Preview: No. 22 Maryland men’s basketball prepares for conference opener against No. 16 Illinois

No. 22 Maryland men’s basketball (7-0) prepares for its Big Ten debut against No. 16 Illinois (6-1) in College Park on Friday. 

Maryland has won seven straight games to tip off the 2022-23 season and has done so in dominating fashion every time on the floor. The Terps’ lowest margin of victory this season was 16 points against Coppin State. Earlier in the season, coach Kevin Willard believed he and his players were still learning how to mesh with one another, but it appears the Terps have hit their stride.

Maryland turned in another great shooting performance on the road against Louisville, making half its shots from the field, and 37.5% from three. The defense did what it has all season — forcing its opponent’s best player into difficult matchups, which often led to poor shot selection or turnovers.

“We’re playing really hard on the defensive end,” Willard said. “I thought in the second half our offensive intensity was really good. I thought we got really good inside-out threes, but I thought we were a little bit more focused on the offensive end.”

Senior Donta Scott is not only a leader on the floor, but he’s also the Terps’ leader in points scored so far this season. The forward once again led all scorers for the fourth time this season, as he scored 18 points on efficient shooting on all three levels against Louisville. 

“I think he’s getting used to me and getting used to what I want from him,” Willard said. “I think he’s getting used to the offense … I think he’s playing at a really good pace and playing with a lot of confidence the way he should be because he’s worked really hard. He’s an all-first team Big Ten player and he’s playing like that.”

Graduate student guard Jahmir Young pieced together an all-around impressive performance with 15 points, five rebounds, five assists and three steals. The Charlotte transfer’s relentless play style and ability to play around the rim has elevated Maryland early on.

Coach Brad Underwood leads Illinois in his sixth season. 

Illinois has dominated its non-ranked opponents so far this season, averaging 88 points in five games. The Illini’s first challenge came during the Continental Tire Main Event in Las Vegas, when they defeated then-No. 8 UCLA but lost in the championship to then-No. 16 Virginia.

The loss is Illinois’ only this season, and the Illini have won by over 20 in all their other wins besides UCLA.

Illinois is led by Texas Tech transfer Terrence Shannon Jr. The senior guard averages 19.9 points per game and shoots 42.9% from three, both team highs. Shannon Jr. tied with sophomore forward Dain Dainja for the most rebounds per game (6.3) on the team..

Dainja and freshman guard Jayden Epps both play valuable minutes off the bench and are the second and third-leading per game scorers respectively (11.6) and (11) on the Illini.

Junior forward Coleman Hawkins is another key player for Illinois. His points per game average is only fifth best on the team, however Hawkins’ 6-foot-10 size creates mismatches for traditional big men. Hawkins notched a triple-double his last time out against Syracuse, with 15 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. 

Since joining the Big Ten in 2014, Maryland leads the series 8-3 over Illinois. Most recently, the Terps defeated the Illini 81-65 in College Park on Jan. 21.

The game will start at 9 p.m. and will take place at the XFINITY Center in College Park.