INDIANAPOLIS — Rodney Rice put on an impressive display, scoring 26 points, while Derik Queen contributed significantly with 19 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. This led No. 11 Maryland to a commanding 88-65 victory over No. 24 Illinois on Friday night in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tournament.
With this decisive win, the Terrapins, who now hold a 25-7 record, are set to take on the victor of the late quarterfinal match between Michigan and Purdue in the semifinals.
Further aiding Maryland’s triumph, Ja’Kobi Gillespie added 12 points and delivered nine assists, while Jordan Geronimo and Julian Reese scored 11 and 10 points respectively.
On the Illinois side, Kasparas Jakucionis and Will Riley each tallied 15 points, and Kylan Boswell contributed 14 points. Despite their efforts, they were unable to keep pace with Maryland’s high-powered offense.
A significant moment came when Geronimo made a 3-pointer, completing a 13-0 run that set the score at 29-10 in favor of Maryland. By the end of the first half, the Terrapins extended their advantage, leading 57-31 after closing the half with an eight-point surge.
The lead ballooned to as many as 36 points, as Maryland pushed the score to 84-48 with just under 10 minutes left in the game.
Key takeaways from the match show that Maryland maintained offensive efficiency and minimized errors, giving up only three turnovers. In stark contrast, Illinois committed 17 turnovers, which Maryland capitalized on, resulting in a 22-0 differential in points off turnovers.
Illinois found themselves struggling offensively early on, managing only 10 points in the first nine and a half minutes, a stark contrast to their previous 106-94 victory over Iowa.
A pivotal sequence saw Rice initiating the crucial 13-0 run with a 3-pointer, effectively increasing Maryland’s lead. What stood out statistically was Maryland’s impressive 17-0 advantage in points off turnovers during the first half, with Illinois turning over the ball 11 times while Maryland remained earnest in their ball control.
The next chapter for Maryland unfolds as they prepare for the semifinal clash against either Purdue or Michigan on Saturday. Meanwhile, Illinois will have to wait until Sunday to learn of their seeding in the NCAA Tournament.
