GREEN BAY—Rahmon Fletcher scored 20 points and Alec Brown had a double-double Satrday as Wisconsin-Green Bay kept UIC winless in the Horizon League with a 74-50 victory.Fletcher’s output included three 3-pointers, and Brown had 11 points and 10 rebounds for the Phoenix (10-9, 4-3), which won its fourth straight game. Bryquis Perine added 16 points and a game-best five assists.Paul Carter had 11 points and 10 rebounds for the Flames (5-14, 0-7), who went 0-for-12 from 3-point range as they lost their seventh in a row. Brad Birton scored 12 points.The Phoenix shot 46.7 percent (28 of 60) and 40.0 percent (8 of 20) on 3-pointers.The Flames shot just 39.2 percent (20 of 51).UWGB led 42-22 at the break. UIC has not won since they upset Illinois at the United Center a few weeks ago.

INDIANAPOLIS—Derrick Rose figured the only way to get over the Charlotte loss was to take care of Indiana.The point guard needed to shake off his poor shooting and his team’s poor defensive effort against the Bobcats, and he responded with 29 points and a season-high 10 rebounds in a 99-86 win over the Pacers on Friday night.The Bulls led Charlotte 80-75 with eight minutes to go on Wednesday night before falling apart defensively in the closing minutes. Rose was focused on creating a different outcome against Indiana.The Bulls held the Pacers to 33 percent shooting.Rose shot 5-for-17 from the field against the Bobcats, but 11-for-21 against the Pacers. He scored 20 points in the second half against Indiana.Luol Deng had 17 points and five assists,Carlos Boozer scored 14 points and Kurt Thomas had a season-high 18 rebounds for the Bulls.Danny Granger scored 22 points for the Pacers, but he shot 4-for-17 in the first three quarters when the game was in doubt while being guarded primarily by Deng.Mike Dunleavy scored 13 points and Jeff Foster had a season-high 15 rebounds for Indiana, which failed to notch its first three-game winning streak of the season.The Bulls led 53-41 at halftime.The Bulls extended their lead to 60-46 on a 3-pointer by Rose. Indiana trimmed its deficit to nine points and had a fast break going, but Brandon Rush missed everything on a hurried 3-pointer, and Taj Gibson converted a 3-point play on the other end to make it 66-54. On Chicago’s next possession, Rose made a 3-pointer and was fouled, prompting MVP chants from the thousands of Bulls fans who made the short drive. He completed the four-point play to push the lead to 70-54.Indiana surged again, and a jumper by Granger made it 70-61. But the Bulls responded with a 7-0 run to re-establish control for good. Rose scored 12 points in the third quarter to help the Bulls lead 79-63 at the end of the period.The Bulls led by 14 in the final minute when the half-filled arena, with mostly Bulls fans remaining, gave the visitors a standing ovation.The Bulls shot 46 percent and committed just seven turnovers.Indiana heads into a four-game road trip on a negative note.The Bulls return home Saturday night to host Miami,not knowing if LeBron James’ sprained ankle will allow him to play or not.

NOTES—Keith Bogans committed two fouls in the first 1:44 of the game…..Indiana F Josh McRoberts played four minutes after O’Brien sat him for four games while using other players. McRoberts began the season as the starter, but Hansbrough started his fifth straight game at power forward…..Deng was issued a technical foul with 8:08 left in the second quarter…..Several Miami players dined at Gibsons Downtown Friday night while the Bulls were playing the Pacers on TV.

IOWA CITY—Drew Crawford scored 19 points, Michael Thompson 17 and John Shurna 16 to lead Northwestern past Iowa 90-71 Wednesday night.The win was the first for Northwestern (11-4, 2-3 Big Ten) in Iowa City since Jan. 10, 2004, and only the Wildcats’ 17th all-time on the road against the Hawkeyes.Bryce Cartwright scored 25 points to lead the Hawkeyes (7-9, 0-4). Matt Gatens scored 20 for Iowa.Northwestern (11-4, 2-3) unleashed a barrage of 3-point baskets early to build a 48-27 lead by halftime.Iowa took a 4-0 lead before NU went on a 24-4 run. The Wildcats’ first seven baskets were 3-pointers; Crawford had three. JerShon Cobb’s three-point play stretched the Wildcats’ lead to 24-8 with 11:38 before the half. Cobb finished with 12 points.

Corey Crawford made 24 saves for his second straight shutout and Dave Bolland and Fernando Pisani had a goal and an assist apiece Wednesday to lead the Blackhawks past the Colorado Avalanche 4-0. It was the Hawks first win in four games against the Avalanche this season in their final regular-season meeting.The defending Stanley Cup champions scored two quick goals in the first period and Crawford made it stand up after the rookie goaltender blanked the Islanders 5-0 on Sunday.Troy Brouwer scored The first goal and Jack Skille added a rebound goal in the third to help the Blackhawks win their third straight.

CHARLOTTE—D.J. Augustin had 22 points and 12 assists, hit four decisive free throws down the stretch and outplayed Derrick Rose in the Charlotte Bobcats‘ 96-91 victory against the Bulls on Wednesday night.The Bulls, off to their best start since their last title under Michael Jordan in 1998, couldn’t keep it going with Jordan sitting courtside.The Bobcats owner stood and clapped as the final seconds ticked down in Charlotte’s fourth straight win. Ex-Bull Tyrus Thomas added 17 points and 13 rebounds as the Bobcats moved to 6-2 under interim coach Paul Silas.Carlos Boozer had 23 points and 14 rebounds, and Luol Deng added 22 points for the Bulls, who lost for only the fifth time in 20 games.Rose, who had been on a tear of late, scored 17 points on 5-of-17 shooting and committed a key turnover in the final minute.The Bobcats had to make big plays down the stretch after seeing a 17-point, second-quarter lead turn into an 80-75 deficit with 8:08 left. Thomas’ reverse layup with 1:14 left put Charlotte ahead 90-89. After Rose missed a contested layup, the Bobcats got the ball back on a video review of an out of bounds call.Stephen Jackson’s fadeaway jumper amid a bad shooting night with 34 seconds left gave Charlotte a three-point lead. Rose’s fourth turnover of the night came on the next possession when he threw a bad pass in the lane.Augustin then hit four straight free throws to put it away. He had only one turnover in another solid game since Silas replaced the fired Larry Brown.Jackson had 16 points on 6-of-17 shooting, while Gerald Wallace returned after missing most of the past month with a left ankle injury to score 14 points and grab seven rebounds.After running off five wins under Silas in a soft part of their schedule, this serves as one of the Bobcats’ biggest wins of the season despite a hiccup after halftime.With Deng and Rose consistently getting to the line and Charlotte’s Jackson clanging jumpers, the Bulls dominated the third quarter. Deng’s layup off a pick-and-roll gave the Bulls its first lead at 68-67 with 1:08 left.But the Bulls, who rallied from a 12-point halftime to beat Detroit on Monday, couldn’t hold on in their third straight road loss as Jordan celebrated.Jordan has taken a more hands-on approach this week, getting involved in practice Tuesday and in Wednesday morning’s shootaround.Jordan’s tutoring seemed to spark Charlotte early. The Bobcats met little resistance inside with Kwame Brown, filling in again for Nazr Mohammed (knee), hitting his first four shots.The Bobcats had four of five starters in double figures by halftime in building as much as a 17-point lead. After a lethargic start, the Bulls clamped down defensively in cutting the deficit to 55-42 at halftime behind Deng’s 10 points.

NOTES—Tom Thibodeau said Rose has also improved defensively, most specifically at getting over screens and challenging shots. Rose said he’s hoping to become a lockdown defender. “I look at Kobe Bryant. He’s a guy that tries to kill you on both ends,” Rose said. … Bobcats assistant and former Bulls big man Charles Oakley was a popular guy when the Bulls arrived for shootaround. “When he goes into something he’s 100 percent committed to it,” Thibodeau said. “I think he’s figuring out now what he wants to do.” … Deng was assessed a flagrant foul for taking down former teammate Tyrus Thomas on a breakaway late in the second quarter

STATE COLLEGE—After Andrew Jones’ putback with a one second left beat No. 16 Illinois 57-55 on Tuesday night, Penn State may have at least proven they won’t be a conference pushover.Talor Battle had 26 points and Jones’ conversion of a miss by Battle had fans rushing the Jordan Center court.There was good reason to celebrate — it was the first time Penn State (10-6, 3-2 Big Ten) beat ranked foes in consecutive games since the 1954 NCAA tournament. The Nittany Lions beat then-No. 18 Michigan State 66-62 on Saturday.But Penn State practiced the past couple days like it lost the night before — a strategy that appears to be working.Defense and rebounding has been a priority since a 15-point loss to Purdue last week, and it paid off to help Penn State overcome its own poor shooting Tuesday (34 percent). Illinois had 15 turnovers and got outrebounded 33-28, the second straight game Penn State has had the edge in both categories.After a layup by Illinois’ Bill Cole tied the game with 20 seconds left, go-to guy Battle set up for the last shot. His off-balance attempt off a drive through the lane bounced off the rim and into the hands of Jones, the 6-foot-10 center who dunked in the go-ahead basket.Illinois’ desperation heave downcourt was intercepted by Jones, and the blue-and-white faithful rushed the court despite repeated pleas from the public address announcer not to. Mike Tisdale had 16 points and a career-high 14 rebounds for Illinois (13-4, 3-1), which had erased a 12-point first-half deficit. Demetri McCamey added 10 points.After a potentially damaging nonconference loss to Maine, Penn State has had a dramatic midseason turnaround. They are 2-1 in the midst of a five-game stretch against ranked opponents.Battle, as usual, has been the spark plug. The 6-foot guard rebounded from a shooting slump with 3s from 35 and 28 feet, and got fouled repeatedly as he weaved through a chippy defense for mid-range jumpers. Battle finished 8-of-15 from the field, including 4-of-9 from 3-point territory.But it was Jones who made the big play at the end. Jones, who was surrounded by a throng of fans on the court after his dramatic putback, finished with 12 points and eight rebounds.The heroics didn’t look necessary early on.Flying around the court for one of its best defensive efforts of the season, Penn State took advantage of nine first-half turnovers by Illinois to jump out to a double-digit lead. Jeff Brooks’ 3 in the corner off Tim Frazier’s drive-and-dish made it 25-13 with 5:58 left.After a cold-shooting start, the Illini closed with a 12-0 run and found success attacking the basket Mike Davis’ inside bucket just before the first-half buzzer tying the game at 25 before the seesaw second half.Cole and Davis both finished with eight points for Illinois, which shot 41 percent for the game after opening Big Ten play hitting 64 percent from the field.

 

GLENDALE—Wes Byrum kicked a 19-yard field goal as time expired and No. 1 Auburn beat No. 2 Oregon 22-19 to win the BCS national championship Monday night.Oregon had tied it at 19 with 2:33 left when Darron Thomas connected with Jeff Maehl on a tying 2-point conversion after LaMichael James scored on a shovel pass.Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton and Auburn came right back with a 73-yard drive, with freshman Michael Dyer making the key plays. First he rolled over an Oregon tackler and, with most of the players thinking the play was over around midfield, scooted another 30 yards to the 23.A play later, Dyer went through the middle for 16 to the 1.After Newton was pushed back a yard, Byrum came on with 2 seconds left to kick the winner and give Auburn its first national championship since 1957 and the Southeastern Conference’s fifth in a row.Newton’s passing and a goal line stand helped Auburn build a 19-11 lead over Oregon after three quarters.The Heisman Trophy winner threw two touchdown passes in the second quarter and Nick Fairley and the Auburn defense made the biggest play in the third quarter at the University of Phoenix Stadium.Auburn led 16-11 at halftime as the Tigers rolled up 258 yards in the second quarter and picked up right where they left off at the start of the third.The Tigers drove into the red zone, but stalled and settled for Wes Byrum’s 28-yard field goal to make it 19-11.Oregon had its best chance to score on its second possession of the third quarter, using a faked punt in its own territory to keep the ball and a 43-yard pass from Thomas to Lavasier Tuinei, who made a juggling catch, to get down to the Auburn 3.The first Oregon run went backwards, but the next two left Oregon at the 1 facing fourth down.Thomas handed to Kenjon Barner, but he didn’t get close to the goal line, with throng of Auburn defenders stacking him up for no gain.Oregon started the scoring with a 26-yard field goal by Rob Beard on the second play of the second quarter, then Newton and the Tigers put together their first sustained drive to take the lead.Newton gave a slight pump-fake to freeze a defender and hit Kodi Burns in the middle of the field. Burns, the former quarterback bumped to receiver when Newton arrived before this season, leaped into the end zone for a 35-yard score and a 7-3 lead with 12:00 left in the second quarter.The Ducks struck right back. Backed up to his own 7, Thomas sailed a deep ball down the middle for Jeff Mahel, who went 81 yards to the Auburn 12. It was the longest play from scrimmage in the 13-year history of the BCS championship game and the Ducks’ ninth play this season of more than 60 yards.Three plays later, Thomas hooked up with James, the nation’s leading rusher, on a screen pass that worked to perfection for an 8-yard touchdown. Instead of kicking the extra point, Oregon faked it with holder Jackson Rice pitching to kicker Beard, who dived in for the 2-point conversion to make it 11-7.The four-play, 93-yard drive took all of 57 seconds, typical for the fast-paced Ducks.Auburn marched right back down, going 68 yards in 15 plays before facing fourth-and-goal at the 1.Coach Gene Chizik went for it, stacking the backfield with potential blockers for his 250-pound quarterback. But Newton faked the run and floated a pass to running back Eric Smith, who was open in the end zone. The pass was a bit short and Smith let it slip through his arms to the turf as he slipped down.What seemed like a momentum-changer for Oregon turned out just fine for Auburn.After an illegal motion penalty on the Ducks moved the ball back inside the 1, defensive tackle Mike Blanc cut through the Oregon line and undercut James in the end zone for a safety to make it 11-9 with 3:25 left in the half.The Tigers’ offense likes to move fast, too, and it quickly drove 66 yards in six plays, with Newton hooking up with Emory Blake for a 30-yard scoring pass. That drive took 1:34 off the clock and made it 16-11.The first quarter featured three turnovers, several big hits and three punts. Not exactly what was expected from two teams that combined to average 93 points and more than 1,000 yards per game.Newton was intercepted by Oregon’s Cliff Harris and sacked twice. Auburn’s Demond Washington and Zac Etheridge each intercepted passes by Thomas.Auburn was making its first appearance in the BCS title game and trying to become the fifth straight SEC team to win it in Chizik’s second season as coach.Oregon, the first Pac-10 team other than Southern California to play in the BCS title game, was looking for its first national championship. Auburn’s won only one, in 1957. The game turned out to be one of the most sought after tickets in recent sports history, with some going for as much as $7,000 on some of the online resale websites.A snow storm across the Deep South, however, left at least a few Auburn fans who had planned to fly in the day of the game, unable to get out of Alabama.Before the game, a moment of silence was held for Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and the other victims of the mass shooting in Tucson, about 125 miles south of Glendale.

Derrick Rose doesn’t show his emotions too often on the court.After watching Detroit’s Austin Daye go in for another easy layup late in the second quarter Rose had seen enough — slamming the ball down in anger.The Bulls guard backed up his emotional display with an incredible second half to lift his team to a 95-82 win over the Pistons on Monday night.Rose scored 29 points, including a spectacular alley-oop dunk, and Carlos Boozer added 27 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Bulls who erased Detroit’s 12-point halftime lead midway through the third quarter behind Boozer. He scored nine quick points with his jumper tying it at 61 with 4:54 left in the quarter.Luol Deng’s dunk gave the Bulls a 71-70 lead then Rose took over. He scored the final five points of the period on a three-point play and a 15-footer to give the Bulls a six-point lead.Rose finished the quarter with 11 points.Rose continued his run in the fourth, scoring on a nifty alley-oop dunk from Ronnie Brewer. For a second Brewer thought he passed it a little too high.Boozer’s jumper gave the Bulls an 86-78 lead with 3:54 left and Brewer’s 3 a minute later put the game away.Pistons guard Richard Hamilton played, despite his name circulating in a blockbuster three-team trade centering around Carmelo Anthony. The reported deal would reunite Chauncey Billups and Hamilton in New Jersey along with Anthony. New Jersey would send rookie power forward Derrick Favors, point guard Devin Harris and others to Denver in the deal that would get them Anthony, Billups, Hamilton, Shelden Williams and Terrico White, who is injured. The Pistons would receive veteran Troy Murphy and center Johan Petro. Murphy has a nearly $12 million contract that will expire after this season.Hamilton finished with two points off the bench in 21 minutes. He was 0-for-5 from the field.Deng added 17 points and eight rebounds for the Bulls, who have won seven straight home games.The Pistons controlled most of the first half thanks to a breakout quarter by Daye. Daye showed off his versatily with his inside out game. He drove the lane for a dunk to give Detroit a 40-31 lead then he made a 3 to give the Pistons a 55-43 lead at the half. Daye scored all 14 of his points in the second quarter, making all six of his shots. 

NOTES—Former Bull Ben Wallace left the game and did not return with a sore left ankle after his ankle tangled up with Kurt Thomas on the opening tip…..The Bulls are making a late push to get Rose voted into the All-Star game as a starter by placing placards on every seat for Saturday’s game against the Miami Heat. Rose is currently in third place for guards behind Celtics guard Rajon Rondo in the voting. The Bulls have not had a starter since Michael Jordan was selected in 1998…..Brewer finished with 11 points. 

MILWAUKEE —Dwight Buycks scored a career-high 21 points and Marquette made a blistering 15 of its 21 3-point attempts in a 79-57 upset of No. 9 Notre Dame on Monday night.Back at home in the Bradley Center, Marquette (12-5, 3-1 Big East) put on its best long-distance shooting performance in 10 years to win its 100th game in 251 tries against nationally ranked opponents.Notre Dame (14-3, 3-2) gained five spots in Monday’s poll, its highest ranking since January 2009, but it’ll be tough for them to move higher despite getting 15 points from Eric Atkins.Big East player of the week Ben Hansbrough had nine points and the Fighting Irish shot 39.6 percent overall, including 3 of 16 from 3-point range.

Marian Hossa and Patrick Kane scored in a four-goal second period, leading the Blackhawks to a 5-0 victory over the road-weary New York Islanders on Sunday night.Hossa also had two assists and Patrick Sharp, Niklas Hjalmarsson and Kane each finished with a goal and an assist as the Hawks had their biggest offensive output since a 7-5 loss at Colorado on Dec. 13. Corey Crawford made 29 saves in his first shutout since March 5, 2008, against Anaheim.The Blackhawks snapped a six-game losing streak against New York with their first victory over the Islanders since a 3-2 road win on Dec. 10, 2002.New York completed its longest trip of the season — an 11-day itinerary that also included stops in Detroit, Calgary, Edmonton and Colorado — with a 3-2-0 record. The Islanders were coming off a difficult 4-3 overtime victory over the Avalanche and looked tired in their last game before returning home.The Blackhawks honored the 1961 Stanley Cup championship team before the game, with team ambassadors Bobby Hull and Stan Mikita receiving two of the loudest ovations from the sellout crowd. That was the franchise’s last title before the Blackhawks beat Philadelphia in six games to win the Cup last year.Even before that rousing pregame ceremony, coach Joel Quenneville talked openly about the need for the Blackhawks to pick up the pace early in the game and his team responded with a fast start in one of its best performances at home this season.Sharp picked up his team-leading 25th goal and second in as many games as the Blackhawks outshot the Islanders 16-8 in the first. Sharp had 25 goals all of last season.The Hawks turned up the pressure in the second, with Hossa taking a pass from Tomas Kopecky and converting a wrister to make it 2-0 just 2:10 into the period. It was Hossa’s 10th goal of the season and just his second in eight games since returning from an undisclosed(of course) injury. Kane scored his 13th goal five minutes later, completing a 3-on-2, and Dave Bolland and Hjalmarsson finished the scoring in the second. Bolland beat Nathan Lawson with a one-timer from the left circle with 3:36 left and Hjalmarsson’s shot in the final minute went off the post and in.Hossa set up each of the last two goals as the Blackhawks matched their highest scoring period of the season. The Hawks also scored four in the second in a 7-1 at Vancouver on Nov. 20.Lawson finished with 40 stops for the Islanders, who dropped to 8-3-1 in their last 12 games and 9-11-3 under interim coach Jack Capuano.Crawford made a couple of great saves to record his second career shutout. He stopped Michael Grabner on a breakaway 7 ½ minutes into the first and made a nice pad save on Josh Bailey in the third.

NOTES—The Blackhawks also announced they will unveil bronze statues for Hull and Mikita outside the United Center early next season. … Islanders G Rick DiPietro (lower body) and C Frans Nielsen (groin) each missed their third consecutive game…..Sharp now has 141 goals with the Blackhawks, snapping a tie with Ivan Boldriev and Alex Zhamnov for 26th on the franchise’s career list.