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Sports Editor Matt Daniels with a look at what’s going on around the area:
Illinois athletics
Brynn Shoup-Hill puts up a shot on Monday night at Canisius. Shoup-Hill and the 21st-ranked Illinois women’s basketball team delivered a 68-55 road win in Buffalo, N.Y.
Three reasons we love sports today
➜ 1. The No. 21 Illinois women’s basketball team made it to snowy Buffalo, N.Y., and earned a 68-55 road win against Canisius on Monday night to avoid their first losing streak of the season and improve to 7-1 before Big Ten play arrives this Sunday at No. 12 Ohio State.
➜ 2. Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley product Aidan Laughery’s big game against Northwestern at Wrigley Field saw the Illinois running back receive Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week accolades on Monday. It’s the first Big Ten honor for Laughery.
➜ 3. Former Unity standout Elyce Knudsen won the Missouri Valley Conference Newcomer of the Week honor after she averaged 14.6 points this past weekend with the Illinois State women’s basketball team, helping the Redbirds beat High Point and New Mexico State in Fort Myers, Fla.
The play of senior wide receiver Pat Bryant, left, has made Illini coach Bret Bielema smile a lot this season.
Numbers game: 4
colleges who have their football team, men’s basketball team and women’s basketball team ranked in their respective Associated Press Top 25 poll this week. Alabama (No. 11 in football, No. 10 in men’s basketball, No. 19 in women’s basketball), Illinois (No. 21 in football, No. 19 in men’s basketball, No. 21 in women’s basketball), Iowa State (No. 16 in football, No. 6 in men’s basketball, No. 20 in women’s basketball) and Mississippi (No. 15 in football, No. 23 in men’s basketball, No. 18 in women’s basketball) are the only ones to hold that distinction this week.
Kasparas Jakucionis and the No. 19 Illinois men’s basketball team plays at Northwestern on Friday night in their Big Ten opener.
Crowd control
Three events I’m paying attention to
➜ 1. Illinois at Northwestern men’s basketball. The No. 19 Illini will try to avoid a third straight loss at Welsh-Ryan Arena in Evanston when the two in-state Big Ten teams tip off at 8 p.m. Friday.
➜ 2. College football playoff selection show. The first 12-team College Football Playoff field will be released Sunday, with the show starting at 11 a.m. Who knows how long it’ll actually take for the field to be set, but then the rest of the bowl games will be determined later on Sunday once the 12-team CFP bracket is set.
➜ 3. Northern Iowa vs. Illinois volleyball. It’s win or go home for the Illini, with their first-round NCAA tournament match at 3 p.m. Friday in Louisville, Ky.
Zack Patterson, top left, and the Schlarman boys’ basketball team he coaches.
Coach’s corner
Three questions with Schlarman boys’ basketball coach Zack Patterson:
➜ 1. My favorite sports team is … the Chicago Bulls.
➜ 2. Three coaches I’d like to have dinner with are … Phil Jackson, JJ Redick and Paul C. Shebby.
➜ 3. My biggest pet peeve is … not getting the most out of your God-given ability, which is essentially self-discipline of your capabilities.
