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Sports Editor Matt Daniels with a look at what’s going on around the area:
Terrence Shannon Jr. will be back in Champaign tonight to see his No. 0 jersey raised to the rafters at State Farm Center. The Illini host Michigan State at 7 p.m.
Three reasons we love sports today
➜ 1. A sold-out State Farm Center crowd. On a Saturday night. With Terrence Shannon Jr. back in C-U. And with Michigan State trying for a season sweep. What’s not to love about the Illini men’s basketball team’s latest game?
➜ 2. Round III of the Centennial-Champaign Central boys’ basketball rivalry will take place at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 26. The Chargers and Maroons meet at Coleman Carrodine Gym for a Class 3A regional semifinal game.
➜ 3. Three area eighth-grade boys’ basketball teams — Champaign Edison in Class 4A, Milford in 2A and Schlarman in 1A — still have a shot at a state championship and will play in IESA state tournament quarterfinal games on Saturday.
Kasparas Jakucionis leads the Illini in scoring entering Saturday night’s game against Michigan State.
Numbers game: 128
more points is how many Kasparas Jakucionis needs to become the Illinois men’s basketball all-time leader for most points by a freshman in a season. Jakucionis is at 367, with D.J. Richardson (379 points in 2010), Dee Brown (384 points in 2003) and Efrem Winters (385 points in 1983) all within reach on Saturday night when Illinois hosts Michigan State. Cory Bradford holds the freshman record of 494 points set in 1999.
Adalia McKenzie and the Illinois women’s basketball team is going for its eighth straight Big Ten win when the Illini host Nebraska at 4 p.m. Sunday at State Farm Center in Champaign.
Crowd control
Three events I’m paying attention to
➜ 1. No. 11 Michigan State at Illinois men’s basketball. The Illini are feeling good after an impressive win against UCLA earlier this week. Can they make it three straight victories when the Spartans visit for a 7 p.m. tip on Saturday night?
➜ 2. Nebraska at Illinois women’s basketball. The Illini have never won eight straight Big Ten games before in the program’s 51-year history. They’ll try to become the first one when they host the Cornhuskers at 4 p.m. Sunday.
➜ 3. No. 1 Penn State at No. 13 Illinois wrestling. It’s not every season the top-ranked team visits Huff Hall. That happens at 1 p.m. Sunday when the Illini (9-3, 4-3) try to upset the Nittany Lions (12-0, 6-0).
Mahomet-Seymour girls’ cross-country coach Jama Grotelueschen.
Coach’s corner
Three questions with Mahomet-Seymour girls’ cross-country coach Jama Grotelueschen:
➜ 1. My favorite sports team is … the Mahomet-Seymour High School soccer team.
➜ 2. Three coaches I’d like to have dinner with are ... Phil Jackson, Pat Summitt and Bill Bowerman.
➜ 3. My biggest pet peeve is … disrespectfulness.