Morsell scores 19 as Maryland upsets No. 12 Illinois 66-63
AP
Jan 11, 2021
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) Darryl Morsell scored 19 points, Donta Scott added 16 and Maryland Terrapins upset No. 12 Illinois Fighting Illini 66-63 on Sunday.
The game was fast-paced and close throughout. Hakim Hart hit a 3-pointer with 4:08 left to give the Terrapins a 62-61 lead, which Maryland didn't relinquish.
''They're a great basketball team, a team I think could a Final Four team,'' Maryland coach Mark Turgeon said of Illinois. ''This league ... I've never seen anything like it. It's absolutely relentless.''
Ayo Dosunmu scored 23 points for Illinois (9-4, 5-2 Big Ten) and Kofi Cockburn added 21 points and 10 rebounds. Dosunmu missed a long 3-pointer at the buzzer that would have tied it.
''I thought it was going in,'' Dosunmu said. ''Honestly, it felt good but it hit the back of the rim.''
Aaron Wiggins added 12 points for Maryland (7-6, 2-5). The Terrapins limped in on a three-game Big Ten losing streak, including two double-digit home losses.
Maryland played without point guard Eric Ayala (14 points per game) due to a groin injury.
''Obviously, I'm really pleased with my team,'' Turgeon said. ''We really battled tonight, down Eric Ayala.''
QUICK START
Illinois jumped to a 14-7 lead, fueled by five quick points for Dosunmu, six by Cockburn and a long 3-pointer by Adam Miller. Maryland stuck around and tied it at 16 midway through the first half.
Illinois guard Trent Frazier took a blow to his left shoulder late in the first half and left in obvious pain. He returned in the second half but was held scoreless.
Cockburn had 16 points at the break.
Scott buried a 3 at the buzzer to pull the Terrapins within 34-32 at the half.
''It was frustrating,'' Illinois coach Brad Underwood said. ''We didn't get the ball to Kofi enough in the second half. I have to give Maryland all the credit. They were physically tough, they smacked us and hit us.''
NOT SHARP
Underwood was clearly upset at his team's less-than stellar shooting, Illinois shot 41% on 25 of 61 shots.
''We were sloppy and not sharp,'' Underwood said. ''I'll take the blame on this one. We were just as bad in practice the last two days as we were in the game.''
BOUNCING BACK
Coming off a 89-67 loss to No. 5 Iowa, Turgeon was thrilled at his team's effort on the road against another ranked team.
''We had a really tough film session after the Iowa game. The players responded,'' Turgeon said. ''They believed they were going to win. We changed a lot of things in our philosophy, and I think it helped us. We had a lot of guys who were unbelievably courageous tonight, played with great guts, had to play a lot of minutes.''
Morsell attributed the win to confidence. ''It was big for sure. You know how hard it is to get wins in the Big 10, especially on the road. We locked in, did what we had to do, got it done. We believed. Believing is the biggest thing.
''Even though we lost to Iowa the other day, we try to focus on the next game, get better.''
POLL IMPLICATIONS
Expect Illinois to drop in the rankings but remain in the Top 25.
UP NEXT
Maryland: Hosts Nebraska on Saturday.
Illinois: Travels to Nebraska on Wednesday.
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1st Half
MD
Terrapins
32
ILL
Fighting Illini
34
Time
Team
Play
Score
20:00
Galin Smith vs. Kofi Cockburn (Hakim Hart gains possession)
19:43
Darryl Morsell misses two point jump shot
19:41
Da'Monte Williams defensive rebound
19:31
Kofi Cockburn misses two point jump shot
19:29
Galin Smith defensive rebound
19:14
+3
Donta Scott makes three point jump shot (Darryl Morsell assists)
3-0
18:55
+2
Ayo Dosunmu makes two point driving layup
3-2
18:36
Galin Smith misses two point layup
18:34
Da'Monte Williams defensive rebound
18:29
+2
Kofi Cockburn makes two point driving dunk (Ayo Dosunmu assists)
3-4
18:11
+2
Donta Scott makes two point pullup jump shot
5-4
17:58
Hakim Hart shooting foul (Ayo Dosunmu draws the foul)
17:58
Ayo Dosunmu misses regular free throw 1 of 2
17:58
+1
Ayo Dosunmu makes regular free throw 2 of 2
5-5
17:41
Darryl Morsell misses two point jump shot
17:39
Kofi Cockburn defensive rebound
17:30
+2
Kofi Cockburn makes two point hook shot (Trent Frazier assists)
5-7
17:12
Aaron Wiggins turnover (lost ball) (Adam Miller steals)
17:04
Ayo Dosunmu misses three point jump shot
17:01
Terrapins defensive rebound
16:36
Galin Smith misses two point hook shot
16:34
Terrapins offensive rebound
16:35
Official timeout
16:35
Trent Frazier shooting foul (Aaron Wiggins draws the foul)
16:35
+1
Aaron Wiggins makes regular free throw 1 of 2
6-7
16:35
+1
Aaron Wiggins makes regular free throw 2 of 2
7-7
16:17
+2
Kofi Cockburn makes two point layup (Da'Monte Williams assists)
7-9
16:02
Darryl Morsell misses two point jump shot
16:00
Trent Frazier defensive rebound
15:54
+2
Ayo Dosunmu makes two point driving layup (Trent Frazier assists)
7-11
15:36
Darryl Morsell misses three point jump shot
15:34
Ayo Dosunmu defensive rebound
15:28
+3
Adam Miller makes three point pullup jump shot (Ayo Dosunmu assists)
7-14
15:07
Aquan Smart misses two point layup
15:05
Darryl Morsell offensive rebound
15:04
+2
Darryl Morsell makes two point putback layup
9-14
14:52
Ayo Dosunmu misses two point layup
14:48
Ayo Dosunmu offensive rebound
14:51
Darryl Morsell shooting foul (Ayo Dosunmu draws the foul)
14:51
TV timeout
14:51
+1
Ayo Dosunmu makes regular free throw 1 of 2
9-15
14:51
+1
Ayo Dosunmu makes regular free throw 2 of 2
9-16
14:36
+2
Aaron Wiggins makes two point step back jump shot
11-16
14:08
Ayo Dosunmu misses two point jump shot
14:06
Giorgi Bezhanishvili offensive rebound
14:04
Jump ball. Giorgi Bezhanishvili vs. Jairus Hamilton (Fighting Illini gains possession)
13:51
Giorgi Bezhanishvili misses two point hook shot
13:49
Donta Scott defensive rebound
13:34
+3
Chol Marial makes three point jump shot (Jairus Hamilton assists)
14-16
13:10
Giorgi Bezhanishvili misses two point hook shot
13:08
Hakim Hart defensive rebound
12:55
Andre Curbelo shooting foul (Hakim Hart draws the foul)
12:55
+1
Hakim Hart makes regular free throw 1 of 2
15-16
12:55
+1
Hakim Hart makes regular free throw 2 of 2
16-16
12:43
Jacob Grandison misses three point jump shot
12:41
Kofi Cockburn offensive rebound
12:37
Kofi Cockburn misses two point layup
12:35
Jacob Grandison offensive rebound
12:22
Jacob Grandison misses two point layup
12:22
Fighting Illini offensive rebound
12:22
Ayo Dosunmu misses two point jump shot
12:20
Chol Marial defensive rebound
11:54
+2
Darryl Morsell makes two point driving layup
18-16
11:54
Jacob Grandison shooting foul (Darryl Morsell draws the foul)
11:54
TV timeout
11:54
Darryl Morsell misses regular free throw 1 of 1
11:54
Ayo Dosunmu defensive rebound
11:24
Fighting Illini turnover (shot clock violation)
11:11
Chol Marial misses three point jump shot
11:09
Jairus Hamilton offensive rebound
11:06
Jairus Hamilton offensive foul (Da'Monte Williams draws the foul)
11:06
Jairus Hamilton turnover
10:37
Trent Frazier misses two point jump shot
10:35
Kofi Cockburn offensive rebound
10:34
Hakim Hart shooting foul (Kofi Cockburn draws the foul)
10:34
+1
Kofi Cockburn makes regular free throw 1 of 2
18-17
10:34
+1
Kofi Cockburn makes regular free throw 2 of 2
18-18
10:20
Aaron Wiggins misses three point jump shot
10:18
Adam Miller defensive rebound
10:07
Aaron Wiggins blocks Adam Miller's two point layup
10:05
Kofi Cockburn offensive rebound
10:02
Kofi Cockburn turnover (traveling)
9:31
Darryl Morsell turnover (bad pass) (Da'Monte Williams steals)
9:20
+3
Adam Miller makes three point jump shot (Trent Frazier assists)
18-21
8:59
Marcus Dockery misses three point jump shot
8:57
Da'Monte Williams defensive rebound
8:51
Galin Smith shooting foul (Kofi Cockburn draws the foul)
8:51
+1
Kofi Cockburn makes regular free throw 1 of 2
18-22
8:51
+1
Kofi Cockburn makes regular free throw 2 of 2
18-23
8:31
Jairus Hamilton misses two point jump shot
8:29
Galin Smith offensive rebound
8:28
Galin Smith turnover (lost ball) (Trent Frazier steals)
8:16
Andre Curbelo turnover (bad pass)
8:08
+2
Aquan Smart makes two point driving layup
20-23
8:04
Jairus Hamilton blocks Ayo Dosunmu's two point jump shot
8:02
Fighting Illini offensive rebound
7:50
Ayo Dosunmu misses two point layup
7:48
Coleman Hawkins offensive rebound
7:46
+2
Coleman Hawkins makes two point turnaround jump shot