John Groce will get a midseason addition this year in the form of Kipper Nichols.
The Illini announced Wednesday that Nichols will sit out the fall semester and be eligible to play once the semester is over, anticipating his first game will be Dec. 17 against BYU at the United Center.
Here's the full announcement from Illinois:
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"Fighting Illini redshirt freshman forward Kipper Nichols will sit out the 2016 fall semester to complete his academic year in residence. Nichols will be eligible following the conclusion of the fall semester, which is anticipated to begin with the BYU game on Dec. 17. Nichols joined the Illinois program in December and sat out the 2016 spring semester while practicing with the team. He will have three and a half years of eligibility with the Illini."
Nichols signed with Tulane as a member of the Class of 2015, but after attending classes for just a few days he decided to transfer, eventually picking the Illini and signing with Groce & Co. in November.
Nichols is a 6-foot-6, 200-pound forward rated as a three-star prospect out of the Cleveland area by Rivals.