Illinois Basketball Star Misses Major Mid-Season Watch List

Illinois Basketball Star Misses Major Mid-Season Watch List

On Thursday (2/15) the Naismith Awards announced via the “X” app (@NaismithTrophy) their mid-season watch list for the 2024 college basketball season. Surprisingly for Star Illinois guard Terrance Shannon Jr, his name did not make the midseason list. Indeed a turn of events for many in Illini nation, considering Terrance was previously named on several preseason all-American watch lists. In addition to having played a very solid season for Illinois as well, when he has been available.

Terrance is currently averaging 21.1 ppg, and shooting 47% from the field. On Tuesday’s matchup vs the Michigan Wolverines, Illinois handed Juwan Howard an 0-8 overall record vs the Illini since his tenure. Of course, heavily influenced by Shannon going 11-15 from the field with 31 points vs the Wolverines on Tuesday. Indeed, it comes as a shock to many that Shannon’s name is not on this list.

Watch Terrance go 11-15, with 31 points  (2-12)

Who the heck did make the list?

Thirty players were named to the mid-season watch list for the Naismith Player Of the Year. 4 of them, representatives of the Big Ten. Those players include the list following…

Purdue’s monster 7’4 five-man Zach Edey, who currently averages 23.3 PPG, 11.7 rebounds a game, and shooting 62.3% overall from the field. In addition to Edey, his teammate, guard Braden Smith also made the cut. Smith currently averaged 12.7 ppg, and is shooting 47% from the field. Next up on the list is Michigan States Tyson Walker. Tyson is currently hoists 18.4 ppg, and shoots at a 46.3% average from the field. Walker had 19 in MSU’s win over Illinois a short week ago. A big win for Tom Izzo and the Spartans to boost their tournament resume. Boo Buie, star guard at Northwestern is currently averaging 18.8 ppg, and averages a little over 43% shooting from the field. Certainly salt in the wound for Illini fans as a player from the rival up north finds himself on the list.

What it Means

Interestingly enough that means that 3 of the 4 players named to the Naismith midseason list have not, thus far, created the same production as Shannon. Now, Shannon did missed 6 games per his suspension. Which, can certainly help those percentages compared to those who have seen the floor the entire season. Certainly for Terrance, this is a massive motivator going into the most vital stretch of this season for this team. There are plenty of opportunities for Shannon to work his way back onto this list.  Furthermore, Illinois Basketball is going to need Shannon to continue to lead this team during the certainly impending high pressure situations that come with the Big Ten and NCAA tournaments. Big opportunities present themselves, and it feels like Shannon holds destiny in his own hands here.