Illinois Faces Maryland in Regular Season Finale with Big Ten Tournament Implications

The No. 11 Illinois Fighting Illini (23-7, 14-5 Big Ten) travel to College Park on Sunday afternoon to face the Maryland Terrapins (11-19, 4-15 Big Ten) in the regular-season finale for both teams. Illinois can clinch a triple-bye in next week’s Big Ten Tournament with a victory, while Maryland looks to finish the season on a positive note.

Game Details

• Date: Sunday, March 8, 2026
• Time: 3:00 PM ET
• Location: Xfinity Center, College Park, Maryland
• TV: FS1
• Spread: Illinois -14.5
• Over/Under: 144.5

Recent Form and Key Stats

Illinois enters the game as a significant favorite, boasting a 14-5 record in Big Ten play and leading the nation in offensive rating (125.7).^{CBS Sports} Freshman guard Keaton Wagler leads the Illini in scoring, averaging 18.1 points per game, with four other players also scoring in double figures.^{AP News}

Maryland, has struggled in conference play, posting a 4-15 record. The Terrapins rank 268th in Division I in points allowed per game (77.1) and 336th in defensive rating (114.6).^{CBS Sports}

Head-to-Head History

Illinois defeated Maryland 89-70 earlier this season in Champaign on January 21st.^{Sports Illustrated} However, Maryland has historically had success against Illinois, winning and covering the spread in seven of their last ten matchups.^{CBS Sports} Last year, on March 14, 2025, Maryland defeated Illinois 88-65 in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals. ^ESPN

What the Experts Predict

The SportsLine Projection Model predicts the Over on the total (144.5 points), forecasting a combined score of 150 points with the over hitting in approximately 65% of simulations.^{CBS Sports} The model also identifies a side of the spread with a greater than 50% chance of hitting, but that pick is only available to SportsLine subscribers.

How to Watch

The game can be streamed on Fubo.^{CBS Sports}