Mizzou Guard Caleb Grill (Neck) Returns to Practice Ahead of Illinois Game

One of the Missouri Tigers' best shooters has missed each of the team's last four games.

Nov. 11, 2024; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers guard Caleb Grill (31) during a game against the Eastern Washington Eagles at Mizzou Arena. / Amber WInkler/MissouriOnSI

ST. LOUIS — Missouri Tigers guard Caleb Grill was practicing with the rest of team Saturday, a day before taking on the Illinois Fighting Illini in the annual Braggin' Rights matchup.

Grill suffered a neck injury on Nov. 27 in a game against Lindenwood. He left the game during the first half on a stretcher. He was responsive as he was leaving the court but was taken to the hospital as a precautionary measure.

Grill has missed all four of Missouri's games since then, seen on the bench wearing a neck brace.

On Saturday, Grill was no longer wearing the neck brace and able to participate during all drills that were open to the media.

#Mizzou G Caleb Grill practicing here at the Enterprise Center after suffering his neck injury.

We’ll hear from Dennis Gates in a few minutes pic.twitter.com/rqOY4rhZAG

— Joey Van Zummeren (@JoeyVZ_) December 21, 2024

On Dec. 6, the day before Missouri faced off against Kansas, head coach Dennis Gates said there was no defined timeline for Grill's return. It's unknown if Grill participated in any practices before Saturday's.

"There is no timeline been discussed at all with doctors or even myself, and that information is not going to be out at that point, and it's not out because you cannot put a time limit on what took place," Gates said. "We're just treating it day by day."

Gates didn't have a timeline update in a press conference after Saturday's practice, nor much of an update on the possibility of Grill playing in Missouri's game against Illinois Sunday.

"It's great to see Caleb Grill better than he was yesterday," Gates said when asked about Grill. "He's doing a great job. Great to see him make some shots."

When Gates was asked point blank whether or not Grill will play against Illinois, he asked reporters "who made tweets?"

"I saw all your cameras and all your smiles. Everybody probably already made some tweets already, didn't you?"

Grill's return would be a significant one for Missouri. The Tigers enter the game as 6.5-point underdogs.

Before Grill exited the lineup, he was Missouri's leading scorer, averaging 13.6 points per game. Against Eastern Washington on Nov. 11, he recorded a career-high of 33 points, including eight makes on 10 three-point attempts.

Missouri will face off against Illinois in the Braggin' Rights game at noon Sunday at the Enterprise Center.

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