Chambana Sun

The Illinois Fighting Illini, ranked 17th nationally, are set to host the Maryland Terrapins on Thursday night at the State Farm Center in Champaign. The game is scheduled for 8 p.m. CT and will be broadcast on FS1.

Illinois enters the matchup with a record of 13-5 overall and 5-3 in Big Ten play. They are coming off a narrow 70-68 loss to Michigan State, which ended their three-game winning streak in conference road games. Freshman Will Riley led the team with a game-high 19 points against the Spartans.

Kasparas Jakucionis has been recognized as a Midseason All-America third team by The Sporting News. He is one of two freshmen included among the 15 players honored.

Illinois boasts an impressive home record of 8-2 this season, with their only losses coming against top-ranked Tennessee and USC. The team has outscored opponents by an average of 28 points per game at home.

The Illini are currently ranked eighth in the NCAA NET rankings and hold four Quad 1 wins, tying them for tenth nationally. Maryland ranks 24th in NET ratings and represents another Quad 1 opportunity for Illinois.

Coach Brad Underwood's squad leads the Big Ten in several statistical categories, including scoring margin (+18.8) and rebounding (45.2 boards per game). They have also excelled defensively, ranking second nationally in rebounding and sixth in effective field goal percentage defense.

Illinois' roster features significant contributions from newcomers, who have accounted for over 92% of the team's scoring this season. Freshmen Kasparas Jakucionis and Morez Johnson Jr., along with sophomore Tomislav Ivisic, are among the team's leading scorers and rebounders.

The Illini's recent performances include dominant victories over Chicago State, Oregon, Penn State, and Indiana. Their victory over Oregon marked the largest margin of victory ever by a road team over an AP Top-10 opponent.

As they prepare to face Maryland, Illinois aims to continue their strong performance at home and improve their standing within both the Big Ten Conference and national rankings.