5 frustrating observations from the Illinois basketball loss to Northwestern

2. Terrence Shannon Jr. is trying too hard to be the guy

Everyone knows that Terrence Shannon Jr. is a great basketball player. He has been a big part of the Illinois basketball team in the time he has been here, and he hasn’t lost that great ability.

As Shannon awaits his preliminary trial for rape charges that has now been pushed back to May 10, he is still taking the court for the Illini.

Shannon was playing some incredible basketball before his six-game suspension, and now that he is back with the Orange and Blue, he is playing like people are doubting his abilities. He is playing like someone who is trying way too hard.

Shannon was letting the game come to him before his suspension. In his last game against Missouri, he dropped 30 points on 9-of-14 shooting from the field and 2-of-6 from three-point range.

In the two games since he returned from the suspension, Shannon has averaged 14.0 points, 3.5 assists, 2.0 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game. He is also shooting 7-of-18, 38.9%, from the field and 1-of-10, 10%, from three-point range.

I appreciate the way Shannon plays. He is aggressive toward the basket, and that is what Illinois needs more of throughout the game. But there are so many times he tries to be unnecessarily aggressive. He forces the issue and it doesn’t need to be forced.

Moving forward, I hope that Shannon calms down a little bit. Let the game come to him more often. He should keep being aggressive but be smart-aggressive. Don’t be a bull in a china shop.