January 10, 2021
State Farm Center
8:00 pm EDT
COLLEGE PARK, Md. – The Maryland men’s basketball team hits the road for Champaign, Ill., as it faces 12th-ranked Illinois Sunday evening at 8:00 pm EST. The game will air on Big Ten Network and will also be broadcasted live on the Maryland Sports Radio Network.
ILLINOIS STORYLINES
SIGN OF UNITY
- Prior to Maryland’s most recent game against No. 5 Iowa (1/7), senior Darryl Morsell connected with Iowa’s Jordan Bohannon about the possibility of using their platforms to voice frustrations of social inequity following the riots at the United States Capitol just miles away from College Park. As a result, both teams knelt prior to tip-off. Said Aaron Wiggins: “We wanted to unite and send a message together, put a knee on the ground and show what we stand for.”
SERIES HISTORY
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The Terps are 11-6 all-time against the Illini, including a 6-2 record since joining the Big Ten in 2014-15. Maryland is also 3-1 at the State Farm Center since joining the league, with its lone loss being in the 2014-15 season. In last season’s 75-66 victory in Champaign, Darryl Morsell posted 15 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists, while Eric Ayala added 12 points.
TOUGH SLEDDING
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The Terps are in the midst of a nine-game stretch that includes seven matchups against teams ranked in the Associated Press Top-25. All seven of those teams are currently ranked in the top-16. It would mark the first time in Maryland history it would play a span of nine games against seven teams all ranked in the top-16.
WIGGINS FINDING HIS GROOVE
- Junior Aaron Wiggins has caught fire recently, scoring at least 14 points in five of his last six games. He is averaging 14.7 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.2 assists during that span. Wiggins has also knocked down six 3-pointers over the last two games, marking the most in a two-game stretch since February of his sophomore season.
CHAIRMEN OF THE BOARDS
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Maryland has won the rebounding battle in all six of its victories this season. Dating back to last year, it has won 15 consecutive games in which it has won the rebounding battle. The last loss came at Wisconsin on Jan. 15, 2020.
Click here for this week’s game notes.