Illini point guard Tracy Abrams to miss second straight season

Illinois men’s basketball point guard Tracy Abrams will miss a second straight season after tearing his left Achilles tendon during practice Monday, the university announced.

Abrams missed the 2014-15 season after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in September. He averaged 10.7 points during the 2013-14 season and led the Illini in assists with 3.2 per game.

He took a medical redshirt last year and could do the same, if he chose to, for the upcoming season.

“First of all, my heart goes out to Tracy,” head coach John Groce said in a statement. “He went through so much the last 10 months fighting back from a torn ACL to return to the court this summer in preparation for the upcoming season. So this is obviously a very difficult time for him right now. But I’ve said it before that Tracy has the heart of a champion, and I know that he will handle this latest setback with the same courage and resolve in making a full recovery.”

Former Illini guard Dee Brown expressed his support on Twitter.