The Illini once again missed out on landing a top-tier point guard recruit.
Xavier Simpson, a four-star point guard out of Ohio, made his college choice Wednesday, selecting Michigan over Illinois, Wisconsin and others.
Simpson's pick of Michigan was a bit of a surprise after previously naming Illinois, Wisconsin, Miami and Iowa State as finalists. He recently took official visits to both Champaign and Madison. But according to a report he also visited Ann Arbor over the Labor Day weekend.
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Simpson is rated as the No. 87 player in the Class of 2016 by Rivals.
His commitment could have given John Groce the point guard of the future he so desperately needs. The second straight season-ending injury to Tracy Abrams has illustrated the team's lack of depth at the position.
It's yet another high-profile miss for Groce and the Illini, who have made an unfortunate habit of coming close but coming up short when it comes to some of the nation's top recruits.