#9 Maryland Battles #20 Illinois for First Place Friday
2/6/2020 12:52:00 PM | Men's Basketball
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The No. 9 Maryland men's basketball team looks to claim sole possession of first place in the Big Ten Conference Friday evening as it travels to Champaign, Ill., for a tilt with #20 Illinois at 8:00 pm on Fox Sports 1. The Terps enter the matchup with five straight wins.
STORYLINES
• Maryland defeated Illinois earlier this season on Dec. 7 in a thriller, overcoming a 14-point halftime deficit to win 59-58. Senior Anthony Cowan Jr. hit a game-tying 3-pointer with 19 seconds left, before hitting the winning free throws with 2.1 seconds remaining. Maryland has won five of its last six against Illinois, including two straight in Champaign.
• All-American candidate Jalen Smith is on absolute tear over his last five games, averaging 20.3 points (.592 FG), 11.7 rebounds and 3.0 blocks. Smith is also shooting 46-percent from 3-point range and 83-percent from the charity stripe during that span. Smith is tied for the Big Ten lead in double-doubles (13), including five straight. His 11 blocks over the last two games are the most in a two-game span for a Terp since Alex Len had 11 in 2013.
• All-American candidates Anthony Cowan Jr. and Jalen Smith were both named to the Wooden Award Late Season Top-20, while Smith was also named a top-10 finalist for the Karl Malone Award (top PF). Maryland, Kansas and Duke are the only schools with multiple players on the list.
• As of Feb. 6, the Terps checked in at No. 10 in the NET rankings, and have played the 12th-toughest schedule. Six of Maryland's final nine games are against quad 1 opponents. Maryland also ranks 11th according to KenPom, featuring the 5th-best defensive efficiency in the country.
• Senior Anthony Cowan Jr. has scored at least 16 points in 13 of his last 18 games and currently leads the Big Ten in free throws made (115) and attempted (148). He is the first Terp to record multiple 30-point games in a season since Terrell Stoglin had four in 2011-12.
• Anthony Cowan Jr. (1733) is currently tied for 11th place on Maryland's all-time scoring list with Terrence Morris, and needs just 11 points to pass Johnny Rhodes (1743) to break into Maryland's top-10 (see page 2 for full list). Cowan is also second all-time in free throws made (522) and fifth in assists (531). He has started all 121 games of his career, and is on pace to break Keith Booth's record of 126 consecutive starts. Cowan is one of two players in Maryland history to record 1,700 points and 530 assists (Greivis Vasquez).
Full notes can be viewed here.
TERPS GAMEDAY
• Fans are reminded that the Maryland Athletics Clear Bag Policy is in effect for all Maryland home games for the 2019-20 season. For more information, please click here.
• For further information on gameday at the XFINITY Center, please reference the XFINITY Center A-Z guide.
