The Terps look for another ranked win.
Maryland men’s basketball snapped its three-game losing streak Wednesday against Iowa, and will now look to defeat No. 14 Illinois for the second time this season on Saturday.
With a revamped starting lineup that included Mady Traroe and Jahari Long, the Terps fell into an 11-point deficit 15 minutes into the first half. However, Maryland flipped a switch midway through the second half. Iowa’s 10-point lead was shaved to nothing in less than five minutes.
In the final six minutes, Maryland outscored Iowa 18-6, shooting 57.1% from the field and 50% from three in the second half.
The Terps will look to carry this momentum into Saturday’s game, which will start at 5:30 p.m. ET and air on FOX.
What happened last time
Maryland first played Illinois on Jan. 14, when the Fighting Illini were ranked No. 10 in the country.
The Terps got off to a sluggish start, trailing by nine less than nine minutes in, but they battled back to cut the deficit to two by halftime despite going 2-of-12 from three in the half.
In the second half, the Terps shot just five threes — making two of them — and attacked the rim relentlessly, eventually closing the game out in the final seconds to secure a 76-67 victory.
Jahmir Young and Julian Reese each dominated in their own regard. Young finished with 28 points and eight assists, while Reese totaled 20 points on 50% shooting from the field and 11 rebounds.
Marcus Domask dropped 26 points, but only one other Illinois player (Luke Goode) scored double-digit points, as the Illini shot 22.5% from the field and 7.1% from three in the second half.
The game marked Maryland’s 11th win of the year and Illinois’ fourth loss.
What’s happened since
Maryland’s win over Illinois seemed to be a turning point for the team at the time, but since Jan. 14, the Terps are 3-5, losing to some of the Big Ten’s worst.
On Jan. 17, Maryland lost to Northwestern, 72-69, and on Jan. 21, it lost to Michigan State, 61-59, foreshadowing its ineptitude to close out games.
However, two wins followed: a 69-67 win over Iowa and a 73-51 rout of Nebraska, in which players other than Young and Reese also stepped up, namely Jamie Kaiser Jr. and Long.
But then a three-game losing streak followed, including a double-overtime loss to Ohio State, 75-71.
The Terps are coming off a win, but the last two weeks have been a struggle.
On the other hand, Illinois bounced back appropriately following its loss to Maryland, winning six of its next eight games.
The Illini found themselves in two overtime games during this stretch, dropping the first one to Northwestern, 96-91, but winning the second over Nebraska, 87-84.
Domask has continued his ascension since torching the Terps. He is one of three Illinois players to start all 24 games, averaging 15.4 points and a team-high 3.4 assists per game.
Three things to watch
1. Terrence Shannon Jr. is back. Illinois star guard Terrence Shannon Jr. did not play against the Terps earlier this season, but should be on the court Saturday. This season, he is averaging a team-high 21.1 points — which ranks second in the Big Ten — 4.2 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game.
2. Harris-Smith off the bench. In his second game coming off the bench, Maryland freshman DeShawn Harris-Smith had his best game against Big Ten competition, recording 17 points, six rebounds and three assists in 32 minutes. After a relatively ineffective month of play, Harris-Smith may have found a fitting role as Maryland’s sixth man.
3. NCAA Tournament implications. Maryland is hanging on to its NCAA Tournament hopes for dear life, most likely needing to win the rest of its final six games to even be in the conversation. With Illinois presenting one of two ranked opponents remaining, a win could go a long way.