The Ivisic problem isn't going away any time soon – he has missed two games with mononucleosis, a "confounding matter" for an athlete, according to the National Institutes of Health

Illinois center Tomislav Ivisic will miss his second game against Northwestern due to mononucleosis, following his absence in the Maryland game.

If basketball fans are lucky, they'll get a chance to take in an Illinois-Maryland rematch during the Big Ten tournament. By then, Illini center Tomislav Ivisic should be healthy – one would certainly expect and hope – and the battle inside against the Terrapins might look very different than it did in the Illini's lopsided loss at home last week.

Illinois basketball will be without its starting center against the Terrapins on Thursday night. Tomislav Ivisic has been hampered by strep throat in recent days. Head coach Brad Underwood said that illness limited him in the Michigan State game.

Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball center Tomislav Ivisic played 28 minutes with strep throat, in a narrow loss to Michigan State.