By IlliniGuys Staff

January 14, 2024

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Marcus Domask scored a team-high 26 points, but 10th ranked Illinois went ice cold in the second half to allow visiting Maryland to take control of the game and pull off a rare road win with a 76-67 upset Sunday afternoon in State Farm Center.

Marcus Domask (3) led Illinois with 26 points, but managed just six in the final 6:00 of the game Sunday against Maryland (photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

Illinois (13-4, 3-2) missed 19 of its first 22 shots from the field after halftime and ended up shooting just 23 percent (9-of-40) in the second half overall.

The Illini become just the latest elite team to fall to the upset bug this week.  Eight of the Associated Press' top ten ranked teams have lost to unranked opponents since Monday.

Illinois built an early 20-11 lead on a Quincy Guerrier three-pointer, but could never expand that edge to double digits as the Terrapins continually found their way inside for buckets.  For the game, Maryland enjoyed a 52-26 advantage on points in the paint.  All-Big Ten guard Jahmir Young scored 12 points in the first half to help pull the Terps, who were just 1-12 in conference road games under coach Kevin Willard to within 39-37 at halftime.

Young and Julian Reese scored early baskets in the second half for Maryland, but Domask answered with a three-pointer to give the Illini a 42-41 lead.  But that would be one of only three Illinois field goals in the opening 13 minutes of the final half.  By the time Domask scored again with a layup at the 6:20 mark, Maryland had taken a 61-55 lead. Illinois didn't hit another three-pointer, going just 1-of-14 from outside the arc after halftime.

Luke Goode added 13 points, but no other Illini hit more than two field goals as Illinois combined for just 8-of-35 shooting for the game.

Young finished with a game-high 28 points for Maryland (11-6, 3-3), while Reese ended with 20 points and 11 rebounds.

Illinois now sits two games behind front runner Wisconsin, dropping into a five-team scrum with teams that have two losses in Big Ten play.  The Illini return to action Thursday night at Michigan (7:30pm, FS1), likely their sixth game without leading scorer and All-American candidate Terrence Shannon Jr.  The Chicago native awaits word from a federal court judge after Friday's hearing in Springfield on his request to force Illinois to lift its zero tolerance suspension.  Shannon is expected to enter a not guilty plea in a Douglas County, Kansas courtroom this Thursday to a rape charge.

Stay with IlliniGuys.com for complete postgame coverage.