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No. 11 Illinois Looks to Bounce Back Against Struggling Maryland
The Illini aim to regain momentum ahead of postseason play as they visit the Terrapins on Sunday afternoon.
Published on Mar. 8, 2026
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No. 11 Illinois (23-7, 14-5 Big Ten) heads to College Park to take on struggling Maryland (11-19, 4-15) in a Sunday afternoon matchup. The Illini are looking to bounce back after recent losses to UCLA and Michigan, while the Terrapins have lost five of their last six games. Illinois is the heavy favorite, but the Terps have proven capable of pulling off upsets at home this season.
Why it matters
This game represents an important opportunity for Illinois to regain its footing and build momentum heading into the postseason. A loss to the struggling Terrapins could raise questions about the Illini's ability to make a deep NCAA Tournament run. Meanwhile, Maryland is playing for pride and a chance to pull off a signature upset at home.
The details
Illinois is coming off an 80-54 blowout win over Oregon, but that followed losses to UCLA and Michigan. The Illini boast a talented roster led by their frontcourt, which should present major matchup problems for the undersized Terrapins. Maryland has struggled mightily in Big Ten play, including recent double-digit losses to Wisconsin, Purdue, and Ohio State at home.
- The game is scheduled for Sunday, March 8, 2026 at 2 p.m. CT.
- Illinois is 23-7 overall and 14-5 in Big Ten play.
- Maryland is 11-19 overall and 4-15 in conference.
The players
Illinois
The No. 11 ranked Illini are a talented team looking to bounce back from recent losses and build momentum heading into postseason play.
Maryland
The struggling Terrapins have had a disappointing season, but will look to pull off an upset at home against the highly ranked Illini.
What they’re saying
“Illinois came up just three buckets short of a 17-game win streak feeding into the Michigan game. Yes, that loss matters – the Wolverines could be the Illini's primary competition in both the Big Ten Tournament and the NCAAs – but the 26-point dinging of the Ducks is more indicative of what they're capable of against a collapsing club like Maryland.”
— Jason Langendorf (SI.com)
“The Terrapins have dropped Big Ten home games against Michigan (by 18), Oregon (by 10), Indiana (by 18), Purdue (by 30), Ohio State (by 20) and Rutgers (by only four!) this season. Other than that, they've been dynamite at protecting the ol' turf. Something's very wrong if this isn't a relatively easy couple of hours at the office for the Illini.”
— Steve Greenberg (SI.com)
What’s next
With the regular season winding down, this game represents an important opportunity for Illinois to build momentum and confidence ahead of the Big Ten Tournament and NCAA Tournament. A convincing win over Maryland could help the Illini solidify their standing as a top contender in the Big Dance.
The takeaway
This matchup between the surging Illini and struggling Terrapins has the potential to be a lopsided affair, with Illinois looking to make a statement and Maryland hoping to pull off a surprising upset at home. The outcome could provide valuable insight into the Illini's postseason prospects as they aim to make a deep tournament run.
