Illinois basketball welcomed Scott Drew's Baylor Bears to Champaign, Ill. for an exhibition game Friday night, one that featured a close game and a worrisome appearance from preseason All-America forward David Mirkovic.
Mirkovic had been targeting Nov. 2's regular season opener to return to the court after suffering a left foot injury this offseason, but his appearance sparked concern as Illinois battled the Bears down to the wire at State Farm Center.
Mirkovic Appearance Sparks Questions
Mirkovic, the Illini forward who averaged 13.3 points per game during his freshman campaign last year, was seen sitting on the sidelines of Illinois' exhibition game in a medical boot with a rolling mini-scooter, sparking fears that he may have re-aggravated his injury. Pictures of the Illini star were posted by Carson Gourdie of WCIA-3 Champaign.
Coach Brad Underwood's Fighting Illini lost 95-91 to the visiting Bears as Mirkovic sat out and newcomers Quentin Coleman and Stefan Vaaks starred.
The Fighting Illini were outscored, and outrebounded 47-38, two areas where their star power forward Mirkovic certainly could have helped.
Fans wondered about Mirkovic's status as he watched from the sidelines, less than two weeks away from Illinois' regular season home opener against the Fairleigh Dickinson Knights.
Coleman Leads Illini in Scoring
Freshman point guard Quentin Coleman is looking like the player to pick up the slack with Mirkovic out as he led the Illini in scoring with 20 points.
Coleman, a five-star prospect and Missouri's Gatorade National Player of the Year, poured in 20 points and grabbed seven rebounds, appearing to focus more on his scoring after a passing focused prior exhibition game.
Stefan Vaaks, the former Providence Friars transfer, led Illinois in assists with five as the Fighting Illini attempted to fight back from a 63-44 halftime deficit.
The assist-to-turnover margins were comparable for both teams, with Baylor recording 17 assists and 12 turnovers compared to 18 and 11 for the Fighting Illini.
The game was a frustrating one coming on the heels of a 105-96 road exhibition win over Cincinnati that had the Fighting Illini looking similar to how fans envisioned in the preseason.
Illinois has five days left before its final exhibition game against the home state UIC Flames, which will give Underwood's team time to recoup and prepare for another warm-up. Then, five days later, the regular season will begin with fans, media and coaches all waiting for Mirkovic's injury to heal.
The Fighting Illini have the depth, and a light early schedule, to withstand Mirkovic's absence, but having him in the lineup will make a big difference as far as building team chemistry goes ahead of the Big Ten season.