Illinois
Illinois star to return to team, will not start vs. Rutgers
Illinois will be getting back one of its star players ahead of Sunday’s contest vs. Rutgers.
On Friday afternoon, a federal judge granted the request of Terrence Shannon Jr. for a temporary restraining order. This allows the guard to rejoin the Illini moving forward. In December, Shannon Jr. was suspended indefinitely following his arrest on a felony rape charge for an alleged incident.
Illinois associate chancellor Robin Kaler issued a statement that Shannon Jr. “has been reinstated to full status as a University student-athlete and will be eligible for basketball practice and competition.”
I am grateful for the opportunity to re-join my teammates and get back to work.
— Terrence Shannon Jr (@Sn1per_T) January 19, 2024
Shannon Jr. took to Twitter on Friday following the announcement and head coach Brad Underwood met with the media on Saturday.
According to CBS Sports Jon Rothstein, Illinois will not start Shannon Jr. against the Scarlet Knights as there is an “integration process” that will take place.
Before his suspension, Shannon Jr. played in 11 games and was averaging 21.7 points. He was expected to be a lottery pick in the 2024 NBA Draft and potential Big Ten Player of the Year.
Rutgers will travel to Champaign to take on No. 14 Illinois on Sunday afternoon. The Scarlet Knights are in need of a statement, Quad 1 win on their resume moving forward.