CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Illini fans are itching to see their preseason All-American selection back in action.
Approaching the final stages of recovery for a foot injury that’s kept him out since the beginning of August, David Mirkovic did not see the court during Illinois’ exhibition win over the Cincinnati Bearcats last week.
Illinois faces Baylor in an exhibition matchup Oct. 23 to mark its first game at State Farm Center this season, and Illini fans will have to wait a little bit longer to see the star
back in orange and blue.
In Wednesday’s media availability, head coach Brad Underwood noted that they’re simply trying to play it safe.
“We always want to air on the side of patience with him in terms of making sure he’s ready for the for the long haul and that nothing reoccurs,” Underwood said.
But on a more positive note, he noted that it allows him to experiment with lineups and get the younger guys some early minutes. Exhibitions like these allow Underwood to build a shared mentality with his roster and find out what works and what doesn’t.
“It’s great opportunity for some of these young guys to continue to grow,” Underwood said. “I think I’ll look at more combinations than I will just random substitutions getting guys in the game. I expect us to be a team that plays a lot of guys throughout the season, but especially in these exhibitions.”
Although Mirkovic is still not quite ready, Underwood’s words should encourage Illini fans.
