It quickly became evident on Thursday night that the Illinois Fighting Illini (13-17, 5-12) were no match for the No. 14 Maryland Terrapins (24-6, 12-5). The Orange and Blue had yet another sluggish start, failing to account for any points in the first six minutes of action. They managed to stick around, though, and entered halftime facing a mere 10-point deficit.
The Illini then proceeded to have one of their typical second halves. They were outscored 50-34 in the final 20 minutes of play, and even trailed by a staggering 30+ points for several minutes. Sophomore point guard Melo Trimble (18 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists) was the catalyst for this explosion from the Terrapins.