Correction appended

Sophomore guard Chris Babb practiced Monday after missing Sunday's practice with flu-like symptoms, head coach Ed DeChellis said.

DeChellis wasn't sure how much Babb would participate Monday, but during the beginning of practice, Babb released a 3-pointer and trotted back into line with his teammates as the net swished and the ball fell to the ground.

"That's the kind of the thing that's going around," DeChellis said at media day Monday. "How long it lingers is what we're concerned about and how it goes through the other guys on the team."

Redshirt freshman Billy Oliver also missed practice this weekend and has battled flu-like symptoms for the past week, he said. Practice began Friday, but the team is concerned with any sickness carrying through into the season.

DeChellis said Oliver had been playing tremendously this fall prior to his illness, so he hopes his forward gets back soon.

Oliver missed last season with a series of concussions, so his recent illness has made him even more anxious to get on the court.

"I feel like I haven't played a game in two years, since high school," Oliver said. "I loved being a part of last year's success, but I definitely want to try and see what I can do on the court, too."

Walk-on freshman Joe Silko missed Monday's practice in attempt to quarantine him from the rest of the squad, team spokesman Brian Siegrist said.

With the Nittany Lions preparing for its first scrimmage against Duquesne in two weeks, having players miss practice is a setback in terms of teaching, associate head coach Kurt Kanaskie said.

"It's tough because we're moving so rapidly," Kanaskie said. "We've had to put so many things in quickly that when you miss a day or two, you're way behind. It's going to take guys awhile to catch up and figure out what we're doing."

Junior Steve Kirkpatrick said the coaches have taken precautions to try to prevent the sickness from spreading to the rest of the players.

Antibacterial hand soap has been installed in the locker room and training room. Water breaks have also been changed -- coolers are no longer behind the basket and players are drinking out of separate cups, Kirkpatrick said.

"We know it's in our best interest so we don't mind," he said.

The flu has affected the Lions off the court as well. Redshirt junior Andrew Ott said he and junior Talor Battle live with Oliver and Babb, so the two have tried to stay away from their roommates.

Battle's room is next to Oliver and Babb's in their apartment in Nittany Apartments, so Ott joked that the star point guard might be the player affected.

"I'm nowhere near them when we're at practice, or at the apartments I'm nowhere near those guys," junior forward Jeff Brooks said. "It's bad news."

Correction: A photo caption with this story incorrectly identified the player in the picture from practice. The correct name is Jermaine Marshall.