NEW YORK – Marcus Domask and Terrence Shannon Jr. put on a show in the Big Apple, combining for 66 points in No. 20 Illinois' 98-89 win over No. 11 Florida Atlantic on Tuesday night.
Playing at Madison Square Garden in the Jimmy V Classic for the second straight season, the Fighting Illini picked up their first ranked win of the campaign in the nine-point win in New York City.
Domask and Shannon took over in the second half, combining to score 49 of the team's 59 second-half points. They shot nearly 75% in the final period of play, and they each knocked down two 3-pointers after halftime.
Domask recorded a career-high 33 points, including 25 in the second half. He went on a stretch of seven straight makes, and he shot 71.4% from the field, including 11-15 in the final period of play. Domask also grabbed a team-high six rebounds and three assists.
Shannon Jr. also amassed a career-high 33 points in the win, and he tallied 24 points after te break. Shannon also shot 71.4%, hit 11 of his 13 free throws, and notched two assists.
Justin Harmon registered a season-high 10 points, and he converted both of his 3-point attempts in his 22 minutes of action, his most this campaign.
Coleman Hawkins did a little bit of everything, finishing his night with nine points, two rebounds, two assists, one block, and a team-high three steals.
The Fighting Illini shot a season-best 63.2% as a team, outscored the Owls in the paint, 48-36, and dominated the margin in fast-break points, 9-0.
After both teams got off to a slow shooting performance, Dain Dainja gave the Illini their first lead of the night just over seven minutes into the contest. With the Owls ahead by five at the halfway mark in the frame, the Illini used a 9-0 run to overcome their deficit. A stretch of four straight points from Hawkins in the span of 13 seconds fueled a streak that led to a four-point Illinois advantage.
With 10 lead changes in the opening period of play, the Orange and Blue went into the break trailing, 42-39. Shooting 60.7% through the first 20 minutes, the Illini went on a stretch with 10 makes out of 11 attempts. Shannon tallied a team-high nine points, though eight different Illini registered points in the first half.
Domask accounted for Illinois' first seven points of the second half, moving him into double figures for the second straight game. Domask and Shannon each tallied six points during the Illini's 14-0 run early in the second half, which turned a seven-point deficit into a seven-point Illinois edge over a three-minute span.
The Owls retook the lead, but after Domask converted an and-1 layup, Harmon hit his second 3-pointer of the night to move into double digits for the first time during his Illinois career. Shannon's driving layup capped off an 8-0 run for the Orange and Blue to restore the Illini's seven-point lead, 64-57.
The final points of that run marked the first of eight consecutive points for Shannon, but Domask did not stay quiet for long. Domask accounted for the Illini's next nine points as the Orange and Blue's edge grew to double digits.
When the Owls cut their deficit to just two points with three minutes to play, Hawkins connected from deep for the second time this season to extend the Illini advantage to five. Shannon was credited with the Illini's final seven points of the night, all of which came from the free-throw line, to seal the win.
No. 20 Illinois (7-1, 1-0 B1G) extended its winning streak to five games before it travels to Knoxville for a matchup with No. 17 Tennessee away from home on Saturday. Tipoff from Thompson–Boling Arena is slated for 11 a.m. CT on CBS.
Highlights
Postgame Notes
Player Notes
- Terrence Shannon Jr. scored a career-high 33 points on 10-for-14 shooting, including 2-for-5 from beyond the arc.
- Second-career 30-point performance.
- Posted his fifth 20-point game of the season, his fifth such game in his last six.
- Has scored at least 15 points in every game this season.
- Has scored in double-figures in 18-straight contests dating back to Jan. 31, 2023.
- Went 11-for-13 from the free-throw line, a new season-high in makes.
- Has five games this season with at least six free throw attempts.
- Marcus Domask scored a career-high 33 points on 15-for-21 shooting, knocking down two 3-pointers, while adding six rebounds.
- Second Illini this season to have a 20-point game.
- Third double-figure scoring performance of the season.
- Has five games in his last six with at least six rebounds.
- Domask and Shannon Jr. are the first Illini duo with 30-point games in the same contest since Nov. 26, 2021.
- The pair scored 49 of the Illini's 59 second half points, going 17-for-25 from the floor.
- Went 4-for-9 from beyond the arc.
- Justin Harmon scored a season-high 10 points and added two rebounds.
- Shot 3-for-5, including 2-for-2 from deep.
- First game this season knocking down multiple 3s.
Team Notes
- Since the start of 2019-20, Illinois is 16-14 in 30 games in which both teams are ranked in the AP Top 25.
- The Illini have earned back-to-back wins in the Jimmy V Classic, both coming against opponents ranked in the AP Top 25.
- Illinois is now 1-1 all-time against FAU.
- The Illini shot 63.2 percent from the floor, the third-best shooting performance in the Brad Underwood era, and the best against a ranked opponent.
- Illinois' 59 second half points are the most points the team has scored in a half since putting up 63 points in the first half on Nov. 14, 2022, vs. Monmouth.
- The Illini scored 16 points off of 14 Owl turnovers.
- Illinois has forced at least 10 opponent turnovers in four-straight games.
- The Illini have also scored at least 12 points off of opponent turnovers in four-straight games.
- Illinois held a 48-36 advantage in points in the paint.
- The Illini have won this battle in seven of eight games this season.
- The Illini shot a season-best 90 percent from the line, making a season-high 18 on 20 free throw attempts.
Quotes
On the one-two punch Domask and Shannon provided:
"Yeah, we'll take 25 of 35 every night. Those guys were sensational. It was a slugfest. It was such a weird game. It's amazing how we come out of the Rutgers game, and every game has a different identity. We needed every one of them. We shot 63% for the game, and we needed all of that because they're so efficient offensively. It just didn't seem like we could get a stop, we put them on the foul line, and they don't miss free throws. Marcus and Terrence were special tonight."
On Domask's career-high scoring performance:
"He's got a great little fadeaway. He's so strong, takes a great hit, and can separate. The high ball pressure they put on didn't bother him; it was to his advantage. There were four or five possessions where I think he just drove it straight down and shot a layup. We're able to do that because of Coleman and his ability to shoot a three. We spaced him in the corner a lot tonight, and that opens the paint up for those guys."
