CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — In an exciting matchup on Thursday night, Maryland triumphed over No. 17 Illinois with a commanding score of 91-70, thanks to standout performances from Julian Reese and Derik Queen. Reese made an impressive contribution with 27 points and 17 rebounds, while Queen added 25 points to the Terrapins’ tally.
Ja’Kobi Gillespie and Selton Miguel also made significant contributions for Maryland (15-5, 5-4 Big Ten), scoring 15 and 14 points, respectively. This victory marks the Terrapins’ fourth win in their last five games, the only setback being a narrow defeat to Northwestern at the buzzer.
For Illinois (13-6, 5-4), Kasparas Jakucionis shined with 21 points and seven assists, while Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn contributed 15 points. However, the Illini faced challenges as they marked their third loss in four games, suffering consecutive defeats for the first time in two seasons. Kylan Boswell also pitched in with 14 points and nine rebounds.
The game took a toll on Illinois, who turned the ball over 16 times, allowing Maryland to capitalize with 27 points off those turnovers. The Illini were missing a key player, their leading rebounder and second highest scorer, the 7-foot-1 Tomislav Ivisic, who was out due to strep throat.
For Illinois, the absence of Ivisic, along with the ineffective performance of backup Morez Johnson Jr., left them struggling to handle the dominant scoring of Reese and Queen. Maryland demonstrated sheer strength in the paint, outpacing Illinois 62-34 and securing a 40-36 advantage on the boards.
This victory was especially important for the Terrapins as it marked their first win on the road this season, moving their record away from home to 1-5 while maintaining a strong 12-1 record on their home court.
As the game unfolded, Maryland maintained control for nearly the entire first half. Although they led by as much as 10 points, the Terrapins went into the halftime locker room with only a three-point advantage. They exploded in the second half, outscoring the Illini 53-35.
Notably, Illinois struggled significantly with their three-point shooting, going 5 for 24 in a previous two-point loss to Michigan State and managing only 6 for 28 against Maryland, which hindered their chances of closing the gap.
Looking ahead, Illinois will host Northwestern on Sunday, while Maryland will travel to face Indiana on the same day. The teams are eager to bounce back and improve their standings in the competitive Big Ten conference.
