COLLEGE PARK, Md. — Maryland's game against No. 17 Illinois provided a breath of fresh air.
The Terps got good news before tip-off Friday, as Fighting Illini center Kofi Cockburn was ruled out with a concussion. Without the preseason All-American who tormented Maryland with 23 points and 18 rebounds in the first meeting, Illinois was vulnerable.
The Terps took advantage.
With help from junior forward Donta Scott, Maryland attacked the paint at will and delivered a steady offensive performance to secure a 81-65 upset win at the Xfinity Center.
After coming off the bench for the first time this season, Scott was a menace in the second half, scoring 15 of his game-high 25 points. With the Terps (10-9, 2-6 Big Ten) clinging to a one-point lead with six minutes remaining in the second half, Scott scored five consecutive points to extend the advantage to 64-58.
With Maryland riding a 9-0 run with 24 seconds left, Scott threw the ball to junior Hakim Hart (10 points, three assists), who raced down the floor for a one-handed dunk that solidified a much-needed victory. By winning its 48th straight game when scoring 80-plus points, Maryland ended a two-game slide and stayed above .500 under interim coach Danny Manning.
Entering Friday, the question surrounding the Terps was whether they could play a consistent 40 minutes. In a grueling 83-64 loss to Michigan on Tuesday, Maryland scored just 19 points in the first half before coming alive for 45 in the second.
On Friday night, Maryland attacked the paint at will, shooting 52.8% from the field and outscoring Illinois 40-16 in the paint.
The Terps took advantage of Cockburn’s absence early, scoring eight of their first 15 points in the paint. With Maryland trailing by three, Scott attacked the rim for a layup and a three-point play to even the score at 15 with 14:11 remaining in the half.
Even with Maryland shooting close to 70% from the field early in the game, Illinois stayed within striking distance thanks to impressive shooting from guard Alfonso Plummer, who scored eight quick points, including a pair of 3-pointers.
With Maryland trailing by one, graduate transfer guard Fatts Russell (15 points, seven rebounds) dribbled across half court and turned on the jets, speeding towards the basket for a layup to give the Terps a 22-21 advantage. But Plummer quickly responded, burying another 3-pointer to give Illinois a two-point lead with under eight minutes remaining in the first half.
Maryland trailed 29-27 with five minutes remaining in the first when junior forward Qudus Wahab scored six straight points, including a two-handed put-back slam, to give the Terps a four-point lead.
Plummer tied the score at 35 after hitting his fourth 3-pointer of the first half, but Hart’s steal and dunk at the other end allowed the Terps to enter the break with a 37-35 lead.
Illinois caught fire in the second half, using a 7-0 run to take a 45-40 advantage. The Fighting Illini, who entered the game as the third-best 3-point shooting team in the Big Ten (38.1%), got a pair of 3s from Plummer and Frazier during that stretch.
Frazier kept the hot hand, knocking down another three to give Illinois a 48-42 lead with 16 minutes remaining in the first half. Then the Terps came to life.
With the shot clock winding down moments later, freshman Julian Reese (St. Frances) nailed a contested 3-pointer to cut the deficit to one. After Illinois’ forward Jacob Grandison answered with a 3 of his own, Scott and Russell converted back-to-back baskets to tie the game at 51 with 13:02 remaining in the game.
Fans began pounding on the red seats inside Xfinity Center when Reese nailed his second three of the evening to give the Terps a 57-58 lead. After Illinois guard Andre Curbelo converted a midrange jumper, Reese delivered a pass to a cutting Eric Ayala (nine points) for a layup, allowing Maryland to regain a one-point lead with 7:05 left.
Scott made sure the Terps maintained that lead. He scored nine points in less than two minutes, extending Maryland’s advantage to 70-63 with 3:23 to go.
Maryland’s defense made it hard for Illinois to mount a comeback in the closing minutes. The Fighting Illini missed their last seven shot attempts, while Hart and Russell combined for seven steals to help deliver a much-needed win.
