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Illinois Basketball: 3 ways the Illini can knock off Maryland

By Rees Woodcock

CHAMPAIGN, IL - JANUARY 30: Illinois Fighting Illini guard Ayo Dosunmu (11) shoots a jump shot between Minnesota Golden Gophers center Daniel Oturu (25) and Minnesota Golden Gophers forward Michael Hurt (42) during the Big Ten Conference college basketball game between the Minnesota Golden Gophers and the Illinois Fighting Illini on January 30, 2020, at the State Farm Center in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
CHAMPAIGN, IL - JANUARY 30: Illinois Fighting Illini guard Ayo Dosunmu (11) shoots a jump shot between Minnesota Golden Gophers center Daniel Oturu (25) and Minnesota Golden Gophers forward Michael Hurt (42) during the Big Ten Conference college basketball game between the Minnesota Golden Gophers and the Illinois Fighting Illini on January 30, 2020, at the State Farm Center in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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ANN ARBOR, MI – JANUARY 25: Illinois Fighting Illini guard Ayo Dosunmu (11) drives to the basket against Michigan Wolverines guard Eli Brooks (55) during a regular season Big Ten Conference game between the Illinois Fighting Illini (21) and the Michigan Wolverines on January 25, 2020, at Crisler Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Illinois defeated Michigan 64-62. (Photo by Scott W. Grau/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

1. Avoid the dreaded drought

Like previously mentioned, the first matchup between Illinois and Maryland was a close game. The Illini jumped out to a big lead in the first half only to let it slip away in the second half. This was due to the dreaded drought.

Illinois only managed to score 19 points in the second half of that Maryland game. There was a period of time in the second half where the Illini went on a 4:41 scoring drought that enabled the Terrapins to close the deficit to just five points.

Over the final five minutes of the Maryland game, Illinois only managed three total points. This was the end for the Orange and Blue. During that final five minutes, the Terrapins managed to narrow the deficit from 10 points to a one-point victory.

Scoring droughts aren’t new to the Illini, though. This is something that happens with this program. In the Hawaii game earlier this year, Illinois failed to score a point almost five minutes into the game and then didn’t score the final three minutes of the first half.

In the loss to Missouri, the Illini had two almost four-minute droughts in the first half. They followed that up with a nearly four-minute drought in the second half as well. There are a few more games that I could go over, but you get the point.

Illinois has a problem with droughts at times. This is something that we are going to need to avoid if we want to knock off a top 10 Maryland program. If we are clicking on offense, I have no doubt we will win this game.

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