Illinois

Kentucky baseball vs Illinois score updates in NCAA regional bracket

Published

2 years ago

June 1, 2024

Kentucky baseball vs Illinois score updates in NCAA regional bracket

LEXINGTON — Kentucky baseball’s NCAA Tournament opener went its way Friday, as it topped Western Michigan, 10-8.

A far bigger challenge awaits Saturday: Illinois, which has won 30 of its past 39 games and captured the Big Ten’s regular-season title.

The Wildcats, league champions themselves after earning a share of the SEC’s regular-season title for the first time since 2006, will try to do what they couldn’t do last year: beat a Big Ten squad in the second game of a regional. After shutting out Ball State in its first outing, UK fell to Indiana in Game 2. Kentucky then had to win three consecutive games to clinch only its second Super Regional appearance ever.

And Saturday, the Wildcats and Fighting Illini will have to get their bodies ready earlier than anticipated: The contest was originally slated to start at 6 p.m., but potential inclement weather in the Lexington area moved up first pitch to 55 minutes after the conclusion of the Western Michigan/Indiana State game.

Now, the UK/Illinois matchup is scheduled to begin at approximately 4 p.m.

Get to the game: Want to buy Kentucky baseball tickets for the Lexington Regional? Here are your best options for 2024 NCAA Tournament

More: Watch Kentucky baseball vs. Illinois and the NCAA Lexington Regional on ESPN+

The Courier Journal’s Ryan Black is at Kentucky Proud Park and will have live updates throughout the game — here and on X, formerly known as Twitter — and complete coverage after. You can follow him on X at @RyanABlack.

What channel is Kentucky vs Illinois on today?

Kentucky’s NCAA Tournament regional game against Illinois will stream at approximately 4 p.m. Saturday on ESPN+.

You can watch the game on WatchESPN.com, the WatchESPN app or ESPN+. Authenticated subscribers can access ESPN+ via TV-connected devices. Those without access to ESPN+ can access the game via a subscription to ESPN+. (To sign up for ESPN+, click here.)

Kentucky vs Illinois start time

First pitch for Saturday’s game in Lexington is set for approximately 4 p.m. It will start 55 minutes after the completion of Saturday’s first game between Indiana State and Western Michigan.

Kentucky vs Illinois prediction

Kentucky 5, Illinois 4: On paper, this matchup is like splitting hairs. Illinois averages 8.2 runs per game; Kentucky is at 8.1. The expected starting pitchers, UK’s Trey Pooser and Illinois’ Cooper Omans, have nearly identical rates in hits allowed per nine innings (7.01 for Omans, 7.14 for Pooser) and walks + hits per innings pitched — better known by its acronym WHIP — that has Pooser (1.18) slightly ahead of Omans (1.24). When teams are this evenly matched, give the most infinitesimal of edges to the squad playing in its home venue. In this case, that’s the Wildcats, who escape with a one-run victory to improve to 2-0 at the regional.

Kentucky vs Illinois location

All games in the NCAA Tournament’s Lexington Regional will be held at UK’s home stadium, Kentucky Proud Park.

Kentucky baseball schedule 2024

Kentucky is 41-14 in 2024, including 22-8 in SEC play during the regular season. The Wildcats claimed a share of the league’s regular-season title for only the second time in school history.

Click here to see the Wildcats’ full 2024 schedule.

Illinois baseball schedule 2024

Illnois is 35-19, going 18-6 in the Big Ten during the regular season. The Fighting Illini won the Big Ten’s regular-season championship for the first time since 2015.

Click here to see the Fighting Illini’s full 2024 schedule.

Kentucky baseball roster

Interested in seeing the Wildcats’ entire roster?

Click here to meet the 2024 UK baseball team.

Illinois baseball roster

Want to learn Fighting Illini’s roster?

Click here for player bios and more.

NCAA Lexington regionals schedule

Here’s the slate for Saturday’s two games in the NCAA Lexington Regional:

Western Michigan vs. Indiana State, noon; Live stream: ESPN+; Stream: ESPN+
Kentucky vs. Illinois, approx. 4 p.m.; Live stream: ESPN+; Stream: ESPN+

NCAA Lexington regionals bracket

Here’s a look at every game set to take place during the Lexington Regional at Kentucky Proud Park:

Friday, May 31

Saturday, June 1

Game 3: Western Michigan vs. Indiana State, noon; Live stream: ESPN+; Stream: ESPN+
Game 4: Kentucky vs. Illinois, approx. 4 p.m.; Live stream: ESPN+; Stream: ESPN+

Sunday, June 2

Game 5: Winner Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4, noon; TV: TBD
Game 6: Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 4, 6 p.m.; TV: TBD

Monday, June 3 (if necessary)

Game 7: Same teams as Game 6, Time TBD; TV: TBD

2024 College World Series bracket

Interested in seeing the 64-team bracket for this year’s NCAA Tournament?

Click here to view it on the NCAA’s official website.

2024 NCAA baseball tournament odds

Odds courtesy of BetMGM.

Kentucky has the fifth-best odds, at +1000, to win the College World Series, per BetMGM.

The four favorites to capture the title are four other SEC squads: Tennessee (+500), Texas A&M (+550), Arkansas (+900) and defending national champion LSU (+900).

Reach Kentucky men’s basketball and football reporter Ryan Black at rblack@gannett.com and follow him on X at @RyanABlack.

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Illinois

Joliet City Council approves plans for Illinois’ largest data center

Published

4 hours ago

March 19, 2026

Press Room

Joliet City Council approves plans for Illinois’ largest data center

March 19, 2026 / 6:57 PM CDT
/ CBS Chicago

The Joliet City Council on Thursday approved plans for a 795-acre data center, which would be the largest such facility in Illinois.

The proposed site would go in a rural field right next to the Chicagoland Speedway at the intersection of Rowell and Bernhard roads. That’s where 24 buildings housing the equipment would be built. The developer, HW Technology Park Development LLC, said the project would be up and running in 2030.

“This annexation agreement sets clear expectations for infrastructure, services, and community benefits while helping ensure the project moves forward in a responsible way,” Joliet City Manager Beth Beatty said in a statement. “It also delivers substantial new revenue for local taxing bodies and longterm financial benefits for the community.”

At a public hearing on the data center on Monday, Joliet officials listened to several hours of comments from the public, mostly from people opposed to the data center over concerns about its impact on health and utility bills.

“I just want to make sure that when we make decisions that are huge like this, that we have all the information,” said Sean Richards, who lives in neighboring Lockport and believes the new data center would have broader impacts and health risks for kids. “The people in here that are voting yes or no, I did not elect them, but yet they are making decisions that will directly affect people in Lockport, and New Lenox, and in Elwood and other municipalities.”

ComEd officials said the energy needed to keep the center operating would not raise electric bills for residents or businesses. The developer said no water would be needed to cool the facility, only to get it up and running. They also said it could bring Joliet $2 billion in tax revenue.

Joliet officials estimated the project would create 7,000 to 10,000 construction jobs and 700 permanent jobs. The developer also has pledged $100 million to improve sidewalks, streets, and other city services in Joliet.

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Illinois

Keaton Wagler NBA mock draft projection: Where Illinois star is expected to land

Published

16 hours ago

March 19, 2026

Press Room

Keaton Wagler NBA mock draft projection: Where Illinois star is expected to land

March Madness is underway and today’s college stars have a chance to cement themselves in this summer’s NBA draft class. The 2026 draft is expected to take place in late June. In USA TODAY’s latest mock draft, Illinois’ Keaton Wagler is expected to go in the first round.

Here’s how USA TODAY currently projects the guard’s draft night will play out.

Keaton Wagler 2026 NBA Draft prediction: Pick No. 7 overall, Atlanta Hawks

All picks based on Tankathon lottery projection

Kalbrosky’s Analysis:

After trading away Trae Young, the Hawks could find their point guard of the future in Illinois standout Keaton Wagler using a first-round pick they received from the Pelicans. The 19-year-old guard scored 46 points while shooting 9-of-11 on 3-pointers against No. 12 Purdue on Jan. 24. He projects as one of the best 3-point shooters in this class, shooting 41.0 percent from beyond the arc as a freshman this year. The Big Ten Rookie of the Year is a cerebral basketball player who is also averaging 4.9 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game this season.

See USA TODAY’s full mock draft here

Keaton Wagler player profile

(all stats as of March 15)

Position: Guard
Current Team: Illinois
17.9 points per game
4.8 rebounds per game
4.4 assists per game
44.6% field goal percentage
40.2% three-point field goal percentage

Atlanta Hawks 2026 projected draft picks

No. 7 (via NOP), No. 22 (via CLE) and No. 57 (via BOS)

All picks based on Tankathon lottery projection

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Illinois

Student helps submit IL legislation that would require male, female CPR training in high schools

Published

1 day ago

March 18, 2026

Press Room

Student helps submit IL legislation that would require male, female CPR training in high schools

NAPERVILLE, Ill. (WLS) — A high school student says she’s determined to change the status quo when it comes to CPR training.

She is working with state lawmakers to have female manikins used during the training.

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Ashlynn Goldstein, 18, wants to take something that’s rare and make it the norm.

“I think we need to break that barrier. I think we need to be OK with change,” said Goldstein, a Naperville Central High School senior.

What started as a project for class became an opportunity to save the lives of girls and women.

Goldstein was researching gender disparity in medicine when she realized there was lack of manikins that were female.

“There was a study I saw where it said only 5% of the manikins that were sold on the market were female,” Goldstein said.

SEE ALSO: Video shows sheriff’s deputy save man’s life after I-90 crash in Chicago

According to the American Heart Association, women are 27% less likely to receive bystander CPR than men because of hesitancy to follow protocol, fueled by fears of inappropriate touching, exposing the chest or drawing accusations of sexual assault.

“I believe that they were scared to explore and change what they were doing. They were scared it wouldn’t work,” Goldstein said.

So she created the change herself. Working with the school and state representatives, she put forth a bill that would require both male and female manikins to be used in CPR training in high schools across Illinois.

“I really try to impress on teenagers is they have immense power that they can wield at any time,” teacher Seth Brady said.

“Wouldn’t it be great if we were all trained to save a life no matter the sex, right?” said Shelly Amato, with WorldPoint.

Goldstein’s work caught the attention of WorldPoint, a medical supply store based in Crystal Lake that donated eight new manikins to the school.

“We’re really adamant that no, the male, female needs to be standard with every manikin,” Amato said. “We saw a need, and we wanted to meet it.”

The company offers female and male manikins as a package deal, sending a clear message to those like Goldstein that change is coming.

“Anyone can do CPR on a female,” Goldstein said.

The bill is currently up for discussion in the Education Policy Committee with the hope it will become law.

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