University Of Illinois Basketball Star Terrence Shannon Jr. Charged With Rape

Terrence Shannon Jr. has been suspended indefinitely from the University of Illinois' basketball team.

University of Illinois fifth-year guard and top scorer Terrence Shannon Jr. was arrested Dec. 28 and charged with rape.

The Daily News reports that Shannon, 23, was briefly booked in Douglas County, where he posted a $50,000 bail and traveled back to Champaign, Illinois. Shannon has been suspended indefinitely from the team by the university.

“The University and [athletic department] have shown time and again that we have zero tolerance for sexual misconduct,” athletic director Josh Whitman said in a statement, according to the Daily News. “At the same time, [department] policy affords student-athletes appropriate levels of due process based on the nature and severity of the allegations.”

Lawrence police have been investigating Shannon following a Sep. 8. incident when Shannon was in town attending an Illinois vs. Kansas football game. Lawrence police issued a warrant for Shannon’s arrest Dec. 27, and he turned himself in a day later.

Shannon, who spent three years at Texas Tech University before transferring to Illinois last season, is one of the best players on the No. 11-ranked Fighting Illini basketball team. Illinois is 9-2 this season, and Shannon leads the team with 21.7 points per game, 4.5 rebounds per game, and 2.5 assists per game in 11 games this season. The team’s standout player, Shannon averages more than 12 points per game.

The University of Illinois said it had been aware of the investigation for months but had no “actionable information” until the warrant was issued.

“We will rely on [our] policy and our prior experiences to manage this situation appropriately for the University and the involved parties,” Whitman said.

Illinois will play Fairleigh Dickinson University Friday night before starting its Big Ten Conference schedule on Jan. 2 against Northwestern University before playing No 1. ranked Purdue on Jan. 5.