https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdDwGnkPpP0 In its first ranked game of the Willard era, Maryland basketball put together a complete game en route to a 71-66 win inside of an electric Xfinity Center. Jahmir Young led the way from beginning to end as he opened and closed the game with a triple, finishing with a game-high 24 points. Young was one of three in double figures to help Kevin Willard record his eighth consecutive win, but more importantly, his first Big Ten win in his first career matchup against Illinois. “Conference play is what it’s all about when it comes down to it. Nonconference I guess is good for your seeding and stuff like that, but we’re trying to win a Big Ten championship,” Willard said after the win. Young opened the game with a triple, but it was his final shot that sent fans screaming in celebration as his final three with 14 seconds remaining iced the game. “That’s why Jahmir came here. He wanted to play the highest level of basketball at a big-time program. That’s why he’s here,” Willard said. “I think he walked out and this is the first time this is what he’s signed up for. He wanted the big-time moment, the big-time crowd.” Maryland’s three-point shooting proved timely all night as Young and Hakim Hart finished a combined 9-of-15 from deep while Donta Scott added another 12 points in 33 minutes, but it was Young’s smooth stroke that sealed it with 14 seconds left. Young explained what he saw following the win. “The play had originally broke down, but coaches told me to come back and get the ball instead of a pick-and-roll at the top of the key. Shannon had way under and it’s just normal when he goes under to raise up and shoot and I know a three, it’d be a two possession game so I just needed the shot,” Young said of his game-clinching bucket. “I practice that shot, coach believes in me.” It marks the first career highlight for the former DeMatha guard, who admitted the moment provided a sense of relief in front of an erupting Maryland crowd. “That was an unbelievable feeling. Terp nation fans are the best, that crowd was crazy, the noise was crazy. Just being able to hit that shot was amazing, it’s a dream come true you dream to do when you’re a kid,” Young added. Maryland led by as many as 12 points through the first half and reopened a double-digit lead in the second half, but each time the Illini would respond to make it a close game once again. The Illini also presented the Terps with arguably their toughest battle to start the season given the depth available at Brad Underwood’s disposal, the reason why Illinois outscored Maryland 44-28 in the paint and came away with the narrow edge on the boards. Terrance Shannon was kept in check through the first twenty minutes, but he managed to find his offense after finishing with a thundering dunk included in his 19 points on the night. Willard admitted that “if I was an NBA general manager, I’d be drafting that dude.” Shannon helped Illinois trim Maryland’s lead into the second half as the Terps’ offense suffered its first scoreless drought. With just under eight minutes remaining, Illinois tied the game at 57 then again at 62 three minutes later. Young admitted the crowd’s energy helped lift the Terps down the stretch of a back-and-forth game and in the moments after the game, the players made their way to ‘The Wall’ to celebrate the win immediately after the final horn. “We definitely feeding off of them a lot. They brought the energy that helped us go that extra inch. I feel like they came out strong and they were a big reason for that. We thank them for that. We need them to keep coming out.” For Willard, that’s a priority for the remainder of the season. “I want to get this program back to a championship level,” Willard added. “To get it back to a championship level, you need a building like that every night. If you look at Kansas, Kentucky, those type of programs which I think this program is on that level, they have a crowd like that every night. If we can get a crowd like that every night, you’re going to win more games than you’re going to lose.” https://twitter.com/TerrapinHoops/status/1598905284646182912 Maryland will look to extend its winning streak to nine when they travel to face Wisconsin on Tuesday night. Related Links Instant reactions: Maryland 71, Illinois 66 Five-star visitor (+) Friday notes (+) Veteran expected to declare for NFL (+) WR Dontay Demus opts out of bowl, declares for NFL Draft Several enter the transfer portal, one declares for NFL, portal target surfaces Pair of second-team selections highlight 13 Terps on All-Big Ten teams
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