BOSTON — Terrence Shannon Jr. spent a lot of the second half saddled with foul bother.
When it was lastly time to verify again in, the high-scoring wing didn’t hesitate.
He put third-seeded Illinois on his again, main the Illini to its first Elite Eight look because it reached the nationwide championship sport 19 years in the past.
Shannon sank a clutch 3-pointer, arrange a teammate Dain Dainja for a dunk and got here up with the clinching steal and basket in a 72-69 victory over No. 2 Iowa State.
He scored 9 of his game-high 29 factors within the last 5:08.
“To do this chilly reveals he stayed within the sport mentally,” Illinois coach Brad Underwood mentioned. “He was all the time cheering and excited within the time-outs and on the bench. He was dialed in mentally, and that’s not a simple factor to do to, step in and bury a 3. It was a giant one.”
Illinois’ prize: No. 1 Connecticut with a Last 4 spot on the road Saturday night time at TD Backyard.
It has now received 10 of its final 11 video games, together with a Large Ten Match title.
The lone loss got here to Purdue, the highest seed within the Midwest Area.
“That is what you put together for. It’s tremendous thrilling to have the chance to go play the No. 1 workforce within the nation within the Elite Eight,” Illinois guard Luke Goode mentioned. “You possibly can’t ask for something higher, truthfully. … All of the exhausting work we put in has sort of led us to this second, and we’re excited for it.”
Curtis Jones scored 26 factors for Iowa State (29-8) and Keshon Gilbert added 14.
Coleman Hawkins has 12 factors, six rebounds and three assists for Illinois (29-8).
Shannon was once more the star, and is now averaging 28.3 factors over three video games on this event.
Shannon has but to talk to the media since getting back from a six-game suspension the third week of January on the recommendation of authorized counsel.
The 6-foot-6 Chicago native is dealing with rape or an alternate rely of sexual battery allegations from a Sept. 9 incident at a Lawrence, Kan., bar.
Shannon was on the town to look at the Illinois soccer workforce tackle Kansas.
He solely was reinstated as a result of a federal decide granted him a short lived restraining order that compelled Illinois to reinstate him.
He’s due again in courtroom in Might.
In a showdown that includes the top-rated offense (Illinois) towards one of the best top-rated protection (Iowa State), it was Paradoxically the Illini’s protection that was one of many keys to the win.
It held Iowa State to 39.3 p.c capturing from the sector and received the battle on the boards by 4.
“I’m tremendous excited and proud,” Underwood mentioned. “We didn’t come right here to win one sport. We got here right here to win two.”
