The Terps advanced to the conference semifinals.
No. 2-seed Maryland men’s basketball didn’t play in the first two rounds of the Big Ten Tournament after earning a double-bye.
But that didn’t slow down the Terps, who steamrolled No. 7-seed Illinois on Friday evening, 88-65. Maryland poured in 57 first-half points and never looked back. Now, it awaits No. 3-seed Michigan in Saturday’s semifinals.
Here are three takeaways from the game.
A sensational first-half run
Maryland didn’t start particularly strong — nor did Illinois. The Terps opened 0-of-3 from the field, while the Illini weren’t much better at 1-of-4. But that changed quickly, thanks to Rodney Rice.
The sophomore transfer has delivered momentum-shifting moments throughout the season, but Friday, he took over a role usually filled by Selton Miguel. Rice ignited an 11-point solo run, draining three straight 3-pointers.
Before that run, he had set the tone early with a triple, Maryland’s first of the game.
By the time his scoring flurry ended, the Terps led by 12 points. But they didn’t stop there, outscoring Illinois 35-21 for the remainder of the half. Derik Queen asserted himself on the glass, drawing multiple and-1s that sent Illinois big man Tomislav Ivisic into foul trouble.
Rice carried that confidence into the second half, finishing 7-of-9 from three — including a memorable shot where he briefly grabbed his leg before getting up and firing from deep.
Maryland’s confidence hit a season-high Friday — at the perfect time.
Solid bench contributions
While Maryland’s patented ‘Crab Five’ starting lineup garners much of the attention, the bench delivered one of its best performances of the season.
Leading the charge was Jordan Geronimo, who ended the regular season on a high note and carried that momentum into Friday’s game. The fifth-year forward made an immediate impact, sinking a hook shot and following it up with a rare 3-pointer — just his second make of the season. But his influence extended beyond scoring. Geronimo notched a team-high five steals, showcasing his defensive versatility inside and on the perimeter.
The lopsided score allowed Maryland to clear its bench with about seven minutes remaining. While Tafara Gapare was the only other bench player to score (four points), the reserves made their presence felt defensively.
DeShawn Harris-Smith and Jay Young provided quality minutes in the backcourt, disrupting Illinois’ flow — particularly limiting Kasparas Jakucionis’ effectiveness.
A defensive masterclass
Though Jakucionis and Will Riley both finished with 15 points, Maryland’s defense made them work for every bucket. The duo combined to shoot just 10-of-23 from the field and committed seven turnovers.
As a team, Illinois turned the ball over 17 times — just one shy of its season high — thanks to Maryland’s aggressive defense. The Terps clogged passing lanes all night, with seven of their 12 steals coming from frontcourt players.
Maryland also neutralized Ivisic, holding him to just four points in 16 minutes, and forced Illinois to settle for outside shots after building a big lead, leading to a woeful 6-of-27 performance from beyond the arc.
Perhaps most impressive, Maryland proved it can win games on both ends of the floor. The Terps dominated in every phase Friday.