After an exciting win against Nebraska this past Sunday, Illinois traveled to Minneapolis to face off against Maryland. Unfortunately for the Illini, they were unable to continue their season further after a 10-point loss. Their strong start was not enough to hold the Terrapins back, and, despite their intense efforts, they fell powerless in the second half and let the game slip out of their hands.
For one final time, head coach Shauna Green stuck with the familiar starting five. Senior guard Genesis Bryant, senior guard Makira Cook, junior guard Adalia McKenzie, fifth-year center Camille Hobby and senior forward Kendall Bostic all took to the court to begin their Big Ten tournament journey.
Illinois turned the ball over on the first possession of the game but soon got it back to Hobby for the first points. Bryant drove to the hoop for a layup next with some help from a screen by Hobby, but Maryland responded with a three-pointer.
The Illini found a rhythm early, starting 4-5 from the field. They went on a 10-2 scoring run over the Terrapins, tightening up on defense and shooting smoothly on offense. The Illini took a 13-point lead, towering over the Terrapins at 20-7.
Maryland struggled to finish its shots while Illinois worked well to get the ball inside the paint for easy points. Maryland went scoreless in the final two minutes of the quarter, and Illinois had its largest lead at 14 going into the second quarter (24-10). The Illini shot 69% from the field in the first quarter.
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The second quarter proved to be drastically different for the Illini. They made two free throws just two minutes into the quarter but went on another two-minute scoring drought while the Terrapins inched closer on each possession. Maryland heated up from behind the arc and profited off fast-break opportunities. Not only that, but the Terrapins were forceful with their efforts while the Illini committed errors, leaving the Terrapins wide open for good looks.
At the half, Maryland fought its way back to cut the lead to two points. Illinois led 37-35, but only shot 40% from the field in the second quarter — a much larger contrast from the first quarter.
Bostic kicked off the third quarter with a three-pointer, demonstrating her versatility on the court once again. The Terrapins responded well to the Illini’s elite plays, scoring each time the Illini advanced their lead. Illinois returned to a nine-point lead with about seven minutes left in the quarter (48-39). However, Maryland quickened its pace and continued to catch up, and Illinois went scoreless for another two minutes.
The nine-point lead quickly shifted, and the Illini only scored one time in the final five minutes of the quarter. Contrastingly, the Terrapins sank shot after shot, closing out the quarter with an 11-0 run, leading 55-50 over the Illini going into the final quarter.
As Maryland began with the upper hand in the last 10 minutes of the game, it continued displaying elite playmaking skills to maintain the lead. The Terrapins thrived off second-chance opportunities and reached a lead of eight points at the 6:30 mark of the quarter (63-55).
The Illini started getting their flow back and cut the lead to four points, but their efforts were not enough to reach the Terrapins. In the final few minutes of the game, frustration was growing. Illinois was called for multiple fouls, and Maryland continued to gain points from its possessions.
With two minutes left of the game, Maryland led 70-63. Illinois turned the ball over a few times and was unable to let its shots fall, ultimately leading to a defeat. The game concluded with Maryland on top 75-65, and Illinois ending its 2023-24 season.
@tess_eken
