To subscribe, please click here
Want a copy of today’s edition? Here’s a map of single-copy locations
Sign up for our daily newsletters
Sports Editor Matt Daniels with a look at what’s going on around the area:
Illinois athletics
The Illinois football team arriving at its hotel in Orlando, Fla., on Wednesday night. The Illini play South Carolina in the Citrus Bowl in Orlando next Tuesday afternoon.
Three reasons we love sports today
➜ 1. Congrats to Easton Barney of the Westville boys’ basketball team and Alexa Jamison of the Salt Fork girls’ basketball team. The duo is our latest High School Athletes of the Week, powered by Copper Creek Contractors. Read more about the pair in Monday’s News-Gazette.
➜ 2. Both the Illinois and South Carolina football teams are in Orlando, Fla., ahead of the Citrus Bowl next Tuesday. Bret Bielema and the Illini arrived on Wednesday night, with Shane Beamer and his Gamecocks showing up on Thursday.
➜ 3. Even amid bowl prep, the Illini football team continues to mine the transfer portal. Their latest addition? Former Wisconsin defensive tackle Curt Neal, who started all 12 games for the Badgers this year.
South Carolina tight end Joshua Simon is the Gamecocks’ leading receiver that Illinois will have to worry about next Tuesday in the Citrus Bowl.
Numbers game: 5
different South Carolina players with at least 250 receiving yards this season. Meaning the Illini defense can’t just key on one guy when South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers drops back to pass next Tuesday in the Citrus Bowl. Joshua Simon is South Carolina’s leading receiver, boasting just 34 catches for 450 yards, but the 6-foot-4, 259-pound tight end has a team-high six touchdown grabs.
Gretchen Dolan, left, and Makira Cook have both missed time this month for the Illinois women’s basketball team because of unspecified injuries. The Illini return to the court on Saturday when they host Oregon at State Farm Center in Champaign.
Crowd control
Three events I’m paying attention to
➜ 1. Oregon at Illinois women’s basketball. If Makira Cook and Gretchen Dolan can play for the Illini (10-2) on Saturday, that increases their chances of a Big Ten win against the Ducks (9-3).
➜ 2. Chicago State at Illinois men’s basketball. The final nonconference game of the season should be a breeze for the 24th-ranked Illini (8-3) on Sunday in Champaign against the Cougars (0-14).
➜ 3. Denver Broncos at Cincinnati Bengals. Former Illini Chase Brown is 77 rushing yards away from 1,000 this season as he and the Bengals (7-8) face a must-win game against Eastern Illinois graduate Sean Payton’s Broncos (9-6) at 3:30 p.m. Saturday in Cincinnati.
Lori Friel and her son, Gavin.
Coach’s corner
Three questions with Blue Ridge golf coach Lori Friel:
➜ 1. My favorite sports team is … the St. Louis Cardinals.
➜ 2. Three coaches I’d like to have dinner with are … Phil Jackson, Tony Dungy and Kim Mulkey.
➜ 3. My biggest pet peeve is … when people expect things to be handed to them or be easy for them without putting in any time or effort.