CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Terrence Shannon Jr., in his first game back after a judge's ruling allowed him to rejoin No. 14 Illinois, scored 16 points in an 86-63 victory over Rutgers on Sunday.
Shannon came off the bench and played 28 minutes. He had four assists and made 8 of 10 shots from the free-throw line. He was suspended by the university on Dec.
28 after he was arrested on a felony rape charge for an alleged September incident in Lawrence, Kansas. U.S. District Court Judge Colleen Lawless, however, ruled Friday that the university had violated Shannon's civil rights and granted a preliminary injunction that required Illinois to reinstate Shannon to the team.
A preliminary hearing in the criminal case has been set for set for Feb. 23. Illini fans showed support for Shannon by cheering when he entered the court for pregame warmups and giving him a standing ovation when he checked into the game with 17:37 to go in the first half.