Illinois heads to the Breslin Center tonight to play a very strong Michigan State team. The Spartans are 14-1 and are ranked 5th in both the AP and the Coaches poll. Sparty’s only loss came at the hands of the surging Iowa Hawkeyes in both teams’ B1G opener.
But the Spartans have been without Denzel Valentine, a senior shooting guard who has emerged as a leading candidate for player of the year. He will be back in a few days, but luckily for Illinois, not in time for tonight’s game.
While I would usually want to see the Illini play a fully healthy opposing team, the fact that Illinois has been so significantly hobbled this season by its own injuries leaves me very pleased that Valentine won’t be on the floor.