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Sports Editor Matt Daniels with a look at what’s going on around the area:
Former Illini and Cincinnati Bengals running back Chase Brown fires the football as he celebrates a second quarter touchdown against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Monday night. Brown tip-toed down the sideline and around the pylon for the score, helping the Bengals win 27-20.
Three reasons we love sports today
➜ 1. Former Illini Chase Brown continues to have a productive second season with the Cincinnati Bengals. The 24-year-old running back had 58 rushing yards on 14 carries to go along with six receptions for 65 yards and a touchdown catch during the Bengals’ dramatic 27-20 road win on Monday night against the Dallas Cowboys.
➜ 2. For the season, Brown has 735 rushing yards on 166 carries and six TDs while catching 44 passes for 302 yards and three TDs. Not bad for a fifth-round pick.
➜ 3. Illinois wide receiver Pat Bryant and Illinois defensive back Xavier Scott earned Associated Press All-Big Ten First Team honors on Tuesday, the only Illini on the 27-player list. The N-G’s Bob Asmussen is part of the 21-person voting panel.
Former Illini All-American Ayo Dosunmu is averaging 12.7 points this season for the Chicago Bulls.
Numbers game: 12.7
points per game former Illini All-American Ayo Dosunmu is averaging in his fourth season with the Chicago Bulls. That’s a career-high so far for the 24-year-old Dosunmu, who is also averaging career-highs in assists (4.6) and rebounds (3.8) through the first 25 games of the season. The Bulls are sitting at 10-15 and get back in action on Friday night with a home game against the Charlotte Hornets at the United Center.
Genesis Bryant and the Illinois women’s basketball team returns home to host Bradley at 6 p.m. Thursday at State Farm Center in Champaign.
Crowd control
Three events I’m paying attention to
➜ 1. Bradley at Illinois women’s basketball. The Illini (7-2) take a break from Big Ten play after an 83-74 loss at unbeaten Ohio State on Sunday to host an in-state nonconference foe at 6 p.m. Thursday at State Farm Center in Champaign. The Braves (5-2) have won two straight.
➜ 2. Country Financial Shootout. St. Joseph-Ogden hosts an eight-team girls’ basketball event on Saturday, with Pleasant Plains against Paris at 1 p.m., Fieldcrest against Cissna Park at 2:30 p.m., SJ-O against Salt Fork at 4 p.m. and Watseka against Unity at 5:30 p.m.
➜ 3. Watseka Holiday Tournament. The 22nd annual boys’ basketball tournament tips off Thursday night with eight games.
Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond girls’ basketball coach Mac Condill at his pumpkin farm in Arthur.
Coach’s corner
Three questions with Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond girls’ basketball coach Mac Condill, whose Knights are back in action with a Thursday night home game against Heritage:
➜ 1. My favorite sports team is … the Chicago Bears.
➜ 2. Three coaches I’d like to have dinner with are … Pat Riley, Lou Henson and Jerry Sloan.
➜ 3. My biggest pet peeve is … basketball players that don’t know where the ball is in defensive transition.