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Updated: March 12, 2025 @ 4:48 am
Illinois State athletics
Unity graduate Elyce Knudsen, middle, is having a superb season on and off the court for the Illinois State women’s basketball team.
Luke Altmyer is back for his third season as the Illinois starting quarterback.
Brad Underwood’s Illini will depart Wednesday for Indianapolis ahead of their Big Ten tournament opener on Thursday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Joe Krehbiel with his wife, Albee, and their son, Milo.
Sports Editor
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Sports Editor Matt Daniels with a look at what’s going on around the area:
Illinois State athletics
Unity graduate Elyce Knudsen, middle, is having a superb season on and off the court for the Illinois State women’s basketball team.
➜ 1. The Parkland men’s basketball team (30-2) learned its path to an NJCAA Division II national title on Tuesday. The Cobras open their stay on the Danville Area Community College campus at 9 a.m. next Tuesday in a second-round game.
➜ 2. The Cobras are the No. 4 seed and will play either 13th-seeded Henry Ford (Mich.) or 20th-seeded Southeast (Neb.) in its first game at Mary Miller Gym.
➜ 3. Unity graduate and Illinois State women’s basketball player Elyce Knudsen earned First Team Missouri Valley Conference Scholar-Athlete honors on Tuesday. She is averaging 14 points this season for the Redbirds (20-11), who open MVC tournament play at 2:30 p.m. Thursday against Southern Illinois (4-25) in Evansville, Ind.
Luke Altmyer is back for his third season as the Illinois starting quarterback.
career touchdown passes by Luke Altmyer in two seasons at Illinois. That’s good for ninth in program history, with Altmyer currently in a tie with Johnny Johnson after Johnson threw that many from 1992-95. It’s also the number he’d need to throw in 2025 if Altmyer wants to tie Kurt Kittner’s career record of 70 touchdown passes with the Illini that Kittner set from 1998 to 2001.
Brad Underwood’s Illini will depart Wednesday for Indianapolis ahead of their Big Ten tournament opener on Thursday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Three events I’m paying attention to
➜ 1. No. 24 Illinois vs. Ohio State or Iowa men’s basketball. The Illini are 7-4 in Big Ten tournament games with Brad Underwood on the sidelines. The first chance for the seventh-seeded Illini (20-11) at this year’s tournament comes against either the 10th-seeded Buckeyes (17-14) or 15th-seeded Hawkeyes (16-15) at 5:30 p.m. Thursday in the second round.
➜ 2. Evanston vs. Benet boys’ basketball. The Wildkits (30-5) and Redwings (31-5) meet at 6 p.m. Friday in a Class 4A state semifinal game at State Farm Center.
➜ 3. St. Anthony vs. Hope Academy boys’ basketball. This 1A state semifinal game at 9:30 a.m. Thursday tips off the IHSA state tournament in Champaign.
Joe Krehbiel with his wife, Albee, and their son, Milo.
Three questions with Uni High boys’ soccer coach Joe Krehbiel:
➜ 1. My favorite sports team is … the Illinois men’s basketball team.
➜ 2. Three coaches I’d like to have dinner with are … Jurgen Klopp, Bruce Weber and Phil Anders.
➜ 3. My biggest pet peeve is … losing soccer balls at practice.
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).
Sports Editor
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