CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Iowa guard C.J. Fredrick will not play Friday against Illinois because of a lower leg injury, the Hawkeye men’s basketball team announced ahead of tipoff.

Fredrick did not play in the second half of Iowa’s previous game against Indiana on Jan. 21 because of the same injury.

The sharpshooting sophomore from Cincinnati, Ohio, is fourth on the team averaging 9.1 points per game. Fredrick is hitting half of his shots from beyond the 3-point line this season, and last season he led the Big Ten in 3-point percentage (46.1 percent).

Iowa head coach Fran McCaffery said Wednesday at his weekly press conference that Fredrick was day-to-day leading up to the game.

“That always is the most difficult decision for a coach, and I typically just rely on my medical staff in situations like that,” McCaffery said Wednesday. “Can he go? Can he give it a shot? If he waits longer, will that really help his long-term benefit, which will obviously help our long-term benefit as a program, as a team.

“I would say this: It’s possible that it could be something that lingers, but our hope is that we can get rid of it.”

Freshman Keegan Murray will start in Fredrick’s place.

Friday’s game between No. 7 Iowa vs. No. 19 Illinois tips off at 8 p.m. and will air on FS1.

The Daily Iowan has reporters covering the game in Champaign. Follow dailyiowan.com and @DISportsDesk on Twitter for updates and analysis throughout the game.