CHICAGO – It’s been a chilly end to the week here in Chicago, though one team was red hot on Thursday night while another was as cold as the temperatures late. Meanwhile, a viral moment in college basketball turned out to be a stunt while two popular announcers are returning to the White Sox.

Read about that and more in this edition of “The 9 Things to Know About Chicago Sports for January 27, 2023.

1. Another poor Bulls’ finish – After dropping a game in which they led by 21 against the Pacers on Tuesday night, the Bulls had another forgettable second half against the struggling Hornets on the road on Thursday. Leading by as many as nine in the third quarter, Charlotte finished the game strong as the visitors couldn’t keep pace in a 111-96 loss that drops the Bulls to 22-26 on the season.

2. No Bulls are All-Star starters – It was also a tough night for the Bulls in terms of the All-Star game, where no members of the team were named an Eastern Conference starter. DeMar DeRozan had the best chance since he came in sixth in the latest fan voting totals and is leading the team in scoring once again. The guard was a starter last year and now hopes to be named a reserve for the February 19 game in Salt Lake City. Those players, who are picked by the coaches, will be announced next Thursday.

3. A rare night of domination for the Blackhawks – A lopsided win is not something that’s happened for the Blackhawks very much this season, but it did in Calgary on Thursday night. With rookie goaltender Jaxson Stauber making 34 saves in his second NHL start, the Blackhawks blew the game open with three second period goals to beat the Flames 5-1. It’s their most decisive victory of the season with five different players scoring goals.

4. The delivery was fake, after all – So if you saw the delivery person that stumbled onto the floor during Loyola’s loss to Duquesne on Wednesday night, it wasn’t just an accident. The university confirmed that it was a staged event for social media, so it wasn’t an authentic moment.

5. Jason and Steve are back – Jason Benetti and Steve Stone are returning to the White Sox broadcast booth for the 2023 season and beyond. Read more about their contracts that will keep them in the booth for years to come by clicking here.

6. White Sox announce non-roster spring training invitees – The White Sox also announced the 26 players that got an invitation to spring training. That includes nine free agents on minor-league deals, including Hanser Alberto, Bily Hamilton, Jake Marisnick, and Victor Reyes, and 17-non-roster invites from within the organization, including top prospects Colson Montgomery and Oscar Colas.

7. Gary Peters Dies – The pitcher passed away at the age of 85, the White Sox announced on Thursday. The 1963 AL Rookie of the Year was a two-time All-Star who led the American League in ERA in 1963 and 1966 while also having the most wins in the AL in 1964.

8. Chicago State takes a look at football – Chicago State took another step towards creating a football program on Thursday as they announced the key members of an exploratory committee to look at adding a Division I FCS program. See WGN News’ Chris Boden’s story on that by clicking here.

9. Channel 9 Was There! – As part of WGN’s 75th anniversary, WGN News Now is looking back on how Channel 9 covered big sports moments. This week, it concerned how the station brought viewers coverage of the Bears Super Bowl XX win. See that segment by clicking here.