>>Illinois Hosts #4 Michigan Tonight
(Champaign, IL) — Illinois men’s basketball hosts number-four Michigan tonight. The Illini are 4-and-11 overall and 0-and-4 in the Big Ten following a loss to Northwestern this past weekend. Illinois looks to snap a 13-game skid overall against top-25 teams. The Wolverines enter a perfect 15-and-0 on the season.
>>Cold Weather Forecast For Colts’ Playoff Game In KC
(Indianapolis, IN) — The Colts practiced outdoors to prepare for what is expected to be near-freezing conditions for their Saturday NFL Divisional Round playoff game in Kansas City. Snow is forecast tomorrow night, but should stop before the late afternoon Saturday kickoff with the temperatures in the 30s. The Colts are 4-and-0 against the Chiefs all-time in the postseason, winning in 1996, 2004, 2007 and 2014. Andrew Luck engineered a 45-44 come-from-behind win over KC in their last playoff meeting. The Colts trailed by 28 points in the third quarter.
>>Colts Have Lengthy Injury List
(Indianapolis, IN) — The Colts’ injury update listed five players who did not participate in practice. They are defensive linemen Tyquan Lewis and Denico Autry, wide receivers T.Y. Hilton and Ryan Grant, and safety Malik Hooper. Clayton Geathers and Darius Leonard are back to full participants.
>>Jets To Hire Gase As Head Coach
(Florham Park, NJ) — Adam Gase is staying in the AFC East. Multiple reports say the New York Jets are hiring the former Miami Dolphins head coach as their new head man. Gase replaces the fired Todd Bowles. Gase was let go by the Fins after going 23-and-25 in three seasons, but is considered an offensive mind that can help develop young Jets quarterback Sam Darnold.
>>Browns Promoting Kitchens To Head Coach
(Berea, OH) — The Cleveland Browns are staying in-house for their next head coach. ESPN reports they are promoting offensive coordinator Freddie Kitchens. Kitchens went from running backs coach to OC when head coach Hue Jackson and offensive coordinator Todd Haley were fired in mid-season. Interim head coach and defensive coordinator Gregg Williams has been let go.
>>Broncos Choose Fangio As Head Coach
(Centennial, CO) — Vic Fangio is finally getting his shot as a head coach. The Chicago Bears’ defensive coordinator is being hired as the next head coach of the Denver Broncos. The 60-year-old Fangio has coached 32 years in the NFL, but has never been a head coach. His contract is for four years, with a fifth-year team option. Fangio replaces the fired Vance Joseph.
>>Report: A’s Prospect Murray To Enter NFL Draft
(Norman, OK) — A’s prospect Kyler Murray will enter the NFL Draft. The San Francisco Chronicle reports Murray plans to submit his name for this year’s draft. He has until Monday to do so. The reigning Heisman Trophy winner was a first-round pick by Oakland in last year’s MLB Draft. He has an invite to spring training and has already signed a deal with a 4.6-million-dollar signing bonus.
>>NFL, Players Union: Panthers’ Reid Not Targeted For Testing
(Charlotte, NC) — Following an investigation, the NFL and the Players Association are saying Panthers safety Eric Reid is not being targeted for drug testing. Reid said last month he had been randomly drug-tested seven times since signing with Carolina in late September, which is an unusually high number. Reid believed he was being targeted by the league due to his protests during the national anthem. Reid was the second player to begin kneeling along with former 49ers teammate Colin Kaepernick.
>>Blackhawks Lose To Predators In OT
(Chicago, IL) — Filip Forsberg scored in overtime as the Nashville Predators earned a 4-3 victory over the Blackhawks at the United Center. Chicago’s Artem Anisimov sent the game to OT with a late third-period goal. Alex DeBrincat and Jonathan Toews also lit the lamp for the Hawks, who slipped to 16-22-and-8. Blackhawks host the Vegas Golden Knights Saturday night.
>>Bulls Lose To Blazers
(Portland, WA) — CJ McCollum poured in 24 points to lead the Blazers to a 124-112 victory over the Bulls in Portland. Wendell Carter, Junior led Chicago with 22 points. Zach LaVine [[ luh-VEEN ]] added 18 points for the Bulls, who lost their fifth straight and dropped to 10-and-31. Chicago continues its road trip tomorrow night against the Warriors.
