Varun Ram, the popular reserve guard for the Maryland men's basketball team who made one of the Terps' biggest plays last season, announced Friday that he will return for his final year of eligibility.
On Friday afternoon, he tweeted: "excited to say that I'll be back to play for this great university one more year #notsureifyoucare #butstill"
An athletic department spokesman confirmed that Ram will be returning.
Asked why he decided to return, Ram said: "I want to further my education and pursue a graduate degree. I also want to continue to be around this great Maryland program and help it in anyway that I can."
The River Hill graduate came in for the last 13.7 seconds of Maryland's second-round NCAA tournament win over Valparaiso, and helped preserve the team's 65-62 victory by stripping Crusaders guard Keith Carter as he went up for a corner 3-pointer.
The 5-foot-9 point guard started his college career at Trinity College, a Division III school in Connecticut, but transferred as a walk-on to Maryland in 2012-13 and sat out the season. He eventually earned a scholarship.
Ram has played sparingly for most of his two seasons, particularly last season, when freshman Melo Trimble led the Terps in minutes played. Maryland is bringing in another point guard next season, junior-college recruit Jaylen Brantley.
Ram will graduate this spring with a nearly perfect GPA in a double major of neurobiology and physiology.
Maryland coach Mark Turgeon could not be reached for comment.