By Brandon Walker for Urban Media Today
David Mirkovic posted a double-double with 22 points and 10 rebounds as Illinois survived Maryland 78-72 on Sunday at the Xfinity Center.
Dylan Boswell started the scoring with two free throws for Illinois (24-7, 15-5 Big Ten), then Jake Davis hit a three-pointer. Maryland (11-20, 4-16 Big Ten) responded with baskets from Andre Mills and Solomon Washington. Mills tied the game at seven with a three-pointer at the first media timeout. Maryland showed more fight than expected in the first half, including a Washington three that put the Terps up by three. Illinois appeared to underestimate its opponent, trailing by three at halftime.
Mirkovic scored after the timeout, followed by a Darius Adams driving basket. Davis tied it with a three-pointer, answered by Elijah Saunders. The game turned into a shootout until both teams tightened up defensively. Zvonimir broke the stalemate with a dunk, Mills added a basket, and Ben Humrichous and Isiah Watts traded threes as action intensified. Diggy Coit hit a three-pointer to give Maryland the lead, but Mirkovic responded with a three-point play. Illinois then executed its motion offense with baskets by Ivisic and Davis. Mirkovic’s put-back at the buzzer put Illinois up by one at the break.
At the halftime break, Illinois led Maryland 37-34.
The key stats of the first half were that Illinois scored 12 points off of seven Maryland turnovers, while Maryland had six points off of five Illinois turnovers. Illinois recorded nine assists to five for Maryland.
Mills opened the second half with a three to tie the game, but Keaton Wagler Mills opened the second half with a three-pointer to tie the game, but Keaton Wagler answered with a three-pointer. Coit tied it again at 40. Illinois went on a 6-0 run with baskets from Boswell and Wagler, leading 48-42 at the under-16 timeout. Adams cut the deficit with a three-pointer. Mills made one of two free throws to tie the score before Wagler scored to put Illinois ahead by two, answered by Mills for a flagrant foul. Mills snapped a three-minute scoring drought with a three-point play, and Watts added another to tie it at 59. Mirkovic and Mills traded baskets to keep it at 61. Andrej Stojakovic’s layup put Illinois ahead with 6:53 left. Humrichous hit a three, and Mirkovic’s jumper pushed the lead to six. After Maryland missed, Illinois kept its lead into the final timeout. Maryland rallied with a 6-0 run, led by two Mills baskets, to pull within two with 1:02 left. Mirkovic answered with a layup with 38 seconds left. Maryland had one more chance, but Mills missed a three-pointer, and Illinois sealed the win.
Illinois avoided the upset by winning the points in the paint battle 42-20 and the battle for second-chance points 19-6. Mills led all scorers with 30 points as the redshirt freshman went 10 for 18 from the field. Adams added 14 points, and Coit added 10 points for Maryland. Boswell and Wagler added 11 points for Illinois.
Maryland opens against Oregon on Tuesday, while Illinois, with a triple bye, begins its tournament run in Friday’s quarterfinals.
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