IlliniGuys Staff

November 14, 2022

(Cover photo courtesy Steve Snider/IlliniGuys)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Terrence Shannon Jr. continued his hot start with a career-high 30 points as 19th ranked Illinois ran past Monmouth 103-65 Monday night at State Farm Center.

The lopsided victory marked the first time since 1911 that the Illini opened a season with three straight wins of 30 points or more.

Unlike the 1-for-18 start against Missouri-Kansas City Friday night, the Illini (3-0) found their shot much earlier.  Illinois hit its first five shots from the field to build a modest 14-9 lead.  But they then went on a 25-9 run to blow the game open and never looked back from there.

Shannon, playing his first season after three years at Texas Tech, looked like a man among boys at times against the Hawks.  The Chicago native scored 21 points in the first half on a variety of moves, keying fast breaks and hitting three pointers as Illinois built a 66-36 halftime lead.  Shannon added eight rebounds and four assists to his stat line.

Jayden Epps scored a career best 21 points off the bench. Fellow reserve Dain Dainja failed to record his third double-double in as many games, but scored 15 points to go with four rebounds.  In all, ten different Illini scored and every player saw action in the game.

The opening three-game lopsided wins over Eastern Illinois, UMKC, and Monmouth is the Illini's most dominant start in more than a century.  They beat Millikin 48-8 and the Evanston Reds 43-8 and 37-7 scores in the last time they recorded a trio of 30-point wins in their season-opening games.

Monmouth (0-3) was led by Andrew Ball with 13 points.

Illinois now gets ready for its biggest tests of the season.  They meet 8th ranked UCLA Friday night (8:30pm CT, ESPNU) in the Continental Tire Main Event at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.  The Illini will then face either #5 Baylor or 17th ranked Virginia on Sunday.

Stay with IlliniGuys.com for more coverage of Monday night's game.