In high school girls basketball, Dwight carried a two-point lead into the fourth quarter at Seneca but the Lady Trojans were outscored 19-8 in the final period as the Fighting Irish won 56-47. Leading in scoring for Dwight Brooklyn Long with 12 points and Chloe Butterbrodt added 10.  Leah Flynn led the team with 14 rebounds.  The loss puts the Lady Trojans record at 5-5 heading into Christmas break.

Elsewhere, Prairie Central topped Olympia 43-34, Ridgeview rolled past Roanoke Benson 61-33, El Paso-Gridley shut down Clinton 33-19, Flanagan-Cornell-Woodland lost at Ottawa Marquette 46-41.

The Illinois State men’s basketball team has an in-state duel tonight at the Flames from Illinois-Chicago come to Redbird Arena tonight.

Redbird junior forward Milik Yarbrough has been named Missouri Valley Conference Player and Newcomer of the Week, the first Redbird to claim both honors in the same week since Lorenzo Gordon in 2005. Yarborough nearly posted a triple-double in the Redbirds’ win at Ole Miss on Saturday.

The Green Bay Packers were officially eliminated from playoff contention as the Atlanta Falcons won at Tampa Bay 24-21. The Falcons hold on to the final playoff spot in the NFC.

The Chicago Bulls stay red hot, taking down the Philadelphia 76ers 117-115 for their sixth straight victory after a 3-20 start.