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Maryland men’s basketball can’t slow another Big Ten star in loss to No. 14 Illinois | TAKEAWAYS

Some water forced Donta Scott to come off the bench for Maryland men’s basketball for the first time in 74 games.

More specifically, a puddle in the tunnel inside Xfinity Center in College Park where players emerge took out the fifth-year senior forward during warmups before Saturday night’s eventual 85-80 loss to No. 14 Illinois.

Scott, who was expected to extend his program record of career starts to 140, was replaced at the last minute in the starting lineup by freshman Jamie Kaiser Jr. Scott subbed in for Kaiser just 1:32 into the first half with a brace on his left knee and finished with 17 points and five rebounds in 33:17.

Terps coach Kevin Willard said the fall impacted Scott, who last came off the bench on Jan. 21, 2022, against the Fighting Illini.

“I think it took him a little time to get going because I think he had a little shock due to the fact that he wiped out in the tunnel,” he said. “We had to have the doctor clear him. And then you’ve got to make sure that he’s OK and make sure that he’s able to play. They tested him back here. But I think when he got in, if you watch, he just was a little hesitant. He gave up two threes, but once he got going, he was the Donta that’s really been Donta over the last two months.”

Here are three observations from Saturday night’s setback.

Illinois pounced on Maryland’s transition defense

Before Saturday, the Terps’ worst showing in transition this winter occurred Jan. 21 when Michigan State ran up a 14-3 advantage in fast break points. On Saturday, the Fighting Illini (19-6, 10-4 Big Ten) dominated Maryland, 19-2, in that department.

The disparity was particularly noticeable in the second half. Illinois held off the Terps (14-12, 6-9) by outscoring them, 15-0, in fast break points.

In the second half, fifth-year senior shooting guard Terrence Shannon Jr. scored 16 of his team-high 27 points, and senior power forward Coleman Hawkins scored nine of his 14 points. Fighting Illini coach Brad Underwood said the coaches reinforced turning defensive rebounds into fast break chances.

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    Feb. 17, 2024: Maryland mens basketball head coach Kevin Willard...

    Feb. 17, 2024: Maryland mens basketball head coach Kevin Willard talks to Maryland forward Julian Reese in the second half of a men’s basketball game against Illinois at the Xfinity Center on Saturday. Maryland wears throwback uniforms in memory of former head coach Lefty Driesell. The Hall of Famer died today at 92. (Kim Hairston/Staff)

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    Maryland guard DeShawn Harris-Smith in the second half a men’s...

    Maryland guard DeShawn Harris-Smith in the second half a men’s basketball game against Illinois at the Xfinity Center on Saturday. Maryland wears throwback uniforms in memory of former head coach Lefty Driesell. The Hall of Famer died today at 92. (Kim Hairston/Staff)

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    Maryland guard Jahmir Young in the first half of a...

    Maryland guard Jahmir Young in the first half of a men’s basketball game against Illinois at the Xfinity Center on Saturday. Maryland wears throwback uniforms in memory of former head coach Lefty Driesell. The Hall of Famer died today at 92. (Kim Hairston/Staff)

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    Maryland guard Jahmir Young on the free throw line in...

    Maryland guard Jahmir Young on the free throw line in the first half of a men’s basketball game against Illinois at the Xfinity Center on Saturday. Maryland wears throwback uniforms in memory of former head coach Lefty Driesell. The Hall of Famer died today at 92. (Kim Hairston/Staff)

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    Maryland guard Jahari Long shots for three in the second...

    Maryland guard Jahari Long shots for three in the second half of a men’s basketball game against Illinois at the Xfinity Center on Saturday. Maryland wears throwback uniforms in memory of former head coach Lefty Driesell. The Hall of Famer died today at 92. (Kim Hairston/Staff)

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    Maryland guard Jahmir Young Illinois guard/forwards Quincy Guerrier.and Marcus Domask...

    Maryland guard Jahmir Young Illinois guard/forwards Quincy Guerrier.and Marcus Domask in the second half of a men’s basketball game at the Xfinity Center on Saturday. Maryland wears throwback uniforms in memory of former head coach Lefty Driesell. The Hall of Famer died today at 92. (Kim Hairston/Staff)

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    Illinois guard/forward Marcus Domask defends Maryland guard Jahmir Young in...

    Illinois guard/forward Marcus Domask defends Maryland guard Jahmir Young in the second half of a men’s basketball game at the Xfinity Center on Saturday. Maryland wears throwback uniforms in memory of former head coach Lefty Driesell. The Hall of Famer died today at 92. (Kim Hairston/Staff)

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    Illinois guard Justin Harmon watches as Maryland guard DeShawn Harris-Smith...

    Illinois guard Justin Harmon watches as Maryland guard DeShawn Harris-Smith scores under pressure from Illinois guard/forward Ty Rodgers in the second half of a men’s basketball game at the Xfinity Center on Saturday. Maryland wears throwback uniforms in memory of former head coach Lefty Driesell. The Hall of Famer died today at 92. (Kim Hairston/Staff)

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    Maryland mens basketball head coach Kevin Willard talks to guard...

    Maryland mens basketball head coach Kevin Willard talks to guard Jahmir Young in the second half of a men’s basketball game against Illinois at the Xfinity Center on Saturday. Maryland wears throwback uniforms in memory of former head coach Lefty Driesell. The Hall of Famer died today at 92. (Kim Hairston/Staff)

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    Maryland mens basketball head coach Kevin Willard after calling a...

    Maryland mens basketball head coach Kevin Willard after calling a time out in the second half of a men’s basketball game against Illinois at the Xfinity Center on Saturday. (Kim Hairston/Staff)

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    Maryland mens basketball head coach Kevin Willard reacts late in...

    Maryland mens basketball head coach Kevin Willard reacts late in the second half of a men’s basketball game against Illinois at the Xfinity Center on Saturday. (Kim Hairston/Staff)

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    Illinois guard/forward Marcus Domask gives up possession under pressure from...

    Illinois guard/forward Marcus Domask gives up possession under pressure from Maryland guards Jahmir Young and DeShawn Harris-Smith in the first half of a men’s basketball game at the Xfinity Center on Saturday. Maryland wears throwback uniforms in memory of former head coach Lefty Driesell. The Hall of Famer died today at 92. (Kim Hairston/Staff)

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    Maryland guard DeShawn Harris-Smith moves around teammate forward Julian Reese...

    Maryland guard DeShawn Harris-Smith moves around teammate forward Julian Reese as Illinois guard/forward Marcus Domask makes contact in the first half a men’s basketball at the Xfinity Center on Saturday. Maryland wears throwback uniforms in memory of former head coach Lefty Driesell. The Hall of Famer died today at 92. (Kim Hairston/Staff)

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    Feb. 17, 2024: The crowd at Maryland holds up the...

    Feb. 17, 2024: The crowd at Maryland holds up the “V” sign in tribute to former Maryland men’s basketball head coach Lefty Driesell is displayed before the game between Illinois and Maryland at the Xfinity Center on Saturday. The Hall of Famer died today at 92. (Kim Hairston/Staff)

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    An image of former Maryland men’s basketball head coach Lefty...

    An image of former Maryland men’s basketball head coach Lefty Driesell is displayed before the game between Illinois and Maryland at the Xfinity Center on Saturday. The Hall of Famer died today at 92. (Kim Hairston/Staff)

  • Image may be NSFW.
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    The crowd at Maryland holds up the “V” sign in...

    The crowd at Maryland holds up the “V” sign in tribute to former Maryland men’s basketball head coach Lefty Driesell is displayed before the game between Illinois and Maryland at the Xfinity Center on Saturday. The Hall of Famer died today at 92. (Kim Hairston/Staff)

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    An image of former Maryland men’s basketball head coach Lefty...

    An image of former Maryland men’s basketball head coach Lefty Driesell is displayed before the game between Illinois and Maryland at the Xfinity Center on Saturday. The Hall of Famer died today at 92. (Kim Hairston/Staff)

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“I think we gained a little bit from watching the Iowa game,” he said of the Hawkeyes’ 78-66 loss to Maryland Wednesday night. “Iowa got some easy baskets against them in transition. We really emphasize it. It’s what we try to do. When we quit fouling and get some stops, we can really get out and run, and that’s where Terrence is elite and Coleman as well.”

The Terps grabbed 10 offensive rebounds in the second half and turned them into 10 second-chance points. But fifth-year senior point guard Jahmir Young acknowledged that Illinois’ defense stiffened later in the period.

“They limited us to one shot, and they got the ball out quick,” he said. “Shannon is one of the fastest players in the country. He’s a tank downhill. And it wasn’t just him. For the most part, I feel like that’s what hurt us, and that’s what cost us the game.”

The game turned on a missed layup

Trailing 74-73 with about three minutes left in the second half, Maryland appeared poised to regain its first lead since late in the first half. After Shannon missed a 3-point shot, Young collected the rebound and took off for a fast break opportunity.

But Illinois graduate student guard Marcus Domask contested Young’s layup attempt, which was off-target. Graduate student shooting guard Justin Harmon passed the ball to Shannon, who fed Hawkins for a dunk. He was also fouled by Scott and completed the three-point play to give the Fighting Illini a 77-73 lead that they would not relinquish.

Underwood called Domask’s ability to harass Young without fouling him “a big momentum play,” and Young agreed.

“That was definitely the biggest play of the game, and it was a momentum shift,” he said. “We’ve got to do a better job in the future of being able to bounce back from that.”

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Maryland guard Jahmir Young in the first half of a men's basketball game against Illinois at the Xfinity Center on Saturday. Maryland wears throwback uniforms in memory of former head coach Lefty Driesell. The Hall of Famer died today at 92. (Kim Hairston/Staff)
Maryland guard Jahmir Young looks for his options in the first half Saturday against Illinois. (Kim Hairston/Staff)

Naturally, many of the fans voiced their displeasure with the officials for not calling a fall on Domask on the play, and Willard said he thought Young was fouled “about 12 times” without getting calls. Young didn’t disagree with his coach.

“Refs are human,” he said. “So they’re going to miss calls or make calls. So I can’t really speak on the refs. They did the best they could, but I definitely feel like I got hit. I’m sure a couple Illinois guys feel like they got hit as well. It’s just how the game goes, and I’ve just got to go with it.”

Maryland can’t contain another Big Ten star

The Terps have labored against some of the conference’s top players such as Purdue center Zach Edey (23 points and 12 rebounds), Northwestern point guard Boo Buie (20 points, seven assists and four rebounds), and Michigan State’s Tyson Walker (34 points, seven assists, six steals and four rebounds in two games).

Enter Shannon, who racked up 27 points (including 14 of 16 free throws) and four blocks. He has scored 86 points in his past three starts and reminded fans and analysts why he should be considered one of the top players in the nation even after missing six games related to his arrest in late December because of a rape charge.

“That was so hard,” Underwood said. “He’s been a great teammate, and he almost tried too hard not to mess things up or not to be so assertive. People laugh, but we don’t run much to Terrence. It’s just kind of how he scores the basketball in transition, at the foul line, driving the basketball. We try to create space for him, but what he’s done defensively is where he’s made the jump since he’s been back.”

Maryland used a rotation of Scott, Kaiser and freshman DeShawn Harris-Smith to defend Shannon, but that trio had trouble keeping up with him.

“The big thing was trying to get back and form a wall in transition because that’s really where he does all of his damage, and that’s where he did his damage mostly,” Willard said. “He made a couple nice moves, and he’s a pro. He’s going to make some good moves and score in the first half. But for the most part, he did most of his damage in transition.”


Maryland at No. 20 Wisconsin

Tuesday, 9 p.m.

Stream: Peacock

Radio: 105.7 FM


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