No. 17 Illinois Falls to Maryland 91-70
Illini Struggle Without Ivisic, Commit 16 Turnovers
No. 17 Illinois fell to Maryland 91-70 on Thursday night at State Farm Center in Champaign. Kasparas Jakucionis had 21 points and seven assists, and Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn scored 15 points for the Illini (13-6, 5-4 Big Ten), who lost for the third time in four games and dropped consecutive games for the first time in two seasons. Illinois committed 16 turnovers that led to 27 points for the Terrapins (15-5, 5-4).
The Illini’s Struggle to Replace Ivisic
The Illini were without leading rebounder and No. 2 scorer 7-1 Tomislav Ivisic, who was sidelined with strep throat. Backup Morez Johnson Jr. was ineffective, leaving the Illini with no answer for Maryland’s Julian Reese and Derik Queen.
Maryland’s Dominant Performance
Reese had 27 points and 17 rebounds, while Queen scored 25 points to lead the Terrapins. Ja’Kobi Gillespie added 15 points and Selton Miguel 14 for the Terrapins, who won for the fourth time in five games, with the lone loss a buzzer-beater by Northwestern. Maryland won their first road game of the season, improving to 1-5 on the road and 12-1 at home.
Takeaways
* Illinois struggled to replace Ivisic’s production, leading to a lack of depth and scoring punch.
* Maryland dominated the paint, outscoring Illinois 62-34.
* The Illini’s poor 3-point shooting continued, going 6 for 28 from distance.
Key Moment
Maryland led for all but 1:39 of the first half and was up by as many as 10 points. Leading by just three points at the break, Maryland outscored the Illini 53-35 in the second half.
Key Stat
Illinois’ struggles from beyond the arc continued, going 6 for 28 from 3-point range.
Up Next
Illinois hosts Northwestern on Sunday, while Maryland is at Indiana on Sunday.
Conclusion
The Illini’s loss marks their third in four games and their first consecutive losses in over two seasons. The team will need to regroup and find a way to overcome the absence of Ivisic, who is expected to return soon.
FAQs
* What was the final score?
+ Illinois 70, Maryland 91
* How many turnovers did Illinois commit?
+ 16
* Who led Maryland in scoring?
+ Julian Reese (27 points), Derik Queen (25 points)
* What is Illinois’ record in the Big Ten?
+ 5-4
* When do the Illini play next?
+ Sunday against Northwestern
