By Greg Halbleib

Winthrop edged Illinois 84-80 in overtime at State Farm Center in NIT Season Tip-Off play. Winthrop’s Keon Johnson lit up the scoreboard with 38 points and the Winthrop bench outscored the Illini 54-18. The Illini face West Virginia in Brooklyn on Thanksgiving afternoon.

Illinois State men’s basketball gave up a seven-point lead in the second half and lost at TCU 80-71. MiKyle McIntosh led the Redbirds with 20 points and nine rebounds, while Paris Lee and D.J. Clayton each registered 13 points. The Redbirds are next in action on Sunday afternoon at home against Ferris State.

Other Big Ten teams found success in Monday’s men’s hoops. Northwestern upset Number 22 Texas 77-58, Number 16 Wisconsin topped Tennessee 74-62 and Ohio State routed Western Carolina 66-38.

Other men’s Missouri Valley Conference action included Hofstra edging Bradley 92-90 in Florida, Loyola beating Washington State 88-79 in the U.S. Virgin Islands Paradise Jam and Southern Illinois edging Mount St. Mary’s 73-63.

The Illinois State women’s basketball squad returns to action tonight by hosting Yale.

Bloomington Thunder defenseman Jason Smallidge has announced his commitment to play college hockey at the University of Nebraska-Omaha.

Reports from Halas Hall indicate Bears quarterback Jay Cutler injured his shoulder in Sunday’s loss to the Giants and could be out for the rest of the season.

Jurgen Klinsmann has been fired as coach of the U.S. men’s national soccer team. Former coach Bruce Arena is expected to replace him on an interim basis.

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