CHAMPAIGN — The knee injury then-freshman CeCe Rice suffered on Dec. 22 came at an inopportune time for the Illinois women’s basketball team.
Not only did the Illini lose their shooting guard right during the second game of what turned into an eight-game losing streak — a loss to South Dakota three days before Christmas — but the injury happened in the 10th game of the season.
With Illinois only playing 30 games last season en route to a 9-21 record, Rice played in 33 percent of the Illini’s games. In essence, one too many for her to get a redshirt season.