(The Center Square) – An Illinois state legislator from the Metro East says it’s a Christmas miracle that U.S. Steel is reopening a furnace in Granite City. State Rep. Amy Elik (R-Alton) said the impact is going to be beyond just the 400 good-paying jobs coming back to the area after U.

Preview the Dec 9 matchup between the Illinois Fighting Illini and Ohio State Buckeyes with how to watch, tv channel info, predictions, odds, over/under, spread, betting lines and more.

All three major Democratic Senate candidates hail from the Chicago region, potentially ending the upstate-downstate balance maintained by retiring Sen. Dick Durbin for 28 years.

Carbondale, Ill., a liberal enclave within driving distance of 10 states with abortion bans, has become a hub for the procedure. Last year there were nearly 11,000 abortions in this city of 21,000.

The Illinois Fighting Illini and Tennessee Volunteers meet Saturday at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee, with tip-off set for 8 p.m. ET.

Illinois Fighting Illini (7-2) at Ohio State Buckeyes (7-1, 1-0 Big Ten) Columbus, Ohio; Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. EST BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Fighting Illini -3.5; over/under is 154.5 BOTTOM LINE: Ohio State faces No.

The Illini are 22nd in the country in 2-point percentage (60.7%), but Tennessee has an elite defense that can slow them down. The Vols don't allow many shots at the rim and rank 19th in the country in opponent 2PT% (44.1%).