CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The Fighting Illini rallied from 22 points down in the second half to force overtime before falling to Maryland, 92-91, Sunday night at State Farm Center. Leron Black (18 points), Mark Alstork (17 points) and Aaron Jordan (15 points) led Illinois (6-3, 0-2 Big Ten), who fell in overtime for the second straight game.
Anthony Cowan scored 27 points, including the game-winning free throw, to lift Maryland. Justin Jackson scored 20 and Kevin Huerter added 17 for Maryland (7-3, 1-1 in Big Ten).
Maryland held a commanding 45-26 lead at the half, led by Cowan's 16 points, 9 from outside the 3-point line.
In the first half, the Terrapins shot 73.1 percent from the field, while Illinois was held to 32.4 percent at the mid-point. Illinois got hot in the second half, shooting 70 percent from the field to Maryland's 40.7 percent.
Illinois mounted a furious comeback in the second half, taking its first lead of the game 74-73 with 1:51 left in regulation. Bruno Fernando tipped in a shot at the buzzer to send the game into overtime with the score tied at 75. Cowan sank a free throw with six seconds left left in overtime for the win.
It was the third loss in a row for the Illini, after losing at Wake Forest and in overtime at Northwestern in its conference opener. Maryland also was coming off two losses, at Syracuse and to Purdue at home.
After both teams turned over the ball to open the game. Maryland went on a 10-0 run before Illinois coach Brad Underwood went to the bench early, removing all five starters. Illinois slowly crept back into the game, at one point pulling to within three points, 14-11, before the Terrapins began to systematically pound the ball inside and outside against a smaller Illinois team for its commanding halftime lead.
Illinois plays Austin Peay at home on Wednesday, Dec. 6 (7 p.m. on BTN).
TEAM NOTES
• Illinois played its second straight overtime game of the weekend after falling Friday in overtime at Northwestern.
• Illinois and Maryland played an overtime game for the first time in their 14-matchup series history.
• Illinois overcame a 22-point deficit to force overtime. The Illini were down 52-30 with 17:27 left in the game.
• Illinois was 19-of-28 shooting in the second half, its best shooting half of the season (67.9 percent).
• Aaron Jordan and Leron Black combined for 23 points on 8-of-10 shooting in the second half. Black had 13 points (5-6 FG) and Jordan had 10 points (3-4 3FG).
• Illinois forced 25 turnovers, Maryland's most since turning it over 26 times vs. Duke 2/16/2013.
• Illinois' 16 steals were its most in a game since at least 1999-2000.
• Illinois tied a season high with five players scoring in double figures (18 - Black, 17 - Alstork, 15 - Jordan, 11 - Frazier, 11 - Nichols).
• Illinois was down 10-0 after 4:02.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
• Junior guard Aaron Jordan scored in double figures for the fifth straight game, and seventh time this season. He had two games with 10+ points in his first two seasons (55 G). Tonight, Jordan was 3-5 from three-point range and is 16-21 from three in the last five games.
• Graduate student guard Mark Alstork had 17 points on 5-of-9 shooting, his highest scoring game since 17 in the season opener against Southern.
• RS Junior forward Leron Black led Illinois with 18 points. Black is averaging a team-best 14.37points per game.
• Freshman guard Trent Frazier had seven assists, the most by an Illinois player this season.
