With a team decimated by injuries and fighting to break .500 in conference play, the Illinois men’s basketball team could use a bye week, ice packs, and in some cases, chicken noodle soup.

Instead, the Illini will have to settle for a game against Northwestern.

Unfortunately, the conference cellar-dwellers will be welcoming the Illini at Welsh-Ryan Arena on Wednesday night, packing an unorthodox zone defense that could trouble a practice-starved team. To make matters worse, Illinois got yet another medical problem when Shaun Pruitt became the second key player in the last week to succumb to the flu.

“(Northwestern does) so much different stuff and it would be nice to have those guys in practice,” Weber said. “Offensively we’d like to add a few new wrinkles but we don’t have the time.”

Jamar Smith came down with the flu late last week but rebounded with his best game in a month in Saturday’s win over Minnesota, making five of 10 shots for 13 points. Pruitt’s illness, though, comes while he is playing the best basketball of his Illinois career and at a time when practice is particularly important. Northwestern typically plays several varieties of zone, a scheme that these Illini have seen little of.

“I can’t remember the last time we faced a zone,” Weber said. “They just make you play nontraditional basketball. Any way you can get (points) you’ve got to do it.”

Weber said he would consider going to a small lineup, especially with Pruitt limited, because Northwestern is good at collapsing down on inside players.

With point guard Chester Frazier still questionable, that could mean lots of minutes for both Smith and Trent Meacham.

At least one of the injured Illini is finally returning to form, making Weber’s life a little easier.

Brian Randle will be bothered by plantar fasciitis all year, but the junior forward rejoined the team on the practice floor before the Minnesota game, then turned in an efficient 3-4 shooting performance and some good defense against the Golden Gophers.

“It was good to see him get a steal and a dunk,” Weber said. “He’s starting to tough it out.”

Regardless of the difficulties posed by Northwestern’s zone, the Illini will be heavy favorites against the Wildcats, who are just 1-8 in the Big Ten.

The Illini finally reached .500 in the Big Ten with Saturday’s win, and aren’t above feeding on the bottom-tier teams after a rough early-season schedule.

But the Illini have won only once on the road in the Big Ten this year, and Weber said he hoped the team would finally figure things out in Evansville.

“I don’t think they understood early what it takes to win on the road,” Weber said. “It’s a different mentality and I’m not sure they understood what it’s all about.”