Ahead of the College Football Playoff National Championship on Monday, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish received a message from the one team they couldn't defeat this season -- the Northern Illinois Huskies.

As some northern Illinois counties fall under an Extreme Cold Warning, some school districts have announced they will be closed on Tuesday. Stephenson, Jo-Daviess, and Carroll County in northern Illinois as well as Green,

Chansey Willis Jr. had 18 points in Western Michigan's 72-70 win over Northern Illinois on Tuesday night. Western Michigan took the lead for good with 2:28 remaining on a layup from Max Burton to make it a 67-66 game.

Notre Dame football was rolling after a win at Texas A&M, a game many thought would slingshot the Irish to an undefeated season. Then NIU happened.

The Horizon League got a massive boost when Butler made back-to-back NCAA championship game appearances in 2010 and 2011. Oakland was the most recent Horizon League team to make a tournament splash, upsetting Kentucky in the first round of last year’s tournament before falling to North Carolina State in overtime in the second round.

Northern Illinois wished Notre Dame good luck in Monday night's title game but also reminded the Irish of their lone loss this season.

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BOTTOM LINE: Northern Illinois looks to stop its five-game skid with a win against Eastern Michigan. The Eagles are 1-7 on their home court. Eastern Michigan has a 1-10 record in games decided by 10 or more points.

Northern Iowa Panthers (9-9, 4-3 MVC) at Southern Illinois Salukis (3-12, 1-5 MVC) Carbondale, Illinois; Friday, 7 p.m. EST BOTTOM LINE: Southern Illinois hosts Northern Iowa after Gift Uchenna scored 26 points in Southern Illinois' 85-70 loss to the Evansville Purple Aces.

BOTTOM LINE: Western Michigan hosts Northern Illinois after Chansey Willis Jr. scored 21 points in Western Michigan’s 85-76 loss to the Buffalo Bulls.

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