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Sports Editor Matt Daniels with a look at what’s going on around the area:
Illinois men’s golf coach Mike Small listens as his dad, former Illini men’s basketball player Bill Small, tells a story while appearing as guests at the Esquire Lounge in downtown Champaign for ‘Monday Night SportsTalk.’ Tune in to the podcast online — hosted by The News-Gazette’s Joey Wright along with sportswriters Matt Daniels, Scott Richey and Bob Asmussen — at news-gazette.com.
Three reasons we love sports today
➜ 1. The Illinois men’s basketball team moved up two spots to No. 17 when the latest Associated Press Top 25 poll was revealed on Monday. It marks the fifth straight week the Illini are ranked.
➜ 2. Many thanks to Illinois men’s golf coach Mike Small and his dad, former Illini men’s basketball standout Bill Small, for stopping by ‘Monday Night SportsTalk,’ at the Esquire in downtown Champaign in what’s become an annual visit. Listen to the podcast from the WDWS radio show right here.
➜ 3. Four former Illini are still vying for a shot in the Super Bowl. The Washington Commanders boast Nick Allegretti, Quan Martin and Johnny Newton, while the Buffalo Bills have Dawuane Smoot.
Illinois head coach Brad Underwood talks with a ref in a NCAA game at State Farm Center in Champaign on Friday, Nov. 8, 2024.
Numbers game: 16.3
fouls per game Brad Underwood and his Illinois men’s basketball team averages. Going into Monday’s games, that had the Illini tied for 125th out of 355 Division I teams. Among Big Ten teams, Illinois ranked fifth in fewest fouls per game, with Iowa having the fewest at 14.4 and Ohio State having the most at 19.5.
The Armstrong-Potomac boys’ basketball team plays Georgetown-Ridge Farm to tip off Tuesday night’s slate of Vermilion County Tournament games at Mary Miller Gym on the Danville Area Community College campus.
Crowd control
Three events I’m paying attention to
➜ 1. Armstrong-Potomac vs. Georgetown-Ridge Farm boys’ basketball. A-P (14-6) and G-RF (3-17) try to get their first win at the Vermilion County Tournament when this 5 p.m. game tips off Tuesday at Mary Miller Gym on the DACC campus
➜ 2. Westville vs. Salt Fork boys’ basketball. Westville (17-3) and Salt Fork (12-5) meet for the first time this season at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Vermilion County Tournament at DACC.
➜ 3. Bismarck-Henning/Rossville-Alvin vs. Oakwood boys’ basketball. Can BHRA (19-0) remain unbeaten? Or can Oakwood (10-10) pull the upset at the Vermilion County Tournament when this game tips off at 8 p.m. Tuesday at DACC?
Centennial boys’ cross-country coach Kelly Bails
Coach’s corner
Three questions with Centennial boys’ cross-country coach Kelly Bails:
➜ 1. My favorite sports teams are … the United States track and field teams.
➜ 2. Three coaches I’d like to have dinner with are … Jack Daniels, Matt Fitzgerald and Laura Koterba-Buss.
➜ 3. My biggest pet peeve is … a lack of work ethic.