That only left Matthew Mayer to make his mark until Shannon got going. And in the end, it was enough as the Fighting Illini overcame a double-digit lead in the second half on the way to an 85-78 overtime win over the Longhorns on Dec. 6 in the Jimmy V Classic at Madison Square Garden.
The 2021-22 season tipped off Nov. 9 at Madison Square Garden with the 11th annual Champions Classic with Duke and Kansas both picking up victories to get their seasons underway in front of 18,132 spectators.
There is perhaps no better place to tip off a new college basketball season than at the world’s most famous arena. Putting four of the most storied programs in history on full display only fuels the excitement as the nation continues reopening after nearly two years of uncertainty.
The Blue Devils survived two tantalizing UCF shots at the end for their incredible 77-76 victory in one of the most memorable second-round contests in tournament history.
