CHAMPAIGN, Ill. _ The scene was set for a special night.
A throng of fans lined up in freezing temperatures more than two hours before doors opened at the State Farm Center. Illinois students, almost all wearing script Illini throwback jerseys to match the team, jumped to bass-heavy songs blasting through the arena's speakers.
The No. 20 Illini hosted No. 9 Maryland with first place in the Big Ten on the line Friday. It was Illinois' first game hosting a ranked opponent as a ranked team since 2013.
Illini players fist-bumped fans before the game, and the sellout crowd roared in anticipation during pregame introductions. Coach Brad Underwood walked onto the court smiling and pointing at the Orange Krush.
Football coach Lovie Smith sat in the fourth row, and ESPN anchor Scott Van Pelt, a big Maryland fan, took selfies with students. The Illini jumped to an early 14-point lead behind unlikely 3-pointers from Da'Monte Williams and Giorgi Bezhanishvili.
The plot fizzled, though, as fans filed glumly out of the arena during Maryland's free throws with 20 seconds left on its way to a 75-66 win. Illinois has lost two in a row after seizing first place in the conference with a seven-game winning streak.
The Illini led 29-15 with 11 minutes, 11 seconds left in the first half. With Trent Frazier and Kofi Cockburn spending much of the rest of the half on the bench with two fouls and the Terrapins switching to a zone defense, though, Illinois (16-7, 8-4 Big Ten) did not maintain its momentum.
Maryland (19-4, 9-3) outscored the Illini 25-13 the rest of the half to cut its deficit to 42-40 at halftime. Cockburn made two free throws to give Illinois a four-point lead, then the Illini did not score until Andres Feliz's put-back seven minutes later. By that time, the Terrapins had taken control, taking a nine-point lead with a 13-0 run.
Illinois made several runs at the Terps after that, but each time the Illini pulled within striking distance Maryland made a big shot.
Illinois shot 7 of 27 in the second half, missing its first 13 field goal attempts after halftime. The Illini were plagued by cold shooting (36.1% for the game), errant free throws (14 of 24) and an inability to get defensive stops at crucial times.
Maryland shot 26 for 56 (46.4%) from the field, 10 for 26 (38.5%) on 3-point attempts and made 13 of 15 free throws.
The game proved intense with five technical fouls doled out, including one on each coach.
Ayo Dosunmu scored 16 points, shooting 5 of 17, to lead Illinois. Feliz's aggressive drives gave Illinois a first-half boost, and he finished with 12 points.
Illinois got little from its post. The Illini were outscored 30-22 in the paint. Cockburn scored nine points, making only 1 of 5 shots and collecting four rebounds. Bezhanishvili scored three points on 1-of-4 shooting.
Anthony Cowan led all players with 20 points for Maryland, which placed five players in double figures. Jaylen Smith added 11 points and 11 rebounds.
The Illini lost for the second time to Maryland, squandering a big lead each time. In both teams' Big Ten opener on Dec. 7, Illinois lost a 15-point lead in a 59-58 defeat in College Park, Md.
