Illinois basketball is off to a blistering 9-2 start but they got some bad news on Thursday, which resulted in them suspending All-American candidate Terrence Shannon Jr after he was charged with rape. Shortly after the suspension, Shannon Jr's attorney released a statement on the matter. Via Peggy Kusinski:

“Since September, when these allegations surfaced, Terrence has cooperated with law enforcement throughout the investigation, declaring his innocence from the beginning. Now, several months later, my office learned that formal charges were filed against him yesterday in Lawrence, KS. In less than 24 hours, my client responded, and he voluntarily surrendered to local authorities. Terrence is innocent of these charges, and he intends to take his case to trial.”

Regardless if he's found guilty or not guilty, it's a real shame for the Fighting Illini and Terrence Shannon Jr, who is their best player and leading scorer. He's averaging 21.7 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 2.5 assists on 40% shooting from three-point land. Shannon Jr is definitely seen as an NBA prospect but it's unknown how this case could affect his draft status next summer.

The alleged incident took place back on September 8th in Lawrence, Kansas while Shannon Jr was attending a Kansas-Illinois football game. On Wednesday, the Douglas County District Attorney had a warrant out for his arrest and Shannon Jr traveled to Kansas to give himself to the authorities.

This is the second season for Terrence Shannon Jr at Illinois after beginning his collegiate career at Texas Tech. The Fighting Illini are seen as one of the biggest contenders in the Big Ten in 2023-24.