CHAMPAIGN — The challenges of piecing together a college basketball season during an ongoing pandemic claimed another game from Illinois’ original 2020-21 slate on Friday. The Illini’s return game against Arizona, set to be played Dec. 12, at State Farm Center was officially postponed until the 2021-22 season.

No makeup date has been decided for Illinois’ rematch with the Arizona. The Wildcats won 90-69 last November in Tucson, Ariz., with their three-headed freshmen monster of Josh Green, Zeke Nnaji and Nico Mannion combining for 63 points.

Illinois might have had the upper hand in the return game had it happened this season. Arizona’s freshmen trio all declared for the draft, while the Illini saw both Ayo Dosunmu and Kofi Cockburn return for another season.

Both teams are bound to be different, of course, come 2021-22. Arizona added seven freshmen ahead of the coming season and also has two new transfers in Georgetown’s James Akinjo and Seattle’s Terrell Brown. Illinois might be in a similar place going into next season.

The Arizona game is the third lost from Illinois’ original 2020-21 nonconference slate. The Illini also won’t play Florida or the winner of Oregon/Iowa State after the Emerald Coast Classic was canceled Thursday, per a report from CBS Sports’ Matt Norlander.

Jeff Goodman of Stadium reported Friday afternoon that the Illini are potentially in line to play Baylor as part of the Jimmy V Classic in Orlando, Fla., replacing Rutgers in the showcase.

The 2020-21 college basketball season begins Nov. 25, with the first day of official practices now less than two weeks away on Oct. 14.

{p class=”card-about”}Scott Richey is a reporter covering college basketball at The News-Gazette. His email is srichey@news-gazette.com, and you can follow him on Twitter (@srrichey).