CHAMPAIGN - Brian Randle moved slowly around the Assembly Hall court Monday, engaged in a shooting contest with teammate Jamar Smith.

Slowly, his shooting range increased, as did the slight elevation on his jump shot.

He fired from 20 feet, 25, then 30.

How many he made (and he actually made quite a few) was not important. What was significant is that Randle is moving more and slowly making progress as he rehabs after undergoing surgery Nov. 17 for a groin/abdominal injury.

"Brian started working in the pool Friday or Saturday at our hotel (in Hoffman Estates)," Illini coach Bruce Weber said Monday. "I think it's three or four days in the pool, then walking, just building up. He's much better than the first few days. Now you get that sadness because you can't play. It's tough, especially for a kid like him who's had three surgeries in three years."

Randle has done some stationary shooting, participated in some passing drills and was possibly going to do some light jogging Monday.

As for his return to action, Weber said no one should expect a much earlier return, as Jamar Smith was able to negotiate after spraining his ankle.

"Ankles are one thing," Weber said. "This is surgery. They say the best we can hope for is three to four weeks from the surgery. The best extreme would be Illinois-Chicago (Dec. 9). That would be three weeks. Belmont (Dec. 17) would be the four-week mark."

Mark Tupper can be reached at mtupper@herald-review.com or 421-7983.