In a thrilling match between third-seeded Illinois and No. 2 Iowa State, Terrence Shannon Jr. emerged as the hero for Illinois, leading them to their first Elite Eight appearance in 19 years. Despite battling foul trouble, Shannon scored nine of his game-high 29 points in the final 5:08 to clinch a 72-69 victory. Illinois’ defense was key, holding Iowa State to 39.3 percent shooting and out-rebounding them by five. Illinois will now face No. 1 Connecticut in the Final Four, riding a hot streak of winning 10 out of their last 11 games.
Shannon’s performance in the tournament has been exceptional, averaging 28.3 points over three games, despite facing legal trouble off the court. Shannon returned from a six-game suspension in January due to rape or sexual battery allegations from an incident in September. He was reinstated after a federal judge granted him a temporary restraining order. Shannon has not spoken to the media and is due back in court in May. Despite his off-court issues, Shannon’s dominance on the court has been instrumental in Illinois’ success in the tournament.
In the first half of the game against Iowa State, Illinois controlled the game, with Shannon leading the charge with 16 points. They handled the Iowa State pressure well and went into halftime with a 10-point lead. However, Iowa State fought back in the second half, with Keshon Gilbert scoring six quick points to narrow the lead. Despite their efforts, Iowa State could never quite catch up, coming to within two points but never pulling even. Curtis Jones led Iowa State with 26 points, while Coleman Hawkins contributed 12 points, six rebounds, and three assists for Illinois.
Illinois will now face No. 1 Connecticut in the Final Four, with a chance to advance to the national championship game. Their recent success includes winning the Big Ten Tournament title and only losing to Purdue, the top seed in the Midwest Region. Shannon’s leadership and scoring ability have been crucial for Illinois, despite his off-court troubles. Facing a challenging opponent in Connecticut, Illinois will need to continue their strong defensive performance and rely on Shannon to lead them to victory. The matchup promises to be an exciting and closely contested game with a spot in the championship game on the line.
