Anthony Cowan Jr. has been no stranger to big moments in his Maryland basketball career. But the senior point guard just one-upped all of them in East Lansing, Mich.
With the No. 9-ranked Terps trailing Michigan State 60-56 Feb. 15, Cowan slithered into the corner and buried a 3-pointer with 2:24 remaining, making it a one-point game. On Maryland’s very next possession, he pulled up late in the shot clock and buried another triple, giving the Terps a 62-60 lead. And after a defensive stop, he delivered the dagger from straight on, silencing a once-raucous Breslin Center crowd.
In all, the Terps closed the game on a 14-0 run, knocking off the Spartans 67-60 for their eighth consecutive win.
Maryland looked dominant early, leading Michigan State by as many as 15 points in the first half. But the Spartans made it a 39-31 game at halftime, then took the lead midway through the second period. Entering the final minutes, the Terps couldn’t buy a bucket and were leaking oil on defense. But sophomore center Jalen Smith took the lid off the basket with a triple from the elbow, then Cowan — who hadn’t yet scored in the second half — unleashed a barrage of epic proportions to propel his team to victory.
