CHAMPAIGN - Illini coach Bruce Weber said Thursday that shooting guard Jamar Smith probably won't play against Arizona in Saturday's Hall of Fame Challenge at U.S. Airways Center in Phoenix. But he left open the possibility that he might.

Smith, who scored 19 points before he suffered a high ankle sprain early in the second half of the season opener on Nov. 13, returned to score 14 points last Saturday against Bradley, but was pulled after 15 scoreless minutes Tuesday against Maryland when Weber determined Smith was having trouble keeping up.

"I'm going to tell you I don't think he's not going to play right now, but it could change," Weber said Thursday. "Our thought right now is that he's not hurting himself when he plays, but he doesn't have any strength in (his ankle) and he kind of regresses.

"I don't know if we're going to make any progress with it. Our thought is that maybe the next week he should do intense rehab, (working on the) treadmill, ellipticals, any strength and stretching exercises.

"He really hasn't practiced. He played against Bradley and Maryland without a practice other than shootarounds. You've got to give him credit for having some toughness and desire to play. But watching the film, he's just not moving like he should."

Weber said Smith's status could change, depending on how he responds to practice and rehabilitation Thursday and today.

"He stopped by and we talked yesterday," Weber said. "He went through therapy a couple of times."

Smith wasn't the only player who stopped by the Ubben Basketball Complex on Wednesday, one day after the Illini lost to Maryland, ending a 51-game home court winning streak against non-conference opposition.

"We had a day off yesterday, but a lot of our kids came in and were very humble and disappointed," Weber said. "Hopefully we'll have a little chip on our shoulder."

Illinois was scheduled to practice late Thursday afternoon in Champaign, then board a flight to Phoenix.

Illinois (7-1) takes on 16th-rated Arizona (4-1) at 4 p.m. Saturday as part of a doubleheader being presented by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Texas plays Gonzaga in the other game. ESPN will televise the doubleheader.

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