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Maryland decisively defeated No. 17 Illinois with a score of 91-70, marking Illinois’ third loss in their last four games. Julian Reese showcased an impressive performance, contributing 27 points and pulling down 17 rebounds, while Derik Queen added 25 points to lead the Terrapins to victory on Thursday night.
Ja’Kobi Gillespie and Selton Miguel supported the team’s effort with 15 and 14 points, respectively, helping Maryland improve to 15-5 overall and 5-4 in the Big Ten. This win represents their fourth victory in five games, with their only setback being a narrow loss to Northwestern.
For Illinois, who now holds a record of 13-6 and 5-4 in the conference, this defeat marked a troubling trend, as they have now lost consecutive games for the first time in two seasons.
Kasparas Jakucionis led the Illini with 21 points and seven assists, while Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn added 15 points. Kylan Boswell contributed with 14 points and nine rebounds, but the team’s performance was marred by 16 turnovers, which resulted in 27 points for Maryland.
Illinois struggled without their leading rebounder and second-highest scorer, 7-foot-1 Tomislav Ivisic, who missed the game due to strep throat.
Takeaways
Illinois faced significant challenges in the paint, where they were outscored 62-34 by Maryland. With Ivisic sidelined and backup Morez Johnson Jr. unable to make an impact, the Illini struggled to contain the dominant duo of Reese and Queen. Maryland also secured a narrow edge in rebounding, finishing with 40 to Illinois’ 36.
On the other hand, Maryland celebrated their first road win of the season, improving their overall record to 1-5 away from home while maintaining a strong 12-1 record at their home court.
Key moment
Maryland established control early, leading for nearly the entire first half and building a 10-point advantage at one point. Although they entered halftime with only a three-point lead, the Terrapins surged in the second half, outscoring the Illini 53-35.
Key stat
Illinois struggled from beyond the arc, making just 6 of 28 three-point attempts against Maryland. This follows a disappointing performance where they shot 5-for-24 in a close loss to Michigan State.
Up next
Looking ahead, Illinois will host Northwestern on Sunday, while Maryland travels to face Indiana on the same day.
