NEW YORK, NEW YORK – DECEMBER 06: Terrence Shannon Jr. #0 of the Illinois Fighting Illini reacts after scoring a basket during overtime against the Texas Longhorns at Madison Square Garden on December 06, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Dustin Satloff/Getty Images) 

University of Illinois men’s basketball star Terrence Shannon Jr. was arrested Thursday on disturbing charges.

Illinois star wing Terrence Shannon Jr. has been suspended indefinitely after being charged with rape, the program announced Thursday.

A warrant for his arrest was issued by the Douglas County District Attorney in Kansas after an alleged incident on Sept. 8 while Shannon was in Lawrence for the Illinois-Kansas football game.

The university specified that Shannon was “not in Lawrence on official University business, nor was he a member of the University’s travel party.”

He would return to Kansas on Thursday to turn himself in and posted bail before traveling back to Illinois.

The university acknowledged that it was aware of an investigation into Shannon since late September but had not received “actionable information” until this week.

“The University and DIA (Division of Intercollegiate Athletics) have shown time and again that we have zero tolerance for sexual misconduct,” Illinois athletic director Josh Whitman said in a statement. “At the same time, DIA policy affords student-athletes appropriate levels of due process based on the nature and severity of the allegations. We will rely on that policy and our prior experiences to manage this situation appropriately for the University and the involved parties.”

 

This is a huge blow for the team who have climbed to No. 11 in this week’s AP Top 25 following a 97-73 win over rival Missouri last Friday.

Shannon is a big part of that as he leads Illinois in scoring at 21.7 points per game, which is second only to Purdue star Zach Edey in the Big Ten.