5 massive observations from the Illinois basketball win over Ohio State

5. Terrence Shannon Jr. did what superstars do

In the five huge questions article leading up to the Ohio State game, I wondered if the dynamic duo of Terrence Shannon Jr. and Marcus Domask would come through for Illinois against the Buckeyes. I also mentioned in that post that when one of the great players isn’t having a good game, the other picks them up.

Just hours later, Domask lays an egg for the Illini. A player who has averaged 21 points in the last four games and 15.7 points per game for the season dropped seven points against Ohio State. This was a brutal performance, but the dynamic duo came through, as Shannon picked his teammate up when he was down.

Shannon did what superstars do. He put up a big number in a crucial spot. He finished the Ohio State game with 28 points on 8-of-20 shooting from the floor and 2-of-7 from three-point range. He also did what he does best and got to the free throw line. Shannon converted 10-of-11 from the charity stripe.

I didn’t even mention Shannon doing a little bit of everything on the court. He had three rebounds, three assists, and two steals to go along with his game-high 28 points.

Shannon was aggressive toward the basket. He played with a bulldog mentality. The refs were blowing their whistles, so he took advantage of this fact.

I was also impressed with Shannon’s defense against the Buckeyes. He had the two steals, one of which was a breakaway dunk. He also guarded well on the perimeter. Shannon got around screens well and didn’t allow Ohio State to get a lot of open looks.

Big-time players come through in big-time games. Shannon put on his cape and led Illinois to a huge win in the Big Ten Tournament. He is a true superstar.