By IlliniGuys Staff

February 17, 2024

Marcus Domask scored 19 in the Illini's 85-80 win at Maryland Saturday night to go over 2,000 points in his career. (Photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Marcus Domask put up a double-double with 19 points and 12 rebounds and surpassed the 2,000-point mark in his collegiate career as 14th ranked Illinois ended a 12-year drought in College Park and beat Maryland 85-80 Saturday night.

Terrence Shannon scored 27 points as Illinois (19-6, 10-4 in Big Ten) is now two games ahead of everyone but Purdue in the Big Ten standings, as Wisconsin lost at Iowa in overtime earlier in the day.

Illinois hadn't won at Xfinity Center since November 2011, when they beat the Terps in the ACC-Big 10 Challenge when Maryland was still a part of the ACC.  That would turn out to be Bruce Weber's last season in Champaign, meaning John Groce never won here (0-2) and Brad Underwood had struck out (0-3) until tonight.

Domask showed his toughness with a team-high 13 points in the first half despite a pair of shots to the face.  He took a hand to the face from Donta Scott and later stayed in the game despite an elbow from Julian Reese.  Both were considered 'no fouls' in the flow of play by the officiating crew and Domask had nothing but a shiner under his left eye to show for it.

The All-Big Ten candidate scored 1,615 points in his four seasons at Southern Illinois.  He's now scored 389 points with the Illini this season, hitting the 2,000 career mark with a short jumper with 13:51 left in the second half.  He's one of four current Big Ten players with 2,000 career points, joining Maryland's Jahmir Young, Purdue's Zach Edey, and Boo Buie of Northwestern.

Both teams went cold in the final minutes of the game and relied on the free throw line for their points.  With Illinois leading 60-51 with 10 minutes to play, the Illini went 4-of-13 from the field the rest of the way while Maryland was held to 4-of-17 in that same stretch.  Both teams were 15-of-16 on free throws during that time.

Coleman Hawkins added 14 points and Justin Harmon scored 10 off the bench for Illinois.

Maryland (14-12, 6-9) was led by Young with 28 points.

Illinois returns to action Wednesday night when they travel to Penn State to play the Nittany Lions in their cozy on-campus gym Rec Hall (5:30pm, BTN).  The Illini have split their last four games in State College.

Stay with IlliniGuys.com for more postgame coverage.