Mirković was Illinois' absolute leader and a player who made the difference in an extremely tough and uncertain game.
The young power forward recorded a double-double of 22 points (a great 9/13 shooting from the field) and 11 rebounds (four of which were offensive), and shared three assists, dominating on both ends of the court and confirming his reputation as one of the most promising European basketball players in the NCAA League.
His energy and confidence in key moments were crucial in a match in which the teams alternated in the lead. During the 40 minutes of play, there were as many as 13 equalizers and four lead changes, which speaks volumes about the intensity and drama of the match in the "Eksfiniti Center" hall.
Ilinoy (24/7, 15/5 in the Big Ten Conference) didn't excel in three-point shooting – they hit just 5 of 24 attempts, but they made up for it in the game under the basket. That's where Mirkovic was the key factor, as his team dominated the racket and achieved a huge advantage in points from the racket – 42:20.
The Montenegrin basketball star was greatly supported by guards Keaton Vejgler and Kaylan Boswell, who each scored 11 points. However, it was Mirković who stabilized the team when it was needed most.
Maryland (11/20, 4/16) put up a strong fight, with freshman Andre Mills scoring 30 points. However, even his stellar performance wasn't enough to prevent Illinois from taking the win and cementing its place among the conference's best teams.
In the final minutes of the match, Illinois showed maturity and composure. After the home team came within two points of the lead, Mirković remained alone at the basket in a crucial attack and scored safely, while Maryland's next attack ended in a three-pointer miss.
This victory brought Illinois an extremely important prize – a direct berth in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tournament, which will be played in the coming days at the United Center in Chicago. The team will enter the tournament as the third or fourth seed, and the final ranking will be determined after the duel between Iowa and Nebraska.
This was also a historic victory for Illinois, as the team tied a program record with eight road triumphs in Big Ten games in a single season.
But the evening in Maryland will be remembered above all for the performance of our David Mirković. The Montenegrin basketball star once again showed that he possesses the quality, character and leadership that place him among the most exciting young players on the American basketball scene.
