>>Cubs Go With Lester On Opening Day
(Mesa, AZ) — Cubs manager Joe Maddon announced Jon Lester will start on Opening Day for the third time in four seasons. Lester made his spring debut in yesterday’s 6-5 Cactus League win over the White Sox. He gave up one run, struck out three and walked two over one-and-two-thirds inning. Ian Happ hit his second homer of the spring. Chicago begins the regular season at the Marlins on March 29th.
>>Cubs And White Sox Each Play Today
(Undated) — The Cubs and White Sox both continue Cactus League play today. The Cubs face the Athletics in Mesa. The White Sox play the Rangers in Glendale. Matt Davidson was 1-for-2 with a homer, two RBI and two runs scored in the Sox loss to the Cubs yesterday.
>>Hornets Roll Bulls
(Charlotte, NC) — The Hornets outscored the Bulls by 15 in the second half to pull away for a 118-103 win in Charlotte. Kris Dunn and Zach LaVine combined to shoot 9-for-30 in the loss. Chicago has dropped five straight to send them to 20-and-41. They host the Mavs to open a three-game homestand on Friday.
>>Blues Blasted By Wild
(St. Paul, MN) — Jake Allen and Carter Hutton combined to allow eight goals on 33 shots in an 8-3 loss at Minnesota. Vladimir Tarasenko scored twice for St. Louis, which lost its seventh straight game. The Blues have 72 points, just two out of the second wild-card spot in the West. The Blues host the Red Wings tonight.
>>Blackhawks At Sharks Tomorrow
(San Jose, CA) — The Blackhawks make the second stop on a four-game road trip tonight versus the Sharks. The final three games of the trek are all in California. Chicago lost to the Blue Jackets 3-2 on Saturday. They’re last in the Central Division with 62 points. San Jose is second in the Pacific with 75.
>>Cardinals Keep Red Sox Quiet
(Fort Myers, FL) — Seven Cardinals’ pitchers combined on a five-hitter in a 6-1 win over the Red Sox in Grapefruit League play at JetBlue Park. Starter Luke Weaver allowed one hit and an unearned run in two innings to get the win. Yairo Munoz went 3-for-5 with an RBI. The Cardinals play the Orioles in Sarasota today.
>>Illinois Plays Iowa Today In Big Ten Tournament
(New York, NY) — Illinois opens the Big Ten Tournament this afternoon at Madison Square Garden. The Fighting Illini face Iowa in the first round, with tip-off at 4:30 p.m. Illinois lost at home to the Hawkeyes 104-97 in overtime in January. The Illini are 14-and-17, while Iowa is 13-and-18. Both went 4-and-14 in conference play.
>>NFL Scouting Combine Begins Today
(Indianapolis, IN) — The NFL’s big hitters are at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis for the NFL Scouting Combine. The pre-draft event kicked off yesterday with procedural work for running backs, offensive lineman, kickers and special teams players. That group will participate in the first on-field workout Friday.