Big Ten Daily (Dec. 23): Terrence Shannon Jr. Unstoppable in Illinois' Braggin' Rights Win
Terrence Shannon Jr. was on a mission Friday night. The Illinois guard showed just how special of a player he can be in Illinois' 97-73 win over Missouri at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis.
Friday night's rivalry tilt was more of a "Butt Kickin'" than a "Braggin' Rights" game. Shannon played a big role in that, scoring 30 points, grabbing 11 rebounds and dishing four assists in the blowout victory.
It's easy to read the stat sheet and see that Shannon had a special night. Watching him in action? It was a basketball lover's dream.
"Was there any doubt who the best player on the court was," Illinois coach Brad Underwood said following the win. "When Terrence rebounds and he can get out in transition like that, we're a pretty special basketball team."
From the opening tip until the final whistle, Shannon was aggressive. Missouri had no answer when the guard used his lightning-quick speed in transition. He attacked the basket and knocked down open shots.
Shannon hit the glass hard on the defensive end. When he found himself in traffic on the offensive side, he kicked it out to the open man. Simply put, the Illinois guard was as focused as we've seen all season.
After the game, Shannon admitted that he had a little extra incentive heading into this year's game after suffering a 93-71 loss to the Tigers last season. However, he said he didn't really do anything out of the normal.
“There was a little bit of juice, obviously, because of how bad they beat us last year,” said Shannon. "But that's what I do. I get out in transition and that's where I'm at my best.
"Coaches emphasize defensive rebounding and getting out in transition with our team these past couple days, and I feel like we did a good job executing that at the beginning of the game."
Shannon wasn't the only one to produce for the Illini Friday night. Quincy Guerrier scored a career-high 28 points, making five shots from behind the 3-point line. Coleman Hawkins added 15 and Marcus Domask added 10.
It was a tremendous team effort in St. Louis.
But Shannon was the headliner, and for good reason. When he's aggressive and pushes the ball in transition, there may not be a player in the Big Ten that can slow him down.
That's what will keep Illinois in the hunt for a Big Ten title when conference play picks back up in January.
Jahmir Young Gets 37 For Terps
Believe it or not, Maryland is finally starting to show signs of life. The Terrapins picked up an important road win on Friday night at Pauley Pavilion, knocking off UCLA 69-60.
It was the first road victory of the season for the Terrapins, picking up a little steam after a sluggish start the 2023-24 campaign. Jahmir Young was sensational, accounting for 37 points, seven rebounds and three assists.
Young didn't just put up big numbers, he was incredibly efficient offensively. He connected on 13-of-19 shots from the floor and knocked down four of his six 3-point tries.
"We hadn't gotten a road game yet this year," Young said after the game, per The Baltimore Sun. "So just trying to lead the young guys and lead this team and just make it a personal thing and just going out and playing as hard as I can. We've got a break for a few days, so just going out and leaving it all on the floor."
Maryland started the year with a 1-3 record. The Terrapins have now won seven of their last eight contests, including four in a row.
Young has been a huge part of Maryland's recent success, averaging 25.3 points per game in the last four victories.
"He was phenomenal," Maryland coach Kevin Willard said of Young. "He had it going early, he felt it. He made some great reads early on, coming off down screens. I think he saw that first one go in and I saw his eyes. He really wanted the basketball.
"At the end of the game, we needed a bucket and with Julian [Reese] out, we put the ball in his hands, and he made some big plays."
Entering the season, the Terrapins were projected to finish third in the Big Ten. Through the first two months of the season, they haven't looked like a top-tier team in the conference.
Perhaps Friday night's win over the Bruins will be a turning point of the season.
Northwestern Opens Big Ten Bowl Season
The wait is finally over. After three long weeks, the Big Ten is back in action on the football field, with Northwestern kicking off the conference's bowl schedule.
Northwestern (7-5) takes on Utah (8-4) in the SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl on Saturday, Dec. 23. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET and the game airs on ABC and ESPN-Plus.
The Wildcats are hoping to put the final feather in the cap of an unbelievable season — one that many predicted to be a failure before the first game of the year.
After reports of hazing allegations surfaced, Northwestern terminated longtime coach Pat Fitzgerald, promoting newly-hired defensive coordinator David Braun as interim.
Braun was thrust into the leadership role, despite having no experience at the FBS level. A two-win season seemed to be in the works.
Instead, Northwestern surprised the college football world, finishing with a 7-5 record and a postseason appearance. The school promptly named Braun the permanent head coach.
Can the Wildcats add one more thrilling accomplishment to one of the most unpredictable seasons we've seen in Big Ten history?
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