This weekend In NCAA Basketball.
10th-ranked Illinois hosts UT-Martin tomorrow. The Illini fell to top ranked Baylor 82-69 Wednesday in the Jimmy V Classic in Indianapolis. Illinois dropped to 3-and-1.
Northern Illinois travel to Pittsburgh to face the Pitt Panthers. The 0-2 Huskies are looking for their first win of the season.
North Western will try to start 2-0 when the Wildcats host the Chicago State Cougars at the Welsh-Ryan Arena.
DePaul Blue Demons hit the road to take on the Iowa state Cyclones.
In College Football,
Illinois welcomes number-19 Iowa this Saturday in Champaign. The 2-and-3 Fighting Illini had their game with number-4 Ohio State canceled this past Saturday due to an elevated number of COVID-19 cases within the Buckeyes program. The 4-and-2 Hawkeyes enter on a four-game winning streak and Illinois has won two in-a-row.
Number 2 Notre Dame is 9-0 going into Saturday’s home game against Syracuse. Even in the event of an unlikely loss, The Fighting Irish next game will be for the ACC championship.
Longtime Cubs TV voice Len Kasper is moving across town. Multiple reports say Kasper is leaving the Cubs after 16 years, to fill the vacant play-by-play spot in the White Sox’ radio booth and will join analyst Darrin Jackson on the home for White Sox baseball 1430 WCMY. Fox Sports’ Chris Myers will replace Len Kasper and join analyst Jim Deshaies in the Cubs’ booth on Marquee Sports Network.
Mitch Trubisky will remain the starting quarterback for the Bears when they host the Lions on Sunday. Trubisky made his first start in nine weeks in last Sunday night’s blowout loss to the Packers in Green Bay. He passed for 242 yards and three touchdowns but committed three costly turnovers. Chicago is looking to end a five-game losing streak. The Bears enter Sunday at 5-and-6, while Detroit is 4-and-7.
Other games this weekend in the NFC North, The Packers will host the Eagles at Lambeau Field and The Vikings will do battle at home with the traveling Jacksonville Jaguars.
The Chicago Bulls are the latest NBA team to announce they won’t have fans at games to begin the season due to COVID-19. The Bulls issued a statement saying they will continue working with the league and health officials to determine when it’s safe to host fans at some point this season.
Notre Dame legendary football coach Lou Holtz was awarded the Medal of Freedom. President Trump hosted a ceremony in the Oval Office. The President called Holtz “one of the greatest titans” in football history. The Medal of Freedom is the nation’s highest civilian honor.