Game day central | Maryland 71, Illinois 66 (FINAL)

Comply with alongside all evening as Illinois and Maryland sq. off in an AP High 25 battle to begin Massive Ten play:

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Illinois is carrying its dwelling white jerseys tonight at Maryland. Permit me to elucidate.

Maryland’s theme for the sport is a #GoldRush. The Terrapins shall be carrying an alternate gold (extra yellow) jersey. Whereas excessive definition cameras and TVs now exist, Illinois nonetheless in all probability could not put on orange. It would not have been as dangerous as that 2004 sport between the Illini (in orange) and Wisconsin (in pink), however nonetheless not the perfect for the printed.

So why not the highway blues for Illinois, you would possibly ask? It is easy. They’ve in all probability been shredded. (That is solely slight hyperbole).

I actually cannot keep in mind the final time Illinois wore blue. Contemplating the Illini’s file in blue within the Brad Underwood period is 2-20, you possibly can’t actually blame them for pretending the blues do not exist.

In case you have been questioning, here is Illinois’ file in its numerous jersey choices with accompanying win proportion:

White: 34-11 (.756)

Orange: 27-16 (.628)

Blue: 2-20 (.091)

White throwback: 13-7 (.650)

Orange throwback: 21-12 (.636)

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These early Massive Ten video games sneak up on you.

Feast Week main proper into the beginning of convention play has occurred within the Massive Ten retains the highlight on a few of energy conferences. As a result of it isn’t only a Massive Ten deal anymore, though, if I recall accurately, they have been the originators.

That Illinois will open league play with a highway sport in opposition to an AP High 25 opponent is solely the quirk of this 12 months’s schedule. Principally as a result of there weren’t all that many expectations that Maryland would, in actual fact, be ranked. First-year coach Kevin Willard has managed to seamlessly meld a returning frontcourt with a model new switch backcourt, and the Terrapins are so far undefeated.

Figures.

Maryland has mainly had Brad Underwood’s quantity the final 5 seasons. Illinois is simply 2-5 in opposition to the Terps in that span with one win on a impartial court docket at Madison Sq. Backyard (the Tevian Jones sport) and a house win final season. 

However there have been some clunkers. Just like the time beyond regulation loss in 2017 that Underwood referred to as “self destructing” and featured each a close to comeback from a 22-point deficit and Da’Monte Williams airmailing an inbounds go with the Illini main with 4 seconds to play that the Terps was a game-tying bucket on their subsequent possession.

The 2019 loss in School Park, Md., was additionally powerful to swallow. Illinois held a late lead after which gave up an 11-1 run within the closing 4-plus minutes by not making a single shot. Laborious to overlook Anthony Cowan dictating the closing minutes. 

So we’ll what Illinois has for Maryland. It is the FIRST sport of the convention season and solely league sport on the docket tonight, s all Massive Ten eyes shall be on School Park. No strain.

Scott Richey is a reporter overlaying school basketball at The Information-Gazette. His e mail is srichey@news-gazette.com, and you’ll observe him on Twitter (@srrichey).