>>Illinois Falls To Minnesota
(Minneapolis, MN) — Illinois was outscored by 13 in the first half and wasn’t able to recover in a 77-67 loss at Minnesota. The Fighting Illini missed 18 of their first 19 shots and have lost their first three Big Ten games. They’re 10-and-6 overall. Illinois is on the road Saturday at Michigan.
>>Two Top QBs Declare For NFL Draft
(Cleveland, OH) — If the Browns want a quarterback in the NFL Draft, they’ll have multiple options. UCLA’s Josh Rosen and USC’s Sam Darnold have both declared. Rosen is passing on his senior season, while Darnold was a redshirt sophomore. They’re widely considered the top prospects, along with Oklahoma’s Baker Mayfield and Wyoming’s Josh Allen. Cleveland has the first and fourth overall picks.
>>Bears Interview Fangio For Head Coach
(Lake Forest, IL) — The Bears are interviewing defensive coordinator Vic Fangio for their open head coaching position. Chicago is looking to replace the fired John Fox. According to ESPN, the Dolphins are hiring away offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains to take the same position in Miami.
>>Blackhawks Ruin Rangers With Three-Goal Third
(New York, NY) — The Blackhawks scored three times in the third period to pull away for a 5-2 win over the Rangers at Madison Square Garden. Patrick Sharp snapped a 2-all tie early in the frame, and Jonathan Toews [[ Taves ]] and Patrick Kane added empty-netters in the final minute for Chicago. Jeff Glass made 23 saves as the Blackhawks closed out a six-game road trip 2-3-and-1. Chicago hosts Vegas tomorrow.
>>Raptors Bounce Bulls Behind DeRozan
(Chicago, IL) — DeMar DeRozan went off for 35 points as the Raptors beat the Bulls 124-115 at the United Center. Justin Holiday put in 26 points for Chicago, which dropped its third straight game. Lauri Markkanen added 22 points and 12 boards for the Bulls, who are 13th in the Eastern Conference at 13-and-25. Chicago plays at Dallas tomorrow.
>>Warriors Sink Mavs
(Dallas, TX) — Steph Curry hit the go-ahead three in the closing seconds to give the Warriors a 125-122 win over the Mavericks in Dallas. Curry finished with 32 points and eight assists. He’s scored 70 points in 60 minutes and made 16-of-26 threes in the two games since returning from his ankle injury. Golden State plays at Houston tonight, leading the Rockets by two games for the top seed in the West.
>>Celtics Hammer Cavs
(Boston, MA) — The Celtics ran away with a 102-88 win over the Cavaliers in Boston. Former Celtics star Isaiah Thomas made his Cleveland debut on Tuesday, but did not play last night on the second night of a back-to-back. Kyrie Irving put up 11 points in his second game against the Cavs since being traded. Boston leads the East by two-and-a-half over Toronto and four-and-a-half over Cleveland.
>>Trae Young Show Goes On
(Oklahoma, OK) — Trae Young continues to shine as number-seven Oklahoma took down rival Oklahoma State 109-89 in Norman. The freshman star point guard went for 27 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds. It’s Young’s fifth straight double-double for the Sooners, who are 12-and-1 overall and 2-and-0 in the Big 12. OU will play at fifth-ranked West Virginia on Saturday.
>>Cardinals Still Being Mentioned In Connection With Hosmer
(St. Louis, MO) — The Cardinals are still being mentioned in connection with free-agent first baseman Eric Hosmer. “USA Today” reports the Cards are a dark horse to sign the 28-year-old. According to the report, Hosmer has received seven-year contract offers from the Padres and Royals in excess of 140-million-dollars.
>>White House Sends Invitation To Houston Astros
(Houston, TX) — The White House wants the Houston Astros to celebrate their World Series win in DC. A White House invitation has been sent by the Trump Administration to the Astros. Team president Reid Ryan tells the “Houston Chronicle” they plan on accepting. Ryan says it’s a tradition and honor to get the White House invitation, and the Astros are obligated to accept.