Illinois coach Brad Underwood was asked Thursday about Fighting Illini star Terrence Shannon Jr. playing in the NCAA Tournament despite being arrested on a rape charge in December.
Shannon missed six games while suspended by the university, but successfully sued his school and was cleared to return to play after his arrest after the incident in Kansas. While the case with the school is settled, the criminal case remains ongoing, opening up the spectacle of controversy for No. 3 seed Illinois during the NCAA Tournament as it heads into the Sweet 16 on Thursday vs. No. 2 seed Iowa State.
“I’ve said many times I’m a college basketball coach,” Underwood said ahead of the team’s game vs. the Cyclones. “When we found out, it was our athletic director Josh Whitman that informed me. Then it was to a decision that was made by the university, and then obviously taken to the courts, and I’ve said all along I was going to coach the guys I had in the locker room. I was going to be the best supporter of those guys that I coach every day. We had to find a way to flourish through those tough times.
“Then when he came back and joined us, he was a part of our team again. He has always been a great teammate. We got him back, and here we sit today.”
Here’s what we know about the timeline and details of the case against Shannon, who has maintained his innocence since charges were brought against him in December.
Dec. 5, 2023: Shannon is charged with one count of rape or an alternative count of sexual battery after a woman alleged that he grabbed her buttocks, reached under her skirt and touched her inappropriately on Sept. 8 in Lawrence, Kansas.
Dec. 28, 2023: Shannon turns himself in and is arrested one day after a warrant is issued. He is released on $50,000 bail. Illinois suspends Shannon indefinitely, citing a zero-tolerance sexual conduct policy. Shannon’s attorney, Mark P. Sutter, issues a statement acknowledging the accusation surfaced in September 2023 but that his client has declared his innocence since the beginning.
Jan. 2, 2024: Shannon Jr. writes a 1,366-word letter addressed to the University of Illinois student-athlete conduct panel, in which he continues to declare his innocence and pleads for the suspension to be overturned. The letter reads in part:
As to the criminal charges against me, I am declaring my innocence, as I did back in September. I have totally cooperated with that process and will…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at CBSSports.com Headlines…