After shooting 29 percent across his last three contests, Jahmir Young was the engine that drove Maryland men’s basketball once again.
The fifth-year guard put forth a 28-point outing against No. 14 Illinois on Saturday. He scored 13 points in the second half and converted on all 11 of his free throw attempts.
But Young came up short when it mattered most. He missed shots on three consecutive crucial possessions down the stretch, allowing the Illini’s lead to grow to six. The visitors never looked back from there, claiming an 85-80 win over Maryland at Xfinity Center.
Terrence Shannon Jr., who missed the last bout between the two teams while serving a suspension, led the Illini with 27 points. He played 39 minutes and guarded Young for most of those, playing a crucial role on both ends of the floor.
“Hats off to him. He’s a great defender,” Young said. “He was making it tough for me to [make] catches and get to my spots … definitely made it tough.”
Julian Reese added 18 points and 11 rebounds, but only one other Terp scored in double figures.
Maryland fed off its backcourt’s energy early.
After Illinois jumped out to a seven-point lead behind three early triples, Young settled his offense down. The fifth-year guard drilled a three before converting an and-one on the following possession to bring the game within one point.
DeShawn Harris-Smith agitated Illinois ballhandlers from the outset with his burly frame, forcing a turnover against Coleman Hawlins just before the game’s first media timeout.
Harris-Smith’s defensive intensity seeped into his offense. After scoring a career-high 17 points on Wednesday against Iowa, the freshman guard continued to exude a newfound confidence. He scored six points in the first half.
Donta Scott was expected to start for Maryland but was a late scratch from the lineup after slipping in the tunnel pregame. Jamie Kaiser Jr. began the game in his place. Scott checked in just over a minute into the contest with a bulky brace on his left knee. He turned in a solid outing, scoring 17 points in 33 minutes.
“Donta’s a tough guy,” Young said. “We knew he’d be back. We were happy to see him back on the sideline early.”
The game was tightly contested for the entire first half. The Terps took their first lead well past the midway point of the period when Young drained a pair of free throws.
The Illini responded with a 15-6 run across the final five minutes of the period. They claimed a five-point advantage at the half.
That lead grew after Illinois scored two of the first three field goals to open the second half. But the Terps’ defense hunkered down from there, forcing a four-minute Illini scoring drought. Maryland was able to close the gap during that span and get the game back within one possession.
Down one possession and racing down the floor on a fastbreak, Maryland could have tied the game. Jahmir Young sank deep into the paint for a contested layup and missed, allowing Marcus Domask to convert an easy layup on the other end.
The four-point swing killed the Terps’ momentum after they had been knocking on the door with a chance to tie the game.
The Terps continued to fight for the large majority of the second half. But the air was sucked out of Xfinity Center after Illinois went on an 11-5 run late in the second half, taking a 79-73 lead with under two minutes remaining.
Young failed to convert on a layup and two short jumpers on three straight possessions in the waning moments. It cost Maryland greatly.
“We had our chances,” Willard said. “When you give up 36 free throws, you’re gonna lose the game.”
Illinois is one of the Terps’ last ranked opponents of the regular season, and they may face only one more Quadrant 1 opponent in No. 20 Wisconsin. The Terps squandered one of their final opportunities to earn a major win in what has been a disappointing second season for Willard.
