Illinois' Terrence Shannon Reflects On Career After Season-Ending Loss To UConn

Illinois guard Terrence Shannon was shielded from the media for the second half of the season but used his social media platform to reflect on his career.

After the Illini's loss to UConn in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament, Shannon took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to briefly express his thoughts on the season. He simply thanked the fans for supporting him during what has been a difficult three months.

"Thank you Illini Nation," Shannon wrote on his page.

Shannon finished with just eight points on 2 of 12 shooting. The loss ended the Illini's bid at making the Final Four for the first time since 2005, the year they lost to North Carolina in the title game. After the defeat, Shannon and Illini coach Brad Underwood embraced near the bench. When asked about it, Underwood refused to share details of what was said because it was a private moment.

Shannon had been arguably the best player in the tournament after averaging 28 points the first three games. This was on the heels of averaging 34 points in the Big Ten tournament, including a career-high 40 against Nebraska.

The second half of the season Shannon wasn't allowed to speak with reporters because of rape allegations that surfaced in late December. The charges stemmed from a September incident in Lawrence, Kan. He was suspended for six games before being reinstated in mid-January.

Shannon, a 6-foot-6 guard, is expected to appear in court in May because the case is still pending. If the ruling is in his favor, he can begin preparing for the NBA draft. He is projected as a top 15 pick by most draft analysts but he may have improved his stock during the postseason.