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Sports Editor Matt Daniels with a look at what’s going on around the area:
Brad Underwood and Shauna Green have both their Illinois basketball teams ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 polls.
Three reasons we love sports today
➜ 1. In the January 2000, Bret Bielema was the Iowa linebackers coach, Brad Underwood was a men’s basketball assistant coach at Western Illinois and Shauna Green was a sophomore on the Canisius women’s basketball team. Why is this relevant today?
➜ 2. Because that was the last time the Illinois football program, men’s basketball program and women’s basketball program were all ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 poll at the same time. Until Monday.
➜ 3. Bielema’s Illini football team is ranked 24th in the country, Underwood’s Illinois men’s basketball team is ranked 25th in the country and Green’s Illinois women’s basketball team is ranked 22nd in the country in the latest AP polls.
Mahomet-Seymour celebrates with the trophy in the Class 3A Championship volleyball match at CEFCU Arena in Normal on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024.
Numbers game: 14
IHSA state championships Mahomet-Seymour High School has won after the Bulldogs’ volleyball team (above) earned a Class 3A state title on Saturday night. The others: wrestling in 1983, 1984, 1986, 1988 and 1989; girls’ track and field in 1979, 1980 and 1997; boys’ cross-country in 2016 and 2017; boys’ golf in 2010; competitive dance in 2015 and football in 1977.
Alabama guard Mark Sears, left, and the Crimson Tide play Illinois on Wednesday night in Birmingham, Ala.
Crowd control
Three events I’m paying attention to
➜ 1. Illinois vs. Alabama men’s basketball. It’s a Top 25 showdown now on Wednesday night when the No. 25 Illini (3-0) and No. 8 Crimson Tide (3-1) tip at 8 p.m. at Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Ala. Turns out, Alabama is beatable. Just look at Purdue’s 87-78 win this past Friday night.
➜ 2. Illinois at Rutgers football. Chance for the No. 24 Illini (7-3, 4-3 Big Ten) to get their fourth straight win at Rutgers (6-4, 3-4) at 11 a.m. on Saturday.
➜ 3. Missouri at Illinois wrestling. The only chance to see the No. 16 Illini the rest of 2024 in Champaign is at 7 p.m. Thursday when the No. 8 Tigers visit for a Braggin’ Rights dual in a different environment: the Lot 31 Stadium Club tent.
Joe Morrisey has coached the Tri-County girls’ basketball team since 2009, leading the Titans to the state tournament twice.
Coach’s corner
Three questions with Tri-County girls’ basketball and baseball coach Joe Morrisey:
➜ 1. My favorite sports team is … the Indiana Hoosiers.
➜ 2. Three coaches I’d like to have dinner with are … Bob Knight, Nick Saban and Geno Auriemma.
➜ 3. My biggest pet peeve is … people not being on time for stuff.