As Notre Dame football gets back to practice Saturday following finals week for the students, one of the big questions is whether quarterback Tyler Buchner, out with an injury since week two, will be ready to play against South Carolina in the December 30th Gator Bowl. Offensive coordinator Tommy Rees says no decision has been made, but Buchner is progressing. With Drew Pyne transferring, Buchner seems the obvious starter if healthy. If not, freshman Steve Angeli is likely next up. Notre Dame and South Carolina play at 3:30 on Friday, December 30th in the Gator Bowl here on Sports Radio 960 WSBT.

Thursday night NFL football this week pits the San Francisco 49ers against the Seahawks in Seattle. Westwood One covers the game for us starting at 8:00 tonight on 960 WSBT. The weekend schedule includes three Saturday games, leading off with Indianapolis Colts off a bye week at Minnesota Saturday at 1:00 on 96.1 the Ton. Sunday, the Bears come off their bye against the best record in the league in the Philadelphia Eagles. Kickoff at 1:00 Sunday in Soldier Field on Quality Rock Z 94.3. The Detroit Lions are at the Jets in the New Jersey Meadowlands Sunday at 1:00.

NBA: The Chicago Bulls lost at home to the New York Knicks, 128-120. In Indy, the Pacers beat Golden State 125-119. Warriors star Steph Curry left the game with shoulder injury in the third quarter. The Detroit Pistons lost at Charlotte, 141-134.

Hockey: the Detroit Redwings lost at Minnesota, 4-to-1. The Blackhawks host Las Vegas tonight in Chicago.

Notre Dame basketball returns to action on Sunday, with coach Niele Ivey’s 5th ranked women at 6th ranked Virginia Tech at 4:00 p-m on Live 99-9. The men are in Atlanta against the Georgia Bulldogs at 5:30 here on Sports Radio 960 WSBT.

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Purdue wasted no time finding a replacement for departed football coach Jeff Brohm, naming former Missouri and Illinois defensive coordinator Ryan Walters Tuesday to take over the program. Walters is just 36, and the fourth youngest head coach at an FBS program. Walters helped improve Illinois’ defense from one of the worst to elite in just two seasons in Champaign. He gets a five year contract to lead the Boilers. Brohm left after the season for his alma mater, Louisville. Purdue will play in the January 2nd Citrus Bowl in Orlando against LSU.

Meanwhile, Notre Dame football has a few days off as students take final exams this week. Practices resume Saturday as the 21st ranked, 8-and-4 Irish prepare to face number 19 South Carolina December 30th in the Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, Florida. Full game day coverage is yours, as always, starting at 10am of Friday the 30th for a 3:30 kickoff on Sports Radio 960 AM WSBT.

The Sporting News has named three Irish footballers All Americans. Tight end Michael Mayer adds to his post-season hardware as a first team All American, matching two other similar awards from the Associated Press and Walter Camp. Pass rusher Isiah Foskey is a Walter Camp first teamer, and a second teamer for the Sporting News and AP. Finally, lineman Joe Alt is an AP first teamer, and second team for the Sporting News and Walter Camp.

Washington Capitals veteran star Alex Ovechkin scored his 800th career goal at the United Center in Chicago last night as the Capitals downed the Blackhawks, 7-to-3. The Redwings took a 1-nothing home loss in Detroit to the Carolina Hurricanes. Notre Dame hockey is off until the end of the month, when they host Alaska Fairbanks for two games on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day on Quality Rock Z 94.3.

NBA: the Chicago Bulls host the New York Knicks tonight at the United Center. Detroit is at Charlotte, and the Indiana Pacers welcome Golden State to Indy.

At the World Cup in Qatar, Argentina is through to Sunday’s final after a 3-0 win over Croatia Tuesday. They’ll play the winner of today’s other semifinal, defending champion France against Morocco, the first African nation to make the semifinals.

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Mishawaka battles Michigan City at “The Cave.”

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On Tuesday’s Sportsbeat on 960am WSBT, Notre Dame tight end Cane Berron heads to the transfer portal, what was Navy thinking?, Ryan Walters is Purdue’s choice, a look back at the Notre Dame hockey first half plus we remember the late Mike Leach.

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It’s a quiet sports week around Notre Dame and many Big Ten schools, with final exams underway, and students, athletes included, finishing up the fall semester. Irish basketball returns to the floor Sunday, with the 5th ranked women at Virginia Tech at 4pm on Live 99-9, and the men on a supposedly neutral floor in Atlanta against the Georgia Bulldogs Sunday at 5:30 on Sports Radio 960 WSBT.

The Purdue Boilermakers are the number one team in college basketball, according to the latest AP poll released Monday. The Boilers face Davidson Saturday at 5:30 in Indianapolis on the Big Ten Network. The 14th ranked Indiana Hoosiers are at number 8 Kansas Saturday at noon on ESPN2.

There is a high school game to be heard tonight: the Mishawaka Cavemen taking on Michigan City at 7:30 on 96.1 the Ton.

Monday night NFL: the New England Patriots are now in the 7th and final AFC playoff position after their 27-13 win over the Cardinals in Arizona last night.

The Bears and Colts come off bye weeks this weekend, as the Colts play at Minnesota Saturday at 1:00 on 96.1 the Ton. The Bears host the 12-and-1 Philadelphia Eagles at Soldier Field Sunday at 1:00 on Quality Rock Z 94.3. The Detroit Lions, in the hunt for an NFC playoff spot, take on the New York Jets at the Meadowlands Sunday at 1:00.

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On Monday’s Budweiser’s Weekday Sportsbeat on 960am WSBT, discussion on Marcus Freeman’s upcoming decision on how to use quarterback Tyler Buchner in the Gator Bowl, Blue and Gold’s Tyler Horka joins the conversation and the Irish basketball team as a rough game against Marquette

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The big question for Notre Dame football heading into the December 30th Gator Bowl against South Carolina is: will quarterback Tyler Buchner be ready to play? With Drew Pyne gone to the transfer portal, the options are Buchner and freshman Steve Angeli. Coach Marcus Freeman says Buchner is getting ready, but will not participate in contact drills to make sure he stays healthy. He has not played since he got injured in Notre Dame’s second game of the season. Notre Dame and South Carolina, Friday, December 30th here on Sports Radio 960 WSBT.

A rough afternoon for Notre Dame basketball Sunday, as Marquette came into Purcell Pavilion and beat the Irish 79-to-64. Nate Laszewski had 20 points to lead Notre Dame, and JJ Starling added 12. This is finals week for the students, so the next game for the Irish is Sunday in Atlanta against Georgia.

The 5th ranked Irish women dominated Merrimack College Saturday afternoon, 108-to-44. They are at Virginia Tech Sunday at 4 on Live 99-9.

In the NFL, the Chicago Bears and Indianapolis Colts had bye weeks this week. The Bears face the 12-and-1 Philadelphia Eagleds this Sunday at onE on Z 94-3. The Colts play at Minnesota Saturday at one on 96-1 the Ton. The Detroit Lions pulled themselves to within a game of a Wild Card berth with Sunday’s 34-23 home win over the Minnesota Vikings. The Monday night game tonight has New England at Arizona, kickoff at 8:15 here on Sports Radio 960 WSBT.

Notre Dame hockey split two games against Penn State, losing Friday 5-to-2, winning Saturday 5-to-3.

NBA: the Chicago Bulls lost at Atlanta, 123-122. The LA Lakers beat the Pistons in Detroit, 124-117. The Indiana Pacers host Miami tonight in Indy.

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