Maryland destroys Illinois 88-65 to move onto Big Ten Tournament semifinals
The Maryland Terrapins destroyed the Illinois Fighting Illini 88-65 in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals on Friday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Rodney Rice went off for a game-high 26 points, while Derik Queen racked up 19 points and 10 rebounds as Maryland used a 57-point first half to bury Illinois and secure a berth in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals.
It was a impressive performance on both ends of the floor as the Terrapins shot 47.8 percent from 3-point territory and racked up 30 points in the paint, in addition to forcing 17 turnovers in the runaway win. Illinois was hoping to reach the Big Ten Tournament championship game for a second season in a row before being eliminated in blowout fashion.
Maryland has now won 12 out of the last 14 games as they continue to look like a legitimate national championship contender with the NCAA Tournament approaching in the coming days. The Terrapins are headed to the Big Ten Tournament semifinals for just the third time since joining the conference more than a decade ago after doing so in 2015 and 2016.
“We're sixth in the country in defense. We've been really, really consistent defensively. These guys listen to our schemes and they understand our schemes,” Maryland head coach Kevin Willard said following the 88-65 win. The Terrapins improved to 25-7 with the victory as their defense continues to dominate, while Illinois dropped to 21-12 after the loss.
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