Editor’s Note: Headline to this article originally read “Illini, ‘Cats duel a Sweet Sixteen rematch,” which is incorrect. The error has been fixed, and The Daily Illini apologizes for the mistake.

Two days removed from a 72-66 loss to No. 23 Maryland on Tuesday night, the Illinois basketball team – and especially senior Warren Carter – has been trying to learn from its mistakes. The Illini rushed shots, caved to the Terrapins’ full-court press and lacked the poise necessary to defeat a Top 25 team.

But the Illini (7-1) will have another chance at a Top 25 team, going up against No. 16 Arizona (4-1) on Saturday at 4 p.m. at the U.S. Airways Center in Phoenix.

“I just learned so much from that game,” said Carter, who only contributed one rebound in the second half of the Maryland game.

“I hate that we have to lose in order for us to do it, but I know I took away a lot of stuff. I take responsibility for that game, a lot on myself. I’m just going to go from there and learn from that, and hopefully a lot of the other guys feel the same way,” he added.

If the challenge of playing Arizona won’t be hard enough, Illinois will most likely be without sophomore guard Jamar Smith, and possibly sophomore guard Chester Frazier.

“I don’t think (Jamar’s) going to play right now, but it could change,” said Weber on Thursday morning. “He’s not hurting himself when he plays, the problem is he doesn’t have any strength, and then he’s regressing.

“You have to give him a lot of credit for some toughness, but if you watch the film, he’s just not moving like he should.”

Frazier went through therapy on Thursday morning for the sprained ankle he suffered during the Chicago Invitational Challenge and has made progress after not being able to walk Sunday.

“You can’t dwell on the fact that we have people hurt; we have to come out and play,” senior guard Rich McBride said. “It’s life. You just have to deal with the hand you’ve been played. “

With the injuries to three of the Illini’s best players, the rest of the Illini know they will be counted on to step up. Illinois’ guards went a combined 5-of-30 from the field on Tuesday night, but the key will be defense: Weber’s staple since he came to Illinois in 2004. Weber points to Illinois taking its opportunities in transition, but also keeping Arizona out of transition and slowing down the Wildcats’ offense that is averaging 93.0 points per game.

“We have to just play tough, solid ‘D,” sophomore guard Trent Meacham said. “We have to hit the boards too; they’re an athletic team; they have a lot of talent.”

Illinois’ defense must also extend to Arizona freshman Chase Budinger, a six-foot-seven forward. Weber, though, believes Budinger can not only play the four position, but also the two and three roles.

“He’s so versatile; he has such great skill,” Weber said. ‘He made a couple of passes in the tape I watched, and thought, ‘Man, we don’t have point guards who make those types of passes.’ He does it with a lot of poise; he’s special, there’s no doubt.”

Already with one loss to its record, Weber just hopes Illinois plays with a “chip on its shoulder.”

“It’s going to be difficult; it’s a tough match-up,” Weber said. “Our kids are very humble, very disappointed; we’ll see how they respond.”

Illinois versus Arizona: Take two

The Illini’s match-up with the Wildcats is the first since the two teams squared off in the NCAA Tournament’s Elite Eight game on March 26, 2005.

The team battled back from a 15-point deficit to defeat the Wildcats 90-89 in overtime. The Illini closed the second half on a 20-5 run, which included Deron Willams’ game-tying three-pointer to even the score at 80.

“There’s a little bit of revenge, but it’s just a big game,” Weber said.

“It’s in the Hall of Fame Classic, you’re in a spectacular venue, on national TV. I hope our kids are fired up just because of that,” he added.

But of the hundreds of games Weber has coached in, he said that game at the Rosemont Horizon is one that stands out as one he won’t forget.

“I see the highlights all the time because they’re part of different highlight packages we show recruits. It’s amazing to me how the momentum changed,” Weber said. “I just talked about how proud I was of them not quitting and going down fighting. I’ve been involved in probably 700 or 800 games and that is definitely a game I will always have in my mind.”

Added Arizona coach Lute Olson: “That (2005 Elite Eight) was the first senior group at Arizona since 1987 that didn’t play at least one Final Four game; that’s what really stands out in my mind.”