Windy with scattered thunderstorms during the morning – storms becoming more widespread and possibly severe this afternoon. Damaging winds, large hail and possibly a tornado with some storms. High 64F. Winds S at 25 to 35 mph. Chance of rain 70%..
Windy. Showers developing overnight. Low 32F. Winds W at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of rain 40%. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph.
Updated: March 19, 2025 @ 4:38 am
Members of the Orange Krush were fired up before the final game of the season against Purdue on Friday, March 7, 2025. Anthony Zilis/The News-Gazette
Tomislav Ivisic is one of five Illini who have shot at least 100 three-point attempts this season.
The Illini could face Texas freshman sensation Tre Johnson, right, on Friday night in Milwaukee.
Josh Trammell, left, and his dad, Donnie Trammell Sr.
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Sports Editor Matt Daniels with a look at what’s going on around the area:
Members of the Orange Krush were fired up before the final game of the season against Purdue on Friday, March 7, 2025. Anthony Zilis/The News-Gazette
➜ 1. Our 12-page NCAA tournament basketball special section that takes up the entire B section in today’s News-Gazette. Full brackets for the men’s tournament and women’s tournament are inside the section, along with the work throughout of Illini men’s beat writer Scott Richey, Illini women’s beat writer Joe Vozzelli and columnist Bob Asmussen.
➜ 2. Nice weather the first two days this week to provide high school spring sports a solid start to their seasons and for area coaches who report results to us.
➜ 3. The best way to get high school sports results to us for our daily prep highlights is by emailing the necessary information to scores@news-gazette.com no later than 9 p.m. each day.
Tomislav Ivisic is one of five Illini who have shot at least 100 three-point attempts this season.
three-point attempts away from 1,000 this season for the Illinois men’s basketball team heading into Friday night’s first-round NCAA tournament game against either Texas or Xavier. The 992 three-point attempts this Illini team has launched in 31 games is the most in school history, surpassing the 908 attempted by last season’s Illini in 38 games. Only North Florida (1,147), Cal Poly (1,114), Akron (1,013), Furman (1,007), UC San Diego (1,005), UT Rio Grande Valley (997) and Wisconsin (994) have attempted more three-pointers this season.
The Illini could face Texas freshman sensation Tre Johnson, right, on Friday night in Milwaukee.
Three events I’m paying attention to
➜ 1. Texas vs. Xavier men’s basketball. The Longhorns (19-15) have a future pro in freshman Tre Johnson. The Muskeeteers (21-11) have a proven senior leader in forward Zach Freemantle. The Illini will play one of them Friday night in Milwaukee.
➜ 2. Houston vs. SIUE men’s basketball. The only other Illinois school in the NCAA tournament is a first-time participant out of Edwardsville. The 16th-seeded Cougars (22-11) take on No. 1 seed Houston (30-4) at 1 p.m. Thursday in Wichita, Kan.
➜ 3. Arkansas vs. Kansas men’s basketball. Former Illini coach Bill Self coaches his 79th NCAA tournament game when his seventh-seeded Jayhawks (21-12) play the 10th-seeded Razorbacks (20-13) at 6:10 p.m. Thursday in Providence, R.I.
Josh Trammell, left, and his dad, Donnie Trammell Sr.
Three questions with Iroquois West baseball coach Josh Trammell:
➜ 1. My favorite sports team is … the Texas Longhorns.
➜ 2. Three coaches I’d like to have dinner with are … Donnie Trammell Sr., Augie Garrido and Phil Jackson.
➜ 3. My biggest pet peeve is … not being a good teammate, and there’s a lot of things involved in that. Like being respectful, being on time, getting good grades, playing hard and staying in the game.
Matt Daniels is sports editor at The News-Gazette. His email is mdaniels@news-gazette.com, and you can follow him on Twitter (@mdaniels_NG).
Complete game duel between Karli McGee and Timera Blackburn-Kelley
Sports Editor
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