BREAKING: Maryland dominates No. 17 Illinois, scores massive road win in Big Ten
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Maryland desperately needed to come out and make a statement on the road against No. 17 Illinois on Thursday night, and that's exactly what the Terrapins did. The Terps got off to a good start in the first half and took a 10-4 lead early, until Illinois fought its way back and went on 7-0 run to take an 11-10 lead. But unlike previous road contests, the Terrapins looked comfortable and in control in a hostile environment. Although Illinois is a solid defensive team, the Terrapins produced 22 points off 11 layups in the first 18 minutes of play, highlighting just how effective - and aggressive - the Terps were in the paint.
Maryland led by as much as 10 points in the first half, but Illinois closed the gap and the Terrapins eventually took a 38-35 lead into the half. Julian Reese and Derik Queen got off to a solid start on the inside, combining for 25 of the Terrapins' first 34 points. By halftime, Reese had 14 points and nine rebounds, while Queen had 13 points and four rebounds (along with three steals).
DQ 🤝 Juju
— Maryland Men’s Basketball (@TerrapinHoops) January 24, 2025
44 combined points and counting for tonight's dynamic duo. pic.twitter.com/93qFYRNADn
In the second half, the Terrapins continued their aggressive style of play - particuarly on the defensive side of the ball. Maryland forced several turnovers early, leading to points and extending the lead to 11 points with 14 minutes left. Offensively, the Terps continued to hammer away at the Fighting Illini in the paint. Much like the first half, Reese and Queen would not be denied.
After another small rally by Illinois, junior point guard Ja'Kobi Gillespie hit the Terps first three of the night with 12 minutes to go in the second half, setting the stage for another Maryland run. With two minutes left in the second half, the lead had ballooned to 20 points. By the time the clock hit 0:00, the Terrapins had secured their first road victory since Feb, 25, 2024 - defeating No. 17 Illinois by a score of 91-70. More importantly
Noteworthy:
- Finishing with 27 points (career high) and 17 rebounds, Julian Reese notched his 30 career double-double, good for 8th most in program history.
- Reese and Queen combined for 52 points, 23 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 assists and 3 blocks
- Maryland scored 62 points in the paint, the most points in the paint of any Big Ten game this season
- Maryland's 62 points in the paint were the most points in the paint for the Terps in over six years (Nov. 5 2019)
- Enjoy more Maryland coverage on Maryland Terrapins On SI -
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Christopher Breiler launched Winged Helmet Media and began covering the Michigan Football program in an unofficial capacity in 2017. He then joined Wolverine Digest as part of the FanNation network in 2021 as a contributing writer, where he served as both a writer and a photographer on game days. In 2024, he took over as the Managing Editor for Michigan Wolverines On SI. In January of 2025, he took over as Publisher for Maryland On SI. His love for Michigan Football brought him into the industry, and his passion for being a content creator has led to some amazing experiences along the way.
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