Maryland Never Trails In Big Ten-Opening Rout Of Illinois
COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) -- Melo Trimble scored 20 points and Jaylen Brantley added 13 as Maryland routed Illinois, 84-59, on Tuesday in the Big Ten opener for both teams.
It was the sixth victory in a row for the Terrapins (13-1), who have won their conference opener in all three seasons since joining the Big Ten.
Malcolm Hill had 21 points for the Illini (10-4), who saw their six-game winning streak come to an end.
Maryland played without two of its top post players. Junior Michal Cekovsky rested a left ankle injury, and senior Damonte Dodd missed his fifth consecutive game with a sprained left knee ligament.
Their absences mattered little against the Illini, who never led and were outscored 48-24 in the paint.
The Terps were 55.9 percent from the field while Illinois, which dropped its Big Ten opener for the fourth time in five years, shot just 35.6 percent.
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