Champaign, Illinois — No. 11 Illinois men’s basketball team is reeling after star player Terrence Shannon Jr. was suspended from all team activities following charges of rape, the university announced on Thursday. The suspension came after a warrant for Shannon‘s arrest was issued by the Douglas County district attorney’s office in Kansas over an alleged sexual assault that occurred in September.

According to jail records, Shannon turned himself in and was arrested in Lawrence, Kansas, on Thursday morning. The charge includes “rape; sexual intercourse without consent and use of force.” The university clarified that the incident occurred while Shannon was in Lawrence to attend the Illinois-Kansas football game but emphasized that he was not in the city on official university business or part of the university’s travel party.

Shannon, a Chicago native, has been a standout player for the Illini this season, leading the team with an impressive average of 21.7 points per game and a 40.8% success rate in 3-point attempts.

The university issued a statement saying they had been aware of a Lawrence police investigation involving Shannon since late September but only received “actionable information” on Wednesday when the warrant for his arrest was issued.

Mark Sutter, an Illinois-based attorney representing Shannon, asserted his client’s innocence in a statement, stating, “Terrence is innocent of these charges, and he intends to take his case to trial.” Sutter also mentioned that Shannon had cooperated with law enforcement throughout the investigation since the allegations surfaced in September.

According to the university, Shannon posted $50,000 bail on Thursday and was returning to Champaign, Illinois. The charge against him carries a severe penalty, with a minimum sentence of 147 months, a maximum of 653 months in prison, and/or a fine of up to $300,000 if convicted.

Cheryl Cadue, a Douglas County District Attorney’s spokeswoman, declined to comment on the case.

Athletic director Josh Whitman emphasized the university’s zero-tolerance policy for sexual misconduct in a statement, saying, “The University and [the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics] have shown time and again that we have zero tolerance for sexual misconduct.” Whitman also mentioned that the university would rely on its policies and prior experiences to manage the situation appropriately for all involved parties.

As the legal proceedings unfold, the Illini basketball program faces a significant challenge in navigating the impact of Shannon‘s suspension on their performance and reputation.

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