>>Illinois Falls To Number-Six Michigan State
(Champaign, IL) — Illinois is now 0-and-8 in Big Ten play this season after an 87-74 loss to sixth-ranked Michigan State at the State Farm Center. Kipper Nichols knocked down 27 points for the Fighting Illini, who have lost six straight games to fall under .500 for the season at 10-and-11. Illinois is at home tomorrow night against 12-and-8 Indiana.
>>Bucks Fire Jason Kidd
(Milwaukee, WI) — Jason Kidd is out as head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks. Joe Prunty was named interim coach for Monday’s 109-105 home win over the Suns. It’s unclear if he will remain in the role for the Bucks’ next game Friday against Brooklyn. Kidd was 139-and-152 in three-and-a-half seasons in Milwaukee, reaching the playoffs twice. The Bucks are seventh in the East this season at 24-and-22.
>>Cavs Hold Team Meeting
(San Antonio, TX) — The drama surrounding the Cavaliers continues to persist. According to ESPN, Cleveland held a team meeting before yesterday’s practice. Players were upset that Kevin Love left Saturday’s loss to the Thunder and didn’t practice on Sunday. Love stood up for himself and the issue seemed to be worked out.
>>Cousins, Pelicans Sink Bulls In Double OT
(New Orleans, LA) — DeMarcus Cousins blew up for 44 points, 24 rebounds, 10 assists and four steals in the Pelicans’ 132-128 double-overtime win against the Bulls in New Orleans. Cousins hit five threes and made 13-of-14 free throws in 52 minutes. The Pelicans erased a 17-point deficit in the final five minutes of regulation. There were 11 lead changes and 12 ties in the wild game.
>>Lightning Blank Blackhawks In Chicago
(Chicago, IL) — Andrei Vasilevskiy [[ vass-ih-LEV-skee ]] kicked aside 40 shots as the Lightning blanked the Blackhawks 2-0 at the United Center. The Bolts are 11-0-and-2 in their last 13 regular-season meetings with Chicago. Jeff Glass stopped 29 shots for the ‘Hawks, who have lost three in-a-row to fall to just 1-and-4 on their current six-game homestand. Chicago hosts the Leafs tomorrow night.
>>Cardinals Hire Wilks As Next Coach
(Tempe, AZ) — The Cardinals have found their replacement for Bruce Arians. Arizona has hired former Panthers defensive coordinator Steve Wilks to be the next head coach. Wilks was given a four-year contract with a team option for a fifth season. Arians retired after five seasons with the organization. Wilks will be introduced at a press conference this afternoon.
>>Giants Name Shurmur Head Coach
(East Rutherford, NJ) — The New York Giants are naming Minnesota Vikings offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur the 18th head coach in franchise history. Shurmur was officially been named head coach less than 24 hours after the Vikings lost to the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship Game. The news was first reported last week, but a deal couldn’t officially be struck until the Vikings’ season ended.
Tonight on the Talk 101 High School Game of the Week presented by Landmark of Taylorville, the Eisenhower Panthers play host to Springfield Southeast. The Dale’s Southlake Pharmacy Pregame Show gets underway at 7:15p.m. The tip-off follows at 7:30p.m. Join Scott Busboom and Kevin Hale with the call tonight on Talk 101 FM1