Illinois Basketball: 5 Illini players poised to increase their scoring average

It is tough to say your leading scorer is going to increase his point production the following season, but I think that is possible with Terrence Shannon Jr.

Shannon has been a great asset to the Illini since joining the program. He helped us win a lot of games in 2022-23, and I fully expect that out of him this season. I also believe he is going to play nearly every minute in each game.

Last season, Shannon averaged 17.2 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.3 steals in 32.0 minutes per game. He was one of the main scorers for the Illini, but he wasn’t efficient by any means. Shannon knocked down just 32.1% of his three-pointers and hit 44.2% from the field.

Much like Coleman Hawkins, I think Shannon worked on his game a lot this offseason. NBA scouts told him what he needed to fix, and Shannon went to the lab.

In the win over Kansas on Sunday, Shannon played all but five minutes. He ended up dropping 28 points on 8-of-13 from the field, 5-of-9 from three-point range, and 7-of-10 from the charity stripe.

I was pleased with how Shannon drove to the basket and finished. There was a lot better spacing with so many new additions to the team as well.

If Shannon can raise his three-point shooting from 32.1% to 35% and his two-point shooting from 53.4% to 56%, that would enable him to average 18.0 points per game with the same number of field goal attempts. And, let’s be honest, Shannon is going to attempt more field goals this season.

I see Shannon hitting the numbers I mentioned above. He is going to enter the 2023-24 season guns blazing. Look for Shannon to increase his 17.2 points per game average from last season to nearly 20.0 points per game this year. Get ready for one of the best scoring seasons in program history.