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Updated: March 17, 2025 @ 5:30 am
Mary Henson, the wife of the late former Illinois basketball coach Lou Henson, waves to the room of women in attendance at the Illini Rebounders’ Ladies’ Luncheon on Monday, which includeda panel on the topic of “Insights of Being the Spouse of a Coach” event at I-Hotel. Anthony Zilis/The news-Gazette
The Illinois men’s basketball team enters the NCAA tournament as a No. 6 seed and will play either No. 11 Texas or Xavier at 8:45 p.m. Friday in Milwaukee.
Champaign native JaMonte Williams, right, has helped the Parkland men’s basketball team reach the NJCAA Division II national tournament this season.
Clockwise from top left, the Franks family: Matt, Reese, Katie, Colt, Clay and Lane.
Sports Editor
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Sports Editor Matt Daniels with a look at what’s going on around the area:
Mary Henson, the wife of the late former Illinois basketball coach Lou Henson, waves to the room of women in attendance at the Illini Rebounders’ Ladies’ Luncheon on Monday, which includeda panel on the topic of “Insights of Being the Spouse of a Coach” event at I-Hotel. Anthony Zilis/The news-Gazette
➜ 1. The Illinois men’s basketball team is in the NCAA tournament for the 35th time in program history, and the sixth-seeded Illini (21-12) will play either 11th-seeded Texas (19-15) or Xavier (21-11) in the first round at 8:45 p.m. Friday in Milwaukee.
➜ 2. The Illinois women’s basketball team is in the NCAA tournament for the ninth time in program history, and the eighth-seeded Illini (21-9) will play ninth-seeded Creighton (26-6) in the first round on Saturday in Austin, Texas.
➜ 3. Stop by the Esquire on Monday evening to say hello to Mary Henson. The wife of the late Illini men’s basketball coach Lou Henson is our guest for ‘Monday Night SportsTalk,’ from 5-6 p.m. at the popular downtown Champaign spot.
The Illinois men’s basketball team enters the NCAA tournament as a No. 6 seed and will play either No. 11 Texas or Xavier at 8:45 p.m. Friday in Milwaukee.
men’s college basketball teams who have won the NCAA tournament with at least 12 losses going into the event. Illinois registered its 12th loss of the season this past Friday night against Maryland in the Big Ten tournament quarterfinals. Since the field expanded to 64 teams in 1985, only four teams with at least 12 losses entering the NCAA tournament reached the Final Four: North Carolina and Wisconsin in 2000, Syracuse in 2016 and North Carolina State in 2024. All four lost in the national semifinals.
Champaign native JaMonte Williams, right, has helped the Parkland men’s basketball team reach the NJCAA Division II national tournament this season.
Three events I’m paying attention to
➜ 1. Indiana State at Illinois baseball. Rematch at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Illinois Field against a team that ended the Illini’s season in the NCAA tournament last June. Illinois (10-7) tries for its fifth win in its last six games when the Sycamores (9-11) come to Champaign.
➜ 2. Illinois at Missouri softball. The Illini (13-11) try to end a seven-game losing skid against the Tigers (16-13) when the two teams vie for Braggin’ Rights beginning at 3 p.m. Tuesday in Columbia, Mo.
➜ 3. Parkland men’s basketball in Danville. The Cobras (30-2) tip off their stay at the NJCAA D-II national tournament at 9 a.m. Tuesday against either Henry Ford (Mich.) (23-7) or Southeast (Neb.) (12-19).
Clockwise from top left, the Franks family: Matt, Reese, Katie, Colt, Clay and Lane.
Three questions with Unity boys’ basketball coach Matt Franks:
➜ 1. My favorite sports teams are … the New York Yankees, the Illini and the Wampus Cats.
➜ 2. Three coaches I’d like to have dinner with are … Jay Wright, Lon Kruger and Brad Stevens.
➜ 3. My biggest pet peeve is … being late.
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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