Illinois star and All-American candidate Terrence Shannon Jr. is allowed to play again for the Illini after judge Colleen Lawless granted Shannon’s temporary restraining order Friday in his civil suit against the university.
Shannon was suspended on Dec. 28 after being charged with rape following an alleged incident while Shannon was visiting Lawrence, Kansas, for the Illinois-Kansas football game on Sept. 8 as a spectator.
“The potential harm to the Plaintiff outweighs any harm to the University,” the judge wrote in her statement. “Defendants are enjoined from suspending Plaintiff from the basketball team without at least affording him the protections of the OSCR policy.”
The judge was not deciding whether Shannon is guilty or innocent, but rather ruling on the suspension that the University of Illinois placed on the student-athlete and whether that was allowable with an impending case hanging over him.
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The preliminary hearing for the felony rape charge filed against Shannon in Douglas County (Kansas) in December is set for Feb. 23.
The Illini are the 14th-ranked team in the country with a 13-4 record following an 88-73 win at Michigan on Thursday. Shannon, a unanimous All-Big Ten First Team preseason selection and FOX Sports All-American Preseason Second Team honoree, is eighth in the country averaging 21.7 points per game. Illinois went 4-2 without him in the lineup.
While Shannon is allowed to return to the team and play, the big question is how much or little coach Brad Underwood will play his leading scorer with these allegations hanging over him. The Illini host Rutgers on Sunday at 2 p.m. ET on Big Ten Network.
John Fanta is a national college basketball broadcaster and writer for FOX Sports. He covers the sport in a variety of capacities, from calling games on FS1 to serving as lead host on the BIG EAST Digital Network to providing commentary on The Field of 68 Media Network. Follow him on Twitter @John_Fanta.
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