 7.4 seconds and Tre Donaldson’s coast-to-coast layup today.

— Eli Cohen of The Diamondback

Now, Tre Donaldson has added to the Maryland heartbreak. The Terrapins must shake off the dramatic loss. Michigan will play No. 5 seed Wisconsin in Sunday’s Big Ten Championship. The Terrapins will wait to hear their names during the Selection Show of the NCAA Tournament.

Maryland is 14-3 in its last 17 games. The Terrapins (25-8 overall, 14-6 conference) finished the regular season second in the Big Ten standings and expect to be a top-4 seed in the Field of 68. The multiple heartbreaking moments will better prepare Willard and the Terrapins for any late-game situations during the NCAA tournament.

It will end their season if Maryland suffers another breakdown in a clutch moment this month.

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After getting left off the All-Big Ten team, Maryland sophomore guard Rodney Rice took out his frustration on Illinois Friday in the Big Ten Tournament. He scored a game-high 26 points, draining 7-of-9 three-point attempts to lead the Terrapins into the semifinals of the Big Ten Tournament.

Rice highlighted his exceptional night with a mind-boggling play in the second half of Maryland’s 88-65 win.

Rice fell to the floor while curling toward a dribbling hand-off from teammate Derik Queen. Immediately, Rice reached for his calf as play continued. Queen pivoted to a pass to Ja’Kobi Gillespie. Rice got up just as Gillespie passed the ball to him. Then, Rice drained a three, drawing a foul in the process.

Everything that could go right for Maryland did. The play gave Maryland a 76-48 lead as they cruised past the Illini. Queen added 19 points and ten rebounds. Gillespie had 12 points and nine assists.

Rodney Rice stated case for All-Big Ten mistake

Queen earned Big Ten Freshman of the Year by both the media and coaches. Gillespie made the third-team All-Big Ten. However, Rice got left off despite an impressive regular season. He averaged 14.8 points per game in 20 conference games.

“They should never have disrespected him,” Queen said after Rice’s three-point barrage, per Harrison Rich of The Diamondback. “That’s their fault.”

Maryland entered the Big Ten Tournament as the No. 2 seed. The Terrapins improved to 14-2 over their last 16 games. Maryland will play the No. 3 seed Michigan on Saturday in the conference semifinals. The Terrapins beat the Wolverines 71-65 in their previous meeting on March 5 in Ann Arbor.

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Maryland women’s basketball team is counting its blessings in more than ways following an 85-77 win over Michigan on Monday. Terrapins’ star guard Shyanne Sellers scored 10 of her 18 points in the fourth quarter before exiting the game with 25 seconds remaining after a scary fall on the court.

Sellers was handling the ball as Michigan looked to foul. A collision knocked Sellers to the floor awkwardly. She immediately grabbed her knee, which she wore in a brace from an injury last month. Sellers couldn’t put weight on her leg as she writhed in pain. She eventually got helped to the locker room.

The injury scare overshadowed a historic night for Sellers. She became the first player in Maryland women’s basketball history to collect 1,500 points, 500 assists and 500 rebounds.

Maryland closed out the win without Sellers. Fellow senior guard Sarah Te-Biasu led the Terrapins with 21 points on 8-of-15 shooting. However, Sellers emerged to the postgame press conference in good spirits and explained that she was all good.

“I just fell right on [her knee]… I’m getting old, I’ll be alright,” Sellers joked, per Ben Geffner of The Diamondback.

Still her limp was noticeable afterward which may mean she isn’t yet out of the woods.

Sellers has worn a brace on her right knee since injuring it in January against Texas during the Coretta Scott King Classic. Maryland indeed had a collective sigh of relief with the update on Sellers.

Maryland got away from an upset against the Wolverines despite a slow start marred by leading scorer Kaylen Smikle collecting three fouls in the first half. The foul trouble limited her to 14 minutes and nine points.

Maryland overcame 26 points from Michigan freshman Olivia Olson and a slow start, trailing the Wolverines 22-15 after the first quarter.

Yet, in the final frame, Maryland stormed back and outscored Michigan 25-18.

The win improves Maryland to 20-6 overall and 10-5 in Big Ten play. The Terrapins are in fifth place in the Big Ten standings. Meanwhile, Michigan falls to 18-8 overall and 9-6 in the Big Ten.

Maryland, ranked 21 in the Associated Press poll, will face woeful Northwestern on Thursday. Hopefully, Shyanne Sellers can avoid any issues with her knee in the coming days. The Terps are already without their third scorer, Bri McDaniel, due to a torn ACL.

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Fresh off a close loss to top-15 ranked Marquette, the Maryland men’s basketball routed Canisius Tuesday night by the score of 108-37. The 71-point win was the second-largest margin of victory in Maryland’s history, behind a 75-point win over North Texas in 1998.

Maryland (4-1) bounced back from the loss to Marquette, keeping the Golden Griffins of Canisius (0-6) winless on the season.

Canisius opened the game’s scoring with an Evan van der Plas three-pointer in the first minute. Maryland responded with an 18-1 run and never looked back. The Terrapins allowed 14 points to the Golden Griffins in the first half while scoring 59.

Maryland senior forward Julian Reese had a breakout performance. He led the Terrapins with 20 points on 8-of-9 shooting from the field. All five Maryland starters scored in double digits.

• Julian Reese, 20 points
• Derik Queen, 10 points
• Selton Miguel, 15 points
• Ja’kobi Gillespie, 10 points
• Rodney Rice, 13 points

Reese and five-star freshman Derik Queen drive the engine. However, head coach Kevin Willard’s excellent additions thus far have been transfers Rodney Rice via Virginia Tech and Ja’Kobi Gilespie out of Belmont.

Gillespie and Queen lead the team in scoring 15.0 points per game. Gillespie has been impressive, shooting 53.8% from the field and 39.3 from three. Meanwhile, Rice averages 13.8 points on 51.1% shooting, including 44.4% from three.

The Terps were dynamic with their defense, forcing 23 turnovers by Canisius. Maryland limited the Golden Griffins to 14 made field goals on 55 attempts.

The loss against Marquette a week ago proved to be a strong indication of how good the new-look Terrapins’ have been. Maryland will look to carry over the momentum in their next game against Villanova on Sunday in Newark.

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Former Maryland high school and George Washington star Jonquel Jones has won the WNBA Finals MVP while leading the New York Liberty to their first-ever WNBA championship, defeating the Minnesota Lynx in a thrilling five-game series.

The 6’6 center is a former top recruit in high school while attending Riverdale Baptist High School, located in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. She was viewed as the best player in the state while drawing several college offers from all over the nation.

Jones had a star-studded collegiate career playing at George Washington University under coach Jonathan Tsipis. After spending time with the Connecticut Sun, she requested a trade before being moved to the Liberty roster.

She arrived in New York in 2023, playing alongside fellow WNBA MVP Breanna Stewart and budding star Sabrina Ionescu. The trio reached the WNBA Finals in their first year together but fell short of the Las Vegas Aces. This season, the Liberty were not to be denied, avenging last year’s loss, beating the Aces in the Semifinals before topping the Lynx in the Finals.

Jones averaged 17.8 points on 56% shooting from the field and 7.6 rebounds. Her presence during the Finals carried the Lynx amid Stewart and Ionescu’s struggles.

After the win and receiving the trophy, Jones had this to say about the moment.

“I’m just really happy. I’m really just trying to take in the moment and just enjoy every aspect of it,” Jones said. “I’m just up here smiling, thanking Jesus and thanking my teammates.” 

Jones is one of the best players in the “W”. But her journey to this moment is an inspiring tale.

Becoming a national sensation in high school

Jones was born in the Bahamas’ second-largest city Freeport in 1994. Her first love was soccer, but her attention gradually shifted to basketball at the age of 12.

She expressed her desire to her mother to play basketball in high school and college in the United States. Thus, Jones turned one of her mentors, current Ole Miss head coach Yollet McPhee, a fellow Freeport native, who played basketball in college at Rhode Island.

McPhee’s guidance led Jones to Riverdale Baptist. After arriving at Riverdale Baptist, she clung to coach Diane Richardson. Richardson went over the game film with Jones and pointed out which players to study to improve her game.

Jones became a national sensation at Riverdale Baptist. She led the Crusaders to a 35-2 record during her senior year, winning a National Christian High School championship.

She averaged 15.7 points and 15.6 rebounds as a senior. Jones was named the Maryland Gatorade Player of the Year. She was also the Washington Post All-Met Player of the Year. ESPN ranked her the nation’s No. 17 player and rated her as a five-star recruit with a 96 overall scout grade.

Jonquel Jones thrives at George Washington

Jonquel Jones committed to Clemson. She spent one year with the Tigers, averaging 8.8 points and 10.0 rebounds per game. However, after one season at Clemson, she transferred to George Washington.

Jones rejoined Richardson after her former high school coach received an assistant coach job with the Colonials.

With Richardson by her side, Jones soared at GW. She blossomed by showcasing her ability to score and rebound at a high clip. During her 2015 junior year, Jones earned Atlantic-10 Player of the Year and the A-10 Defensive Player of the Year. She paved the way for George Washington’s first A-10 tournament championship since 2003.

George Washington would win a second A-10 tournament title on the back of Jones the following year. Jones averaged a career-best 16.2 points and 14.6 rebounds en route to back-to-back conference tournament championships.

Following her stellar collegiate career, Jones entered the 2016 WNBA Draft. The Los Angeles Sparks selected her sixth overall before trading her draft rights to the Connecticut Sun.

Quickly became one of the best in the “W”

Jones developed into one of the best players in the W playing with the Suns. A year after her rookie season, she earned WNBA Most Improved Player while getting named to her first All-Star appearance.

In 2019, she led the Sun to the WNBA Finals. However, she and the Sun fell short to her hometown team, the Washington Mystics, in five games.

Following COVID, Jones won the 2021 WNBA MVP, leading the Sun to a league-best 26-6 record. She also received a nod to the All-Defensive First Team. She led the league with 11.2 rebounds per game and was fourth with 19.4 points per game.

Jones requested a trade from Connecticut after the 2022 season.

Road to Finals MVP

After joining the Liberty, Jones formed a dominant big three with Ionescu and Stewart. The trio led New York to back-to-back 32-8 records in 2023 and 2024 and two trips to the WNBA Finals. She averaged 15.2 points and 8.4 rebounds in the series loss to the Aces.

This season, Jones returned hungrier than ever, looking for her first title. She earned her fifth All-Star Game appearance and was named to the All-WNBA second team.

As the top seed, the Liberty rolled back to the Finals to meet the Lynx.

In Game 2, with the Liberty needing a win to even the series, Jones got to the line and banked a pair of free throws midway in the fourth quarter that extended New York’s lead, staving off a rally by the Lynx. Jones would score another bucket that helped spark a 14-0 run to close out the game for the Lynx.

In Game 3, the Liberty were down by four with two minutes remaining. Jones drained a wide-open three from the wing off a drive-and-kick by Leonie Feibich. Then she scored on a layup with 1:31 remaining, giving the Liberty the lead. Joens and Ionescu ran a screen action. Ionescu dumped the ball down into the paint to Jones.

The Lynx ultimately took Game 3 on the road to go up 2-1 in the series.

Jones clinched the Finals MVP, leading her team with 17 points in the deciding Game 5. She was New York’s only starter to shoot 50% from the floor.

Liberty head coach Sandy Brondello had this to say about Jones:

“I’m just really proud of JJ. I love coaching her. I just love her personality and how she brings it every single day. She was big for us, and it wasn’t a pretty game today… Usually, I don’t like to play her for 42 minutes, but she just stayed competing because that’s how important it was. She knew how she needed to help.”

The future Hall of Famer adds to her list of acclimates with a Finals win and the MVP.

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