SI

Former Illinois Guard Terrence Shannon Jr. Found Not Guilty of Rape

Tom Dierberger

Fighting Illini guard Terrence Shannon Jr. reacts against the Connecticut Huskies during game in the 2024 NCAA Tournament.
Fighting Illini guard Terrence Shannon Jr. reacts against the Connecticut Huskies during game in the 2024 NCAA Tournament. / Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports
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A jury in Douglas County found former Illinois guard Terrence Shannon Jr. not guilty of rape or sexual battery on Thursday.

Shannon was charged with rape in Kansas last December for allegedly assaulting a woman in a bar after a football game in Lawrence on Sept. 8, 2023.

The 23-year-old was arrested Dec. 27 and was suspended by Illinois' basketball program immediately. He sued the university and was allowed to return to the court after a six-game suspension.

Shannon pleaded not guilty to the charges earlier this week and was ruled not guilty after a three-day trial.

After returning from his suspension, Shannon helped lead Illinois to a Big Ten championship and the program's first Elite Eight appearance in the NCAA Tournament since 2005.

Shannon averaged a career-high 23.0 points per game on 47.5% shooting from the field in 2023-24 as a fifth-year senior. He is a potential first-round pick in the upcoming 2024 NBA draft, which begins June 26.

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Tom Dierberger
TOM DIERBERGER

Tom Dierberger is a staff writer and editor on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He joined SI in November 2023 after stints at FOX Sports, Bally Sports and NBC Sports. Dierberger has a bachelor's in communication from St. John's University. In his spare time, he can be seen throwing out his arm while playing fetch with his dog, Walter B. Boy.

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