Gary Reinmuth

The Butlers of this world they can`t beat. So far. Drake or Illinois State either. Michigan State and Iowa State? No problem. ''I guess we just like being the underdog,''...

Oh brother. Illinois-Chicago`s giant-killing Flames did it again Wednesday night at the Pavilion. UIC, which knocked off Michigan State of the Big 10 earlier this season, did it to a...

The heroes have been hailed in headlines: Harris, Hill, Hunt, Hallberg, hustle, heart. Everywhere you look, it seems, someone or something beginning with the letter H has been getting credit...

It`s a hard fact of life in this big city and Illinois-Chicago coach Bob Hallberg knows it. Ask Peter Piper-or his cousin Joe for that matter-to compile a college basketball...

De Paul and Northwestern, as heavy favorites, have the most to lose. Western Illinois and Loyola have the most to gain. And the Neediest Families` Christmas Fund is the only...

Lionel Simmons, La Salle`s wondrous 6-foot-6-inch All-American, will hold a committee meeting Saturday afternoon at the Rosemont Horizon. Because Curtis Price, De Paul`s slick, 6-6 sophomore defender, has been sidelined...

- Northeastern revisited: Al-most lost amid UIC`s 30-point Saturday afternoon massacre of Northeastern Illinois was the rugged individual play of junior forward Ed Affolter, the transfer from NJCAA champion Northeastern...

Small wonders: Big fellas are in short supply this season at Illinois-Chicago-and maybe next season, too, judging by the Flames` two early-signing period recruits. But coach Bob Hallberg couldn`t be...

Schaumburg High School football coach Tom Cerasani Sr.? ''Yes.'' Your son is Tom Cerasani Jr., considered by many one of the premier quarterbacks (1,076 yards, 7 TDs last year) in...

Big dreams, little body. That`s Daphne Johnson`s predicament in a nutshell, agrees Bogan volleyball coach Meg Venckus. ''Absolutely,'' says Venckus. It`s August. Way past the recruiting season. Reality has come...