Girls basketball post-season results from Thursday night: In Class 1A, Tri-County took down Altamont 74-65. In Class 2A, T-Town beat Sullivan 53-31. In Class 3A, Charleston took care of Champaign Central 75-49; Effingham over Columbia 47-33; MacArthur beat Paris 69-38; Olney advanced over Benton 39-33.
Abby Wahl scored 16 points and Taylor Steele added 12, but the EIU women’s basketball team lost to SIUE 78-62 last night. The Panthers drop to 10-14 overall, 4-9 in the OVC
The Eastern Illinois men’s basketball team won in Edwardsville last night, 79-65. Mack Smith, Josiah Wallace, and Ben Harvey all scored in double figures for the Panthers. Eastern’s men improved to 14-12 overall, 7-6 in the OVC.
The individual state wrestling finals continue today at the State Farm Center in Champaign. Several area schools are represented this weekend. Best of luck to all of the competing athletes.
Patrick Kane had a goal and two assists as the Blackhawks beat the Devils 5-2 at the United Center. Chicago has won eight of its last nine games, bringing them within two points of a wild-card spot. The Blackhawks host the Columbus Blue Jackets tomorrow night.
Vladimir Tarasenko scored two goals as the red-hot Blues blanked the Coyotes 4-0 in Arizona. Joel Edmundson and Robert Bortuzzo also lit the lamp for St. Louis, which has won eight in-a-row. Jordan Binnington made 21 saves for his third shutout. The Blues are third in the Central Division with 63 points. They play at Colorado tomorrow.
Bulls big man Lauri Markkanen is in Charlotte for NBA All-Star Weekend. The Finland native will be playing in tonight’s Rising Stars Challenge, which pits top first and second year international players against the top first and second year American players. This is the second straight year Markkanen has participated in the contest.
Trent Frazier and Ayo Dosunmu both scored 15 points as Illinois held off Ohio State 63-56 in Columbus. Giorgi Bezhanishvili added 13 for the Illini, who extended their winning streak to four games. Illinois improved to 10-and-15 overall and 6-and-8 in the Big Ten. The Illini return to action on Monday in Wisconsin to face the Badgers.
The Knicks’ franchise-record, 18-game losing streak is over. Dennis Smith Jr. scored 19 points as they beat the Hawks 106-91 in Atlanta. The win moves New York out of the NBA basement. At 11-and-47, they’re now a half-game ahead of the Suns. Phoenix is 11-and-48.
It’s NBA All-Star Weekend in Charlotte. The Rising Stars Game is tonight. The Skills Challenge, Slam Dunk and Three-Point Contest are tomorrow. LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo are the captains for Sunday’s All-Star Game.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver isn’t ready to jump ship. He tells ESPN he hasn’t given thought to switching leagues and becoming commissioner of the NFL. ESPN reports he’s been approached by several NFL owners since taking over as NBA commissioner in 2014.
As spring training unfolds, the Phillies are locking up starting pitcher Aaron Nola. The two sides have agreed to a four-year, 45-million-dollar contract through 2022. The deal includes a club option for 2023. Nola had his best year yet in 2018, going 17-and-6 with a 2.37 ERA.
The NASCAR season kicks into full gear this Sunday with the running of the Daytona 500. Kevin Harvick and Joey Logano won the twin qualifying races last night and will start in row two. William Bryon and Alex Bowman earned the two front row spots in time trials last week.
The Indiana Pacers, Indianapolis officials and state lawmakers are negotiating a deal that would keep the team in town for roughly 25 more years, according to the IndyStar. Former state Sen. Luke Kenley, who is lobbying for funding for the deal on behalf of the Pacers, said owner Herb Simon, who is 84, is motivated to cement the Pacers’ legacy as Indianapolis’ home team.
