Illinois

Duke basketball vs Illinois: Score prediction, scouting report for New York City game

Published

10 months ago

February 21, 2025

Duke basketball vs Illinois: Score prediction, scouting report for New York City game

Duke basketball and Illinois will meet in a March Madness-like matchup at Madison Square Garden on Saturday (8 p.m., FOX).

In a unique late-season nonconference game, the third-ranked Blue Devils (23-3, 15-1 ACC) and the Fighting Illini (17-10, 9-8) have the opportunity to add an impressive win to their NCAA Tournament résumés.

Two of Duke’s three losses happened in neutral-court settings, with the Blue Devils losing to Kentucky in Atlanta before dropping a game against Kansas in Las Vegas. Illinois is 2-1 in neutral-site games, losing to Alabama in Birmingham before beating Arkansas in Kansas City and Missouri in St. Louis.

Duke has a 5-3 record against the Illini, with all five wins coming on a neutral court. Here are some things to know and a score prediction for the Blue Devils’ game against Illinois.

Cooper Flagg, Kasparas Jakucionis in New York City spotlight as star freshmen for Duke, Illinois

Two of the best freshmen — and players — in the nation will be under the New York City lights inside Madison Square Garden. Duke’s Cooper Flagg, the favorite to win national player of the year and the projected No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, had 26 points and 11 rebounds the last time he played in an NBA arena. After losing late in tough neutral-site games against Kentucky in Atlanta and Kansas in Vegas, Flagg will be fired up to produce at an arena he’ll become quite familiar with as an NBA player.

Illinois guard Kasparas Jakucionis, a 6-foot-6 Lithuanian, is coming off a seven-turnover game at Wisconsin. Despite his recent struggles, Jakucionis has thrived in the Fighting Illini’s two neutral-site wins, averaging 22 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists in wins against Arkansas and Missouri. Expect a show from Jakucionis and Flagg at MSG.

Maliq Brown shoulder injury means more Mason Gillis for Duke basketball vs Illinois

On Thursday afternoon, Duke coach Jon Scheyer announced that Maliq Brown would be out for a “few weeks” because of a left shoulder injury. With Brown out, we could see a lot more of Mason Gillis. As a Purdue transfer, Gillis is familiar with the Fighting Illini and he has the most experience of anyone on Duke’s roster. In a matchup between the tallest roster in the nation (Duke) against the 13th-tallest roster (Illinois), Gillis gives the Devils some versatility as a knock-down shooter and defender capable of switching everything. Last season with the Boilermakers, Gillis averaged 9 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists in two wins against Illinois.

Rebounding for Blue Devils, Fighting Illini

Rebounding could be the determining factor in Saturday’s game. Illinois is second in the nation in rebounding margin (plus-10.1) and Duke sits at 10th with a margin of plus-8.2. With the Fighting Illini losing Morez Johnson to wrist injury, Illinois figures to have a tougher time matching the Blue Devils in the battle on the boards. Duke has outrebounded three straight opponents, including a 20-rebound advantage against Virginia. Illinois has been outrebounded in back-to-back games, including by nine boards at Wisconsin. If Duke continues to assert its dominance on the glass, it makes the Devils even more dangerous as March gets closer.

Duke vs Illinois score prediction

Duke 77, Illinois 69: The Fighting Illini are dealing with injuries and illness, but this will be a good non-ACC test for the Blue Devils. Cooper Flagg will create another memorable game for Blue Devil fans at “Cameron North” and Duke will win its first neutral-site game of the season.

Rodd Baxley covers Duke, North Carolina and N.C. State for The Fayetteville Observer as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow his ACC coverage on X/Twitter or Bluesky: @RoddBaxley. Got questions regarding those teams? Send them to rbaxley@fayobserver.com.

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Illinois

2025 FCS football championship: Bracket, schedule, scores

Published

4 hours ago

December 13, 2025

Press Room

2025 FCS football championship: Bracket, schedule, scores

The 2025-26 FCS playoffs consist of a 24-team bracket with play starting on Saturday, Nov. 29 and concluding on Monday, Jan. 5. The top 16 teams seeded and the top eight seeds receive automatic byes to the second round, while the rest of the 24-team field (the remaining 16 teams) play in the first round.

Here’s everything you need to know for the Division I Football Championship postseason.

FCS championship bracket

Click or tap here to view the bracket

FCS championship schedule

All times Eastern

Quarterfinals

Friday, December 12
Saturday, December 13

Semifinals

Saturday, December 20
- Semifinal 1 | 4 p.m. ET | ABC
- Semifinal 2 | 7:30 p.m. ET | ESPN2

National Championship

FCS championship rounds, dates

Selection show: 12 p.m. ET Sunday, Nov. 23 on ESPNU
First round: Saturday, Nov. 29
Second round: Saturday, Dec. 6
Quarterfinals: Friday, Dec. 12 through Saturday, Dec. 13
Semifinals: Saturday, Dec. 20
National championship: Monday, Jan. 5 on ESPN at 7:30 p.m. ET

FCS selections

The bracket selections for the 2025-26 FCS Championship was on Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025. The bracket was be revealed via a selection show on ESPNU at 12 p.m. ET and a selections release.

Eleven conferences (or conference partnerships/alliances) earn automatic bids to the playoffs. The FCS Championship Committee selects the remaining 13 at-large bids.

AUTOMATIC BIDS: Click or tap here to see all 11 of the clinched auto-bids

FCS championship history

North Dakota Dakota State is the reigning national champion, winning its 10 title in 2024 with a 35-32 win over Montana State. Here’s every FCS champion and runner-up from the past decade:

Year	Champion	Coach	Score	Runner-Up	Site
2024	North Dakota State	Tim Polasek	35-32	Montana State	Frisco, Texas
2023	South Dakota State	Jimmy Rogers	23-3	Montana	Frisco, Texas
2022	South Dakota State	John Stiegelmeier	45-21	North Dakota State	Frisco, Texas
2021	North Dakota State	Matt Entz	38-10	Montana State	Frisco, Texas
2020	Sam Houston	K.C. Keeler	23-21	South Dakota State	Frisco, Texas
2019	North Dakota State	Matt Entz	28-20	James Madison	Frisco, Texas
2018	North Dakota State	Chris Klieman	38-24	Eastern Washington	Frisco, Texas
2017	North Dakota State	Chris Klieman	17-13	James Madison	Frisco, Texas
2016	James Madison	Mike Houston	28-14	Youngstown State	Frisco, Texas
2015	North Dakota State	Chris Klieman	37-10	Jacksonville State	Frisco, Texas

Click here for a full list of every champion since 1978.

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Illinois

Another Winter Storm Targets Central Illinois

Published

16 hours ago

December 13, 2025

Press Room

Another Winter Storm Targets Central Illinois

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WICS) — After a brief lull in the weather on Friday, now another winter storm is setting its sights on central Illinois. Come Saturday, our next round of Winter is set to arrive. A new weather maker sweeps across the Upper Midwest, causing more snow to develop by mid-morning on Saturday. A Winter Weather Advisory has been issued from 7AM Saturday through 8 PM Saturday evening. The snow will pick up intensity by late-morning and last through the afternoon into the early evening hours before ending. This new weather system will follow a path very similar to the previous storm system and spread a swath of moderate to locally heavy snow. Before the snow wraps up Saturday evening, expect another 2″-4″ for much of central Illinois, with afternoon high temperatures bitterly cold in the mid-teens.

But the worst blast of cold air comes in Saturday evening into Sunday. Frigid Arctic air surges down from Canada causing temperatures to really tumble, driving in the coldest weather we’ve had in a long time and certainly the coldest so far this season. A Cold Weather Advisory is issued from 8 PM Saturday through Noon on Sunday. Sunday morning will be dangerously cold with wind chills around 20 to 25 BELOW ZERO. With wind chills this extreme, it doesn’t take long to suffer from frostbite or hypothermia. Please stay inside to keep warm, but if you do need to venture out, limit the time you spend outdoors, and make sure to cover up all exposed skin by wearing a hat, scarf, and gloves. Sunday afternoon features lots of sunshine, but despite the sunshine, temperatures will be brutally cold and frigid with high temperatures stuck in the low single numbers while wind chills remain well below zero.

Expect more extremely chilly weather on Monday with wind chills still ranging from 5 to 15 BELOW ZERO in the morning and afternoon highs only reaching into the 20s. Then temperatures will finally start to warm up, and we should climb out of the deep freeze with highs in the mid to upper 30s on Tuesday.

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Illinois is newest state to allow medical assistance in dying after Pritzker signs bill

Published

1 day ago

December 12, 2025

Press Room

Illinois is newest state to allow medical assistance in dying after Pritzker signs bill

Updated on: December 12, 2025 / 11:49 AM CST
/ CBS Chicago

Gov. JB Pritzker signed a new law Friday making Illinois the newest state allowing medically assisted dying in terminally ill residents.

Known as “Deb’s Law,” it allows eligible terminally ill adults with a prognosis to live six months or less to request a prescription from their doctor that would allow them to die on their own terms.

The legislation was narrowly approved by the Illinois Senate in October after the Illinois House passed it in May.

People on both sides of the debate over the controversial legislation lobbied the governor up until the last minute. Medical aid in dying, also called assisted suicide or dying with dignity, is already legal in 12 states. Eight more are considering similar legislation.

“I have been deeply impacted by the stories of Illinoisans or their loved ones that have suffered from a devastating terminal illness, and I have been moved by their dedication to standing up for freedom and choice at the end of life in the midst of personal heartbreak,” Pritzker said in a news release after signing the bill.

Pritzker’s signature makes Illinois the first state in the Midwest to allow medically assisted death.

Advocates for the law say it allows adults to die on their own terms when survival is already not an option. Opponents say the bill legalizes “state-sanctioned suicide.”

The law requires two doctors to determine a patient has a terminal disease and will die within six months. The medication provided would need to be requested both orally and in written documentation, and will have to be self-administered. The law also requires all patients opting into medical assistance in dying to have been full informed about all end-of-life care options, including comfort care, hospice, palliative care and pain control.

The law is named for Deb Robertson, a former social worker from Lombard who had an aggressive case of neuroendocrine carcinoma. She began advocating for medical aid in dying in 2022 and has been a central figure in the movement.

Please note: The above video is from a previous report

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