NBA
The Chicago Bulls hold off a fourth-quarter rally on the way to a 133-130 victory over the Washington Wizards. The win was the second straight for the Bulls this season after dropping three-in-a-row to open the year. Seven Chicago players scored in double-figures, led by Otto Porter Junior’s 28-points, Zach LaVine, who had 22-points, and Coby White, who recorded a double-double with 16-points and 10 rebounds. Chicago will now head to Milwaukee for a game against the Bucks tonight at 7 p.m.
NCAA Basketball
The Illinois Fighting Illini will try again for another win in conference play tonight when they host the Purdue Boilermakers. Illinois is 7-3 on the season and 4-1 in the Big Ten following wins over Indiana, Penn State, and Minnesota. Purdue is 7-4 this year and 2-2 in the conference with wins over Ohio State and Maryland. Tip-off on Saturday is set for 5 p.m. from the State Farm Center.
NCAA Football Bowl News
The number four ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish are set to face off against number one Alabama today in the Rose Bowl. Notre Dame is 10-and-1 on the season, while the Crimson Tide are 11-and-0, with the game’s winner of the game advancing to the College Football National Championship against either number two Clemson or number three Ohio State. Kick-off today from AT&T Stadium in Dallas is set for 3 p.m. Central Time. This will be the eighth all-time meeting between the two storied programs, with the Irish leading the overall series 5-2.
A post-game brawl marred Mississippi State’s 28-26 win over Tulsa in the Armed Forces Bowl in Fort Worth. It started during the post-game handshake and quickly turned ugly with multiple players punching and kicking. There was also an on-field incident before the game.
The Big Ten West Champion Northwestern Wildcats will square off today against the SEC’s Auburn Tigers in the Citrus Bowl. The 6-and-2 Wildcats will be trying for their fourth bowl game victory in a row and will play a Tigers team who finished the season 6-and-4. This will be Northwestern’s first appearance in a New Year’s Day Bowl since 2016 when it lost to Tennessee and their second-ever meeting against Auburn following a loss to the Tigers in 2010. Kick-off from Camping World Stadium in Orlando is scheduled for noon Central Time.
NFL
The Chicago Bears will go for their fourth consecutive win and a spot in the playoffs on Sunday when they host arch-rival Green Bay. The Bears have scored 30 or more points in four straight games for the first time since 1965 and will hope to rely on that offensive output against a Packers team trying to keep the number one seed in the NFC. If the Bears lose, they can still make the playoffs if Arizona falls to the Rams. Kick-off on Sunday from Soldier Field will be at 3:25 p.m.
NFLPA president JC Tretter is pushing to end offseason minicamps and Organized Team Activities. Tretter wrote in a newsletter Thursday that the changes made during this season due to COVID-19 have shown they can still produce a quality product on the field. He added that cutting out the unnecessary offseason practices and workouts will also reduce the wear and tear on the players’ bodies. Tretter says when the season ends, they will look closely at what temporary changes should be implemented permanently.