Grades are in ... Shannon caps Big Ten tournament with 34-point game
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Player of the game
Illinois guard Terrence Shannon Jr.
There was zero doubt who would be named Big Ten tournament Most Outstanding Player. At least as soon as the final buzzer sounded and Illinois was the official winner of Sunday's championship game. Shannon unleashed an offensive flurry in three games in Minneapolis, with Sunday's 34-point effort coming on the heels of his Big Ten tournament record 40 in the semifinals against Nebraska and a 28-point performance that helped send Ohio State home in the quarterfinal round. Shannon didn't do all that much else in his long weekend in the Twin Cities — not too many rebounds or assists — but so, so many points.
Backcourt
Illinois: A+
Wisconsin: A+
Shannon and Marcus Domask didn't go point for point like they did in early December in New York City, but it was close. Domask capped in 26 points on 8 of 11 shooting to go with eight assists and seven rebounds to give the Illini a dominant 1-2 punch. Which they needed with AJ Storr, Chucky Hepburn and Max Klesmit combining to score 60 points for the Badgers.
Frontcourt
Illinois: A-
Wisconsin: B
Coleman Hawkins had seven points, six rebounds and three assists. A nice complementary stat line alongside the dominance of Shannon and Domask. Where the Illinois forward made the biggest difference, however, was at the defensive end. The Illini switched the 6-10 Hawkins on Storr in the second half, and he helped hold the Wisconsin guard to eight points on 2 of 8 shooting after halftime.
Bench
Illinois: A
Wisconsin: B
Illinois leaning on its starters isn't new. Brad Underwood has rolled with that group most of the season. But the Illini got necessary production off the bench all week in Minneapolis. On Sunday it was Dain Dainja again, playing alongside Hawkins down the stretch and finishing with nine points and seven rebounds. Spot minutes from little-used freshman guard Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn were also important as other Illini guards dealt with foul trouble.
Overall
Illinois: A
Wisconsin: B+
Two Big Ten tournament championships in four years — and all those regular season wins — have cemented Illinois as one of the best teams in the Big Ten ... and by virtue of that status, one of the best in the country. The Illini proved that this week in Minneapolis. None of their three victories were easy. Not with double-digit deficits in the second half of each game. Illinois simply found a way. Often times leaning on Shannon, but how the Illini won in the Big Ten tournament could bode well for the NCAA tournament.
