Illinois

Burford leads Illinois State against Belmont after 22-point showing

Published

2 years ago

January 22, 2024

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Burford leads Illinois State against Belmont after 22-point showing

Belmont Bruins (11-8, 4-4 MVC) at Illinois State Redbirds (9-10, 3-5 MVC)

Normal, Illinois; Tuesday, 8 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: Illinois State hosts the Belmont Bruins after Darius Burford scored 22 points in Illinois State’s 69-60 win over the Missouri State Bears.

The Redbirds are 6-4 on their home court. Illinois State is 5-3 when it turns the ball over less than its opponents and averages 11.6 turnovers per game.

The Bruins have gone 4-4 against MVC opponents. Belmont has a 5-6 record in games decided by 10 or more points.

Illinois State’s average of 6.0 made 3-pointers per game is 2.7 fewer made shots on average than the 8.7 per game Belmont gives up. Belmont averages 9.2 more points per game (77.8) than Illinois State allows to opponents (68.6).

TOP PERFORMERS: Myles Foster is averaging 10.4 points and 7.2 rebounds for the Redbirds. Burford is averaging 13.9 points over the last 10 games for Illinois State.

Cade Tyson is shooting 43.0% from beyond the arc with 2.4 made 3-pointers per game for the Bruins, while averaging 17.2 points. Malik Dia is averaging 18.3 points and 5.4 rebounds over the past 10 games for Belmont.

LAST 10 GAMES: Redbirds: 3-7, averaging 65.8 points, 35.1 rebounds, 12.0 assists, 5.5 steals and 2.1 blocks per game while shooting 40.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 71.1 points per game.

Bruins: 5-5, averaging 73.9 points, 30.4 rebounds, 14.3 assists, 7.6 steals and 2.0 blocks per game while shooting 47.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 77.5 points.

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

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Illinois

Several Chicago-area schools announce closures ahead of expected snow. Here’s a list

Published

13 hours ago

November 9, 2025

Press Room

Several Chicago-area schools announce closures ahead of expected snow. Here’s a list

Editor’s Note: Our latest weather story on the winter storm can be found here.

Several schools across the Chicago area have announced closures, delays or switches to e-learning ahead of a winter storm beginning late Sunday night.

More than half a dozen schools announced closures, or moves to e-learning protocols, ahead of the anticipated snowfall, according to the Emergency Closing Center.

Below is the latest list of schools that have announced closures, early dismissals or switches to e-learning for classes on Monday.

Dist #125 (Atwood Heights)	Alsip	Delayed 1 Hour
Dist #128 (Palos Heights)	Palos Heights	Delayed 2 Hours
Horizon Science Academy Southwest	Chicago	Closed Tomorrow No Evening Activities
River Forest School Corporation (Madison St)	River Forest	Closed Tomorrow E-learning
Dist #1 (Momence Community Unit)	Momence	E-learning
Crown Point Community School Corp	Crown Point	Delayed 2 Hours
Lake Station Community Schools	Lake Station	Closed Tomorrow E-learning

The announcements come as a winter storm warning was set to take effect for Cook, Kankakee and Lake counties in Illinois, as well as Lake, LaPorte and Porter counties in northwest Indiana.

Dangerous to impossible travel conditions due to lake effect snow were expected, the National Weather Service stated. Snowfall rates could exceed three inches per hour, and total snow accumulations in excess of 12 inches were possible, meteorologists said.

Track an updated list of school closings across the Chicago area here.

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Illinois

IHSA football scores | Top playoff performers for second round around Peoria, Illinois, area

Published

1 day ago

November 9, 2025

Press Room

IHSA football scores | Top playoff performers for second round around Peoria, Illinois, area

Each week, the Journal Star will spotlight the top-performing teams and players from weekend playoff football games across the Peoria area.

Players from Dunlap and Farmington lead our list from second-round games.

IHSA football playoffs second round: Live updates | Peoria-area scores | Statewide scores

Jayden Schmick, Dunlap

The running back scored four touchdowns, including one from 47 yards out, to lead the Eagles past Crete-Monee 28-21 in Class 6A. The Eagles (9-2) are in the state quarterfinals for the first time since 2017 and will host Burbank St. Laurence next weekend.

Breon Greene, Peoria High

The quarterback accounted for four touchdowns including the game-winning score in a 38-34 win over Morton in Class 5A. His five-yard TD with 28 seconds left in the game proved to be the score that sealed it. He finished with 94 rushing yards and another TD, while throwing for 227 with two TDs — one to Jaylen Rayford (66 yards) and the other to Dereon Mays (74 yards).

Carson Noy, Farmington

The freshman quarterback scored the go-ahead touchdown, running 45 yards on fourth down to send the unbeaten Farmers (11-0) into the Class 2A quarterfinals on the road at fellow unbeaten El Paso-Gridley.

AJ Jones, Washington

The dynamic receiver scored three touchdowns to help the Panthers to a 38-14 victory over Mahomet-Seymour in Class 5A. His only two catches were a pair of TDs of 15 and 47 yards from Noah Garcia. Jones also rushed for one score, finishing with 76 yards on six carries. The Panthers (10-1) advance to face state power New Lenox Providence in a road quarterfinal next weekend.

Devon Horrie, Annawan/Wethersfield

The running back ran for 111 yards and two TDs — including the go-ahead score late in the fourth quarter, helping the Titans (11-0) remain unbeaten and hold off upset-minded Deer Creek-Mackinaw, 33-26, in Class 1A. Quarterback Maddux Heitzler added 167 rushing yards and three TDs for Annawan, which faces Lena-Winslow in the state quarterfinals.

Aaden Adams, El Paso-Gridley

The running back ran for 118 yards and three touchdowns to led the unbeaten Titans (11-0) past Sterling Newman in Class 2A. EP-G now has won six in a row by three touchdowns or more, making their first quarterfinal trip since 2017. The Titans will host Farmington next weekend.

Silas Steffen, Morton

The athlete was all over the field in Morton’s 38-34 loss to Peoria High. He rushed for 175 yards on 25 carries highlighted by 100 yards and two TDs in the first quarter alone. Steffen also caught six balls for 58 yards including a 30-yard score to put Morton up late in the fourth quarter.

Shaun Denniston, Dee-Mack

The senior running back ran 36 times for 268 yards and three touchdowns, but Deer Creek-Mackinaw came up short in an upset bid vs. unbeaten Annawan/Wethersfield, 33-26. Zack Day added 92 rush yards and a TD on 16 carries for the Chiefs, who end the season at 7-4.

Stephen Petri, Metamora

The quarterback was 7-for-10 with 201 yards passing and three TDs, adding another 72-yard rushing score for Metamora in its 64-50 loss to rival Morris in Class 5A. Petri had TD passes to Brayden Bitner (two catches for 56 yards), Kylan McMillen (two catches for 33 yards) and Jaiduan Cranford (131 rushing yards, 68 receiving), who also added a 57-yards rushing and 86-yard kick return touchdowns for the Redbirds (8-3).

This story will be updated.

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Illinois

Alvaro Folgueiras, Tate Sage and takeaways from Iowa basketball’s win vs Western Illinois

Published

2 days ago

November 8, 2025

Press Room

Alvaro Folgueiras, Tate Sage and takeaways from Iowa basketball’s win vs Western Illinois

IOWA CITY — The scoreboard did not necessarily reflect it, but Iowa basketball coach Ben McCollum was prouder of his team in the win over Western Illinois than in the season opener against Robert Morris.

The Hawkeyes jumped Robert Morris from the start, building a 17-2 lead and basically putting the Colonials away before they even had the chance to blink. It resulted in a 101-69 victory for Iowa, making for a successful beginning to the McCollum era

Iowa’s 77-58 win over Western Illinois a few days later was more methodical. The Hawkeyes led by just eight at halftime and weren’t able to run up the margin in a way they did against Robert Morris.

And yet, McCollum was more pleased with his team against Western Illinois than he was against Robert Morris.

Here is McCollum’s rationale.

“I think it’s more difficult for a team when you’re not totally T’d up,” he said. “I thought we were pretty T’d up but it wasn’t like it was the other day.”
“And then on top of it, their style of play,” he continued. “They didn’t really pass a whole lot. It was kind of just run the shot clock down, (isolation), get a shot. It kind of sucks the life out of the game because you can’t get a run going. And that was a great game plan by them. And then defensively, they just kind of like guard you, but they sit four or five feet off you, so you’re kind of in between what you’re supposed to do. And that, again, is a great game plan. I thought they had a great game plan. I didn’t think I was the best coach in the world today.”
“But I was really proud of the fact that we weren’t at our best and we still won the game and we still win it by (19).”

Here are more takeaways as Iowa improves to 2-0 on the season.

Alvaro Folgueiras makes impact in variety of ways

Folgueiras had his fingerprints all over the game, finishing with 13 points, five rebounds, five assists, one block and three steals.

Folgueiras, who scored 11 of his 13 points before halftime, was playing so well that it prompted a lineup change out of the break. Folgueiras was on the bench to begin each of Iowa’s first two games, but replaced Cam Manyawu in the lineup to open the second half against Western Illinois.

McCollum said of the decision: “He was playing really well.”

Video: Alvaro Folgueiras scores 13 points in Iowa’s win over Western Illinois

Alvaro Folgueiras meets with media after Iowa basketball’s 77-58 win over Western Illinois.

It was a bit of a surprise on opening night to see that Folgueiras was not in Iowa’s starting lineup. The Robert Morris transfer was last season’s Horizon League Player of the Year and one of Iowa’s more marquee roster additions.

Folgueiras showed a glimpse of why against Western Illinois.

Folgueiras still needs to prove it against better competition, but his performance against the Leathernecks was undoubtedly a step in the right direction. The game provided a framework for how Folgueiras can be featured as a complementary piece to Bennett Stirtz, who was phenomenal, notching 24 points and seven assists.

“We have high expectations for him,” McCollum said of Folgueiras. “I think his talent says that he could be starting. The cool part about him is that it’s like, I want to earn this and I want to get in there and do that. When you challenge him, just like that, he came out and performed and was excellent. He’s seeing the work that he’s put in, in the weight room, conditioning, on the floor, attitude, all those things. He’s got a good attitude but just getting it redirected. He’s seeing the results of that now. And so, hopefully he continues to grow and get better.”

Tate Sage has been pleasant surprise

The freshman has clearly shown enough behind the scenes to earn a spot in the rotation early in his Iowa career. Though he shot just 1-of-6 from deep against Western Illinois, he still made contributions off the bench, finishing with eight points.

Through two games, Sage is playing an average of 20 minutes.

Sage did not come to Iowa surrounded by a bunch of hype. He was ranked just 364th nationally in the 2025 high school recruiting class, according to the 247Sports Composite. Sage was signed to play for McCollum at Drake before following the head coach to the Hawkeyes.

But he looks like someone who can help the Hawkeyes as a true freshman.

“We knew he was good,” McCollum said. “But we thought it would take him a year. But he’s got a little edge to him. He’s a 6-7 two-guard. And so, he’s got good length. He only going to get better… He’s got great energy. He’s a good competitor. I think if we’re going to be at our best, he’s going to need to be pretty good.”

Taking stock in Iowa’s offense

The Hawkeyes did not get close to reaching triple digits against Western Illinois like they did against Robert Morris, but it was still an efficient game offensively. Iowa shot 52% from the field and 40% from deep against the Leathernecks while only turning it over seven times.

“I think we were disrupted tonight,” McCollum said. “I didn’t feel good about our flow. I thought our efficiency was really good, though. I thought we scored. I thought the first game we had great rhythm, great flow, we didn’t play with disruption. Tonight, we were fairly unorganized and that’s on me. Didn’t get into our stuff quick enough. Again, on me, and their defense.”

Before Iowa’s season-opening game, McCollum stated that he thought his team was “a ways away offensively.” But through two games, it hasn’t looked that way.

Video: Ben McCollum reacts to Iowa’s 77-58 win over Western Illinois

Ben McCollum meets with media after Iowa basketball’s 77-58 win over Western Illinois.

It’s a very small sample size, but Iowa is shooting 57% from the field and 43% from 3-point range to open the season. The Hawkeyes have assisted on 42 of their 55 made field goals, which speaks to the way the ball is being shared.

The scoring output against Western Illinois was not as prolific as Robert Morris, but the Hawkeyes still delivered 77 points despite Brendan Hausen and Tate Sage going a combined 1-of-10 from deep.

It felt like there was a stigma about Iowa’s offense because of what McCollum’s team looked like at Drake last season. Granted, it’s against lesser competition, but early returns have pushed back on that perception. The Hawkeyes might not have the most explosive offense, but it looks like one with potential, at the very least.

“They go 5-for-10 on wide open and, those guys, 6-for-10 on wide open, now you’re talking a little bit different score,” McCollum said, referring to Hausen and Sage’s 3-point shooting vs. Western Illinois. “So even there, we’d have more efficiency. And that’s what our offense should be eventually. That’s what we had at Northwest (Missouri State). Like everybody compares our Drake offense, and it’s like, our Drake offense wasn’t exactly what we’re trying to get to.”

Follow Tyler Tachman on X @Tyler_T15, contact via email at ttachman@gannett.com

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