The Terps never trailed by more than seven but couldn’t knock off the Fighting Illini.
When Maryland men’s basketball has needed a clutch bucket this season, the ball has been put in the hands of Jahmir Young.
The Terps trailed by one with three minutes left in Saturday’s game against No. 14 Illinois, and the ball was where they wanted it. Young sprinted out in transition and made his move to the hoop.
But the senior guard airmailed his attempt, leading to a cohesive gasp among the fans inside XFINITY Center.
The Fighting Illini then extended their lead to six in less than a minute, giving them the necessary cushion to pull out an 85-80 victory.
“That was a huge momentum shift… I mean, it’s tough,” Young said.
The Terps coming up just short was the theme of Saturday’s game. They never trailed by more than seven, but led for less than two minutes.
Every time Maryland made a run, Illinois had an answer. The Illini’s offense, which averages over 80 points per game, had its way all evening long, shooting 48% from the field. The Terps’ defense struggled to contain Terrence Shannon Jr. and Marcus Domask, who combined for 46 points.
“We were just not as sharp as we’ve been,” head coach Kevin Willard said. “We had our chances.”
Maryland put forth one of its best offensive performances of the season, making 26 of its 63 shots while committing just six turnovers. Young was spectacular with 28 points, and Julian Reese added 18 points and 11 rebounds.
In a day filled with emotions following the passing of legendary Maryland head coach Lefty Driesell, Maryland came out with an added sense of energy and urgency.
But so did the Illini, leading to an explosively entertaining opening half. The Illini connected on four triples in the opening minutes, but Maryland was also efficient. Both the Terps and Illini shot 50% from the field in the half.
Shannon Jr. and Domask combined for 24 points in the first half, and as a team, Illinois’ aggressiveness led to 16 free-throw attempts. Maryland conceded 43 points in the opening half, its second-highest allowed this season in Big Ten play (Michigan State, 44).
“[Maryland] is one the best defensive teams in the Big 10,” Illinois head coach Brad Underwood said. “To walk in here and score 85 points is great.”
Willard expressed disappointment in his team’s transition defense on Shannon, noting that there is where Illinois’ star does almost all of his damage.
The second half was defined by officiating, with the teams whistled for a combined 31 fouls. Each team had 20 free-throw attempts in the period, with Maryland making two fewer than Illinois.
34 of the game’s 84 second-half points came from the line.
“You give up 36 free throws, you’re gonna lose the game,” Willard said.
The difference in the result lied in Maryland’s shooting taking a slight dip from the opening 20 minutes. It shot just 34.3% from the field and missed seven of nine threes. Illinois shot over 46% from the field.
Three things to know
1. Illinois scored at will. All season long, Maryland’s defense has been its identity. But Saturday, that switched. It allowed over 40 points in each half for the first time this season, and its 85 points allowed was its worst mark of the season.
The Terps simply had no answer for Shannon Jr., who scored 27 points while making 14 free throws.
2. Young and Reese were dominant. On most evenings, Young and Reese combining for 46 points would be plenty given Maryland’s defensive prowess. Young finished with 27 points, nine assists and six rebounds. Reese recorded his fourth consecutive double-double.
3. Illinois earned a rare win in College Park. Underwood hadn’t ever won in XFINITY Center before Saturday’s game. Maryland had also taken eight of the previous 10 matchups.
“Finally nice I can check this one off. Only place I hadn’t won was here. Feels good to be able to do that,” Underwood said.