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Illini Basketball Faces UIC Amidst Injury Concerns
29 Oct
Summary
- Illinois basketball team faces UIC in final exhibition game.
- Several key players, including Mirkovic, Stojakovic, and Ivisic, are out.
- The Fighting Illini have a challenging nonconference and Big Ten schedule ahead.
The Illinois Fighting Illini are set to play their final exhibition game against the UIC Flames on Wednesday night before their regular season commences on Monday, November 2nd. The Flames concluded their previous season with a 19-16 record, placing fifth in the Missouri Valley Conference and reaching the conference championship game.
However, the Fighting Illini will be significantly shorthanded for this tune-up. Preseason All-American forward David Mirkovic remains sidelined due to offseason foot surgery. Leading returning scorer Andrej Stojakovic and center Zvonimir Ivisic are also out after sustaining injuries in the previous exhibition. Freshman guard Lincoln Williams is currently a game-time decision.
Illinois has a 1-1 record in exhibition play, with a win against Cincinnati and a loss to Baylor. Their upcoming regular season schedule is notably difficult, featuring matchups against highly ranked teams such as No. 19 Texas Tech, No. 2 Duke, and No. 4 UConn, alongside several Big Ten rivals including Purdue, Ohio State, and Michigan State.
