TSJ, Domask combine for 60 points to win Big Ten tournament title in barnburner over Wisconsin

MINNEAPOLIS (WMBD) – One day after a career-high 40-point performance against Nebraska in the Big Ten semifinals, Terrence Shannon Jr. put up 34 points in a conference tournament championship-winning performance over Wisconsin in a 93-87 barnburner.

TSJ was 8-15 from the field and 15-17 from the free throw line. Marcus Domask was also dominant for the Illini, adding another 26 points on 8-11 shooting.

For the second time in as many days, Illinois put together a double-digit comeback. After trailing 61-51 with 14 minutes left to play against Wisconsin in the Big Ten title game, the Illini strung together a 19-4 run to put them up five.

The game was a back-and-forth slugfest that featured 13 ties and 13 lead changes.  The win clinched their first Big Ten tournament championship since 2021, when they beat Ohio State in overtime.

On Saturday, Illinois needed a 15-point comeback against the Nebraska Cornhuskers to clinch a spot in the championship game as the two-seed.

Terrence Shannon Jr. finished with 26 points while Marcus Domask added another 22.

The game was a typical Big Ten slugfest with 13 ties and 13 lead changes. Illinois currently is projected as a 3-seed for the NCAA tournament, per ESPN’s Joe Lunardi.

4:31 p.m.

Terrence Shannon Jr. hits a three with under two minutes to play to give the Illini an 88-85 lead. TSJ has 31 points so far after putting up a career-high of 40 in the semifinals against Nebraska.

4:22 p.m.

Wisconsin tied the game on two separate occasions in the final six minutes after trailing when the Illini went on a 19-4 run.

Dain Dainja gave the lead right back to Illinois on a fast-break bucket with the assist coming from Coleman Hawkins. Illinois lead 81-79 with 4:12 to play.

There have been 11 ties and 11 lead changes throughout the game.

4:12 p.m.

Illinois’ lead has been trimmed to two after a bucket from Chucky Hepburn. He has 18 points on the afternoon.

The Illini lead 72-70 with just under 8 minutes left in regulation.

4:04 p.m.

Illinois regained the lead after being down as many as 10 in the second half. The Illini are on a 19-4 run to take a 70-65 lead after trailing 61-51.

Terrence Shannon Jr. has 21 points for the Illini on 6-11 shooting from the field.

The game has featured nine ties and 11 lead changes.

3:57 p.m.

Wisconsin goes on a 10-2 run and grew their lead to double digits at the 14:30 mark.

They led 61-51 before the Illini went on a run of their own. A 12-3 stretch got the deficit down to 64-63, amplified by a Coleman Hawkins dunk that got the Illini bench fired up with 11:22 left to play in regulation.

3:46 p.m.

Illinois and Wisconsin came into the second half on a scoring tear. The two teams combined to make their first 10 shots from the floor.

Wisconsin leads 55-49 after the Badgers knocked down an and-one fadeaway jumper with 15:47 left to play.

Domask and TSJ lead the Illini in scoring with 15 each. Both teams now shooting more than 50% from the floor.

3:25 p.m.

Terrence Shannon Jr. hit a three-pointer in the final 30 seconds of the half to give Illinois its first lead in over 13 minutes.

He put up 15 points in the opening 20 minutes to lead the Illini in scoring. He is 4-8 from the floor and 5-6 from the free throw line.

Both teams are shooting roughly 45% from the field. Neither team has had a lead larger than four points.

3:12 p.m.

Luke Goode took a hard hit to the floor after being called for a foul during a rebound. He went to the bench in apparent pain with around five minutes left in the half.

The two teams continue to trade baskets back and forth. Illinois is down 33-31 with 4:00 left, but Shannon Jr. can tie it from the free throw line after the timeout.

In the first 16 minutes, there have already been seven ties and four lead changes. Despite this, the Illini’s last lead was at the 13:57 mark when they were up 12-11.

2:59 p.m.

Terrence Shannon Jr. hits a three-pointer to tie the game at 22-22 after Wisconsin took another lead.

TSJ and Ty Rodgers lead the Illini in scoring with five each at the under-8 media timeout.

2:48 p.m.

Wisconsin goes on a mini 7-2 run after Illinois missed multiple close shots to take a 16-14 lead. Marcus Domask hit a fadeaway jumper to tie the game back up at 16-16 with 11:25 left to play in the first half.

AJ Storr already has nine points for the Badgers, shooting 4-6 from the field. Ty Rodgers leads the Illini in scoring with four.

2:40 p.m.

The Illini jump out to an early lead over the Badgers after Coleman Hawkins and Quincy Guerrier hit threes in the opening minutes of the Big Ten championship.

They lead 10-6 entering the first media timeout. Illinois is 2-3 from beyond the arc while Wisconsin has yet to attempt a three.

MINNEAPOLIS (WMBD) – The Illini are set to face Wisconsin in Minneapolis Sunday afternoon in the Big Ten tournament championship game, the final conference tournament to be decided before the NCAA Division I men’s tournament bracket is revealed.

Illinois came in the tournament as the No. 2 seed and needed a 15-point comeback against Nebraska in the semifinals to advance. The game was highlighted by Terrence Shannon Junior’s career-high 40-point performance.

This is the Illini’s 8th Big Ten title game appearance, and their first since 2021, when Illinois beat Ohio State 91-88 in overtime. It is the fourth time Illinois will face Wisconsin in the title game; the Illini beat the Badgers in 2005 while Wisconsin won in 2004 and 2008.

Live updates of the game will be kept at this blog. Tip-off is scheduled on WMBD for 2:30 p.m.

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