YPSILANTI—Jordan Lynch ran for 107 yards and Akeem Daniels scored a career-best four touchdowns as No. 24 Northern Illinois won its 11th straight game, 49-7 against Eastern Michigan on a cold and snowy Friday.Daniels scored on runs of 25 and 20 yards in the first half and finished with a career-high 112 yards on 12 carries to help the Huskies (11-1, 8-0) cap a perfect run through the Mid-American Conference.He added touchdowns carries from 19 and 16 yards out in the second half.Lynch, a week removed from a 407-yard passing performance, was 16 for 25 for 168 yards but extended his FBS-record streak of 100-yard rushing games by a quarterback. He had 20 carries to crack the century mark for the 10th straight game.The West division winners will go for a second straight conference title when they face No. 23 Kent State in next week’s championship game. The Huskies have defeated 15 straight MAC opponents.Eastern Michigan (2-10, 1-7) tied the game 7-7 late in the first quarter but Northern Illinois needed just 15 seconds to retake the lead.Tommylee Lewis returned the ensuing kickoff 93 yards to score the first of three straight touchdowns that gave the Huskies a 28-7 lead at intermission.The return touchdown, the third of his career, set a new school record.It was 38 degrees and windy at kickoff and snow flurries covered the artificial surface early in the second quarter. The Huskies mostly kept the ball on the ground after that but got a 43-yard touchdown pass from Lynch to Martel Moore in the final minute of the half.Sean Evans intercepted Eagles quarterback Tyler Benz early in the fourth quarter to set up Daniels’ final touchdown run and Jacob Brinlee added an 11-yard scoring run in the final minutes of the game.Moore had nine catches for 116 yards to become the first Huskies receiver with 1,000 yards in a season since 2005.EMU, which hosted a ranked opponent for the first time in school history, fell to 0-7 all-time against Top 25 teams.Benz was 10 for 22 for 96 yards and hit Matt Boyd with a 20-yard strike for the Eagles’ only touchdown. The Huskies sacked him three times.The snow stopped at halftime but persistent, chilly winds shooed most of the crowd by the start of the fourth quarter. Northern Illinois will find the conditions much better next week when it plays for the conference title in climate-controlled Ford Field in Detroit.

NEW YORK—The NHL announced its latest round of cancellations on Friday by scrapping the regular-season schedule through Dec. 14 as well as the All-Star weekend in Columbus, Ohio.Friday’s cancellations mean that a total of 422 regular season games have now been lost due to the lockout, plus the two signature events of the season: The Winter Classic, which was scheduled for New Year’s Day in Ann Arbor, Mich., as well as the All-Star Game.

“The reality of losing more regular-season games as well as the 2013 NHL All-Star Weekend in Columbus is extremely disappointing,” said NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly in a statement. “We feel badly for NHL fans and particularly those in Columbus, and we intend to work closely with the Blue Jackets organization to return the NHL All-Star events to Columbus and their fans as quickly as possible.”

It has been a rough year for Columbus hockey fans and losing the All-Star Game is just another bad break for the fans and organization. And while the All-Star Game might not be of much interest to most fans (or even players) around the league, it’s still a big financial boost for the host team and city.The two sides met last week with the NHLPA presenting another offer to the owners. The owners, as expected, did not accept it.

“On Wednesday, the players presented a comprehensive proposal, once again moving in the owners’ direction in order to get the game back on the ice,” said NHLPA leader Donald Fehr in a statement on Friday. “The gap that remains on the core economic issues is $182 million. On Wednesday, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said that the league is losing $18-20 million per day during the lockout, therefore two more weeks of cancelled games far exceeds the current economic gap. It makes the NHL’s announcement of further game cancellations, including the 2013 All-Star Weekend, all the more unnecessary, and disappointing for all hockey fans – especially those in Columbus. The players remain ready to negotiate but we require a willing negotiating partner.”

The main issues remain the split of hockey-related revenue and player contract rights.The players have started to throw around the threat of decertification of their union. Daly told Fan 590 in Toronto on Friday that such a move could likely mean the end of the season.

LAHAINA—Illinois caught a huge wave of scoring in Hawaii and rode it all the way to the Maui Invitational title.Now, the Illini are hoping to carry that success to bigger tournaments that start in March.

“We are excited — we are not done,” Illinois coach John Groce said Wednesday night after Illinois beat Butler 78-61 to top an eight-team field that included No. 9 North Carolina and Marquette.

Brandon Paul scored 20 points to lead Illinois in the team’s third straight double-digit victory.The Illini (6-0) held off several attempts by Butler to string points together in the second half. Paul was one of four players in double figures, along with Tracy Abrams with 17 points and Tyler Griffey and D.J. Richardson with 14 each.Illinois shot 48 percent as Butler (3-2) relied almost exclusively on point guard Rotnei Clarke to score. Clarke had 27 points and took nearly one-third his team’s shots.After the buzzer, the Illini players went to center court to get gray championship T-shirts and kukui nut leis. Paul got a special lei as tournament MVP and held up a basketball-shaped trophy as a contingent of Illinois fans cheered.Illinois won by outshooting Butler in the first half and countering each Bulldog run in the second.After the Bulldogs pulled within five points with 12:26 left, the Illini went on a 10-point run highlighted by back-to-back 3-pointers from Griffey. He hit one from the right side, and after Kellen Dunham missed a 3 on the other end, Griffey took a pass and fired successfully from near the top of the key.While Clarke scored 16 points in the first half for Butler, his teammates made only four baskets.In the middle of a nine-point run, Paul gave Illinois a 12-point lead with a straightaway 3-pointer after Clarke missed on the other end. One basket later, the Illini led 37-22 with less than four minutes left in the half.Illinois and Butler each reached the tournament’s title game by winning games on consecutive days.Butler opened the event with a buzzer-beating victory against Marquette, 72-71, after Clarke launched a running 22-foot 3-pointer from the right side as time expired. The Bulldogs then outplayed North Carolina in the second round, halting several comeback attempts from the Tar Heels en route to an 11-point victory. Illinois easily won its first two games, beating USC by 30 and Division II Chaminade by 24. It never trailed in the tournament.Illinois and Butler had not played each other since 1971.

LAHAINA—Jamil Wilson channeled his inner aloha spirit with a colorful 19-point performance in Marquette’s 72-64 win over USC at the Maui Invitational on Wednesday.Wilson made 7 of 9 field goals off the bench, throwing up Hawaii’s famous shaka sign each time he hit a 3-pointer.USC (3-2) pulled within one point of the Golden Eagles (4-1) with 14 minutes left. Wilson responded by touching off a nine-point Marquette run. The Trojans got no closer than six points after that.Davante Gardner added 12 points for Marquette, Junior Cadougan had 11 and Chris Otule scored 10.J.T. Terrell had 21 points for USC.Marquette finished fifth in the eight-team tournament, its only loss a buzzer-beater to Butler in the opening game.

CANCUN, Mexico — DePaul has major work to do after a disastrous four games in the Cancun Challenge. The Blue Demons didn’t face a team from another power conference, yet managed to lose three of the four games.DePaul (2-3) ended its stay in Mexico with a 70-61 loss to Western Kentucky on Wednesday in the third-place game of the Riviera Division at the Moon Palace Resort. The Blue Demons finished fourth only because a 71-59 loss to Gardner-Webb didn’t affect the bracket.Western Kentucky’s zone defense controlled the game and the Hilltoppers (3-2) easily broke down DePaul’s press and man-to-man defenses for layups and open jumpers. They led 41-27 at halftime.DePaul’s scoreless drought of more than five minutes in the second half allowed the Hilltoppers to build a 60-38 lead with under 10 minutes to play.DePaul shot 37.9 percent from the field and committed 17 turnovers. It missed 13 of 14 three-pointers.Jamal Crook led Western Kentucky with 16 points.DePaul’s pressure did rattle Western Kentucky in the final minutes. Two turnovers and two baskets by Durrell McDonald cut the lead to 68-61. After a third turnover, DePaul missed a chance to tighten the game. Worrel Clahar missed a guarded three from the corner and Cleveland Melvin’s tip bounced away.Western Kentucky’s Kevin Kaspar rebounded and called timeout after going to the floor with 31.7 seconds to play. Brandon Harris made two free throws with 28.4 seconds to play for a 70-61 lead. DePaul got off one more shot — a long three by Young that missed.Melvin led DePaul with 22 points. Brandon Young added 12 for the Blue Demons, who played without injured starter Jamee Crockett for a second game.Western Kentucky’s early switch to a zone defense slowed the Blue Demons. After a Melvin dunk, they missed three shots and turned the ball over twice, helping Western Kentucky build an 18-12 lead. DePaul’s defense produced two easy baskets before Western Kentucky expanded the lead again.

SOUTH BEND—Garrick Sherman scored 18 points to lead Notre Dame past George Washington 65-48 on Wednesday.It was the second time this season Sherman has come off the bench to lead the team in scoring, as he hit 8 of 10 shots from the field and 2 of 2 from the free-throw line.Jerian Grant added 13 points for Notre Dame (4-1), which led 32-21 at halftime.Isaiah Armwood led the Colonials (1-2) with 12 points.Jack Cooley had only two points in the first half, but scored Notre Dame’s first six points after the break. He hit two short jumpers off feeds into the low post, then took an offensive charge, and capped the run with a jumper from just inside the arc.Irish point guard Eric Atkins then hit a jumper, finishing off an 8-2 run and extending the Irish lead to 17

HOUSTON—For sure the Bulls do not have a ‘closer’ that they can count in to acquire and make last minute or second shots with Derrick Rose out. That became more obvious Wednesday night as James Harden peeked at the television in the Houston Rockets’ locker room after their 93-89 victory over the Bulls and saw Jeremy Lin featured in a car commercial.Lin was noticeably absent from the spotlight at the end of the actual game, following another poor shooting night.Harden scored 28 points, Patrick Patterson added 20 and the Rockets snapped a three-game losing streak by beating the Bulls on Wednesday night.Toney Douglas, who replaced Lin late in the game, swished a 3-pointer and sank two free throws in the final 1:11 as Houston won for the 33rd consecutive time when holding its opponent below 90 points, the NBA’s longest current streak.Lin went 2 for 9 and scored only four points in his final game before facing his former team when the New York Knicks on Friday. He came in shooting 34 percent from the field and 24 percent from 3-point range.Lin went 5 for 15 in a loss in Utah on Monday night, and he was 15 for 50 overall from the field over his previous five games. He was getting the shots he likes on Wednesday night, they just weren’t falling.Nate Robinson scored 21 off the bench, Luol Deng added 19 and Carlos Boozer had 13 points and 15 rebounds for the Bulls, who’ve lost three in a row for the first time in Tom Thibodeau’s three seasons as coach.The Bulls forced 23 Houston turnovers and outrebounded the Rockets 48-45, but went 2 for 16 from 3-point range and struggled to find any offensive flow.

“There are a lot of things we need to do,” Deng said. “We’ve just got to put a whole 48 minutes together, just got to stay mentally strong. We’ve got to get a win and get it rolling again.”

Robinson had the highlight of the game, spinning around Lin in midair for a layup with five minutes left to put the Bulls up 81-79. Robinson swished a 3-pointer on the next possession, and Lin went to the bench.Douglas guarded Robinson after that, and Robinson only scored two points the rest of the way.The Bulls’ offense bogged down at the end, and Douglas’ 3-pointer with 1:11 remaining put Houston up 86-84. The Rockets acquired Douglas in a trade that sent Marcus Camby to New York in July.The Bulls got two offensive rebounds, but Robinson flipped a wild pass from under the basket that hit Deng’s hands and went out of bounds.Douglas sank two free throws and former Bulls center Omer Asik blocked Noah on a drive.The Bulls has lost three in a row for the first time since a 10-game slide between Feb. 27 and March 19, 2010. The Bulls held a team under 100 points for the first time in five games, but couldn’t get the stops when they absolutely needed them.

“Our defense is not what it used to be,” Noah said. “It’s not what it was last year, that’s for sure. We have to do better. Losing three in a row is unacceptable. We’re better than that.”

The Bulls led the league in scoring defense last season (88.2 points per game), and Thibodeau is seeing inconsistency this year.

“The big thing on defense is everyone has responsibility,” he said. “We have to stay disciplined and we have to stay attached and we can’t make things up. The fourth quarter is different. Your intensity is higher and you have to stay disciplined.”

NOTES—Chandler Parsons had 18 points and a career-high 13 rebounds for Houston. … Harden tied a career high with five steals. … The Rockets have won the last two meetings with the Bulls after losing the previous five. … Boozer has three double-doubles in his last four games.

EVANSTON—Drew Crawford scored 18 points and Northwestern hit a dozen 3-pointers Tuesday night as Northwestern beat Delaware State 69-50.Crawford’s three first-half 3s helped calm a sloppy offense as Northwestern (4-0) managed a double-digit lead throughout most of the second half. The Hornets briefly cut the deficit to eight points with under 10 minutes to play, but couldn’t keep the pressure on the Wildcats.Dave Sobolewski had 14 points for NU and freshman Alex Olah added 10 points, six rebounds and three steals. The 7-footer had his way on the inside as Delaware State had no answer for his size.Reggie Hearn, Northwestern’s top scorer in its first three games, had 12 points and three 3-pointers.Tahj Tate led the Hornets (3-2) with 23 points. Delaware State has lost consecutive games after winning its first three.

NORMAL—Jackie Carmichael scored 17 points and Illinois State defeated Fairleigh Dickinson 91-58 Tuesday night.Bryant Allen added 16 points for the Redbirds (4-0) in a game that was part of the South Padre Island Invitational.Johnny Hill scored 11 points and Jon Ekey had 10 points for ISU, which led 41-33 at halftime. The Redbirds scored the first 10 points of the second half and put the game out of reach.Melquan Bolding led the Knights (0-3) with 16 points. Lonnie Robinson had 13 points and Mustafaa Jones scored 12 for Fairleigh Dickinson.

TAMPA—tor Rudd scored 15 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, helping South Florida to an 82-63 victory against Bradley on Tuesday night.Toarlyn Fitzpatrick led all scorers with 16 points for South Florida (3-2). Shaun Noriega added 14 points and Kore White finished with 11 for the Bulls, playing their fourth home game in five nights.Tyshon Pickett paced Bradley (3-1) with 13 points. Will Egolf chipped in 12 and Jake Eastman 11 for the Braves, who came in with a seven-game winning streak against Big East opponents.South Florida held a 14-point advantage midway through the first half and led 43-26 at the break. The Bulls doubled their lead with a 21-4 run in the second half.

CANCUN—Demetric Williams came off the bench to score a career-high 16 points, helping Wichita State beat DePaul 75-62 on Tuesday in the Cancun Challenge semifinals.Williams, a senior, was just 5 of 13 from the field but made two 3-pointers and added four steals. Malcolm Armstead had 17 points to lead the Shockers (5-0), who will face the winner of the Iowa-Western Kentucky game, which tipped off later Tuesday, in Wednesday’s Riviera Division final.Brandon Young led the Blue Demons (2-2) with 19 points and five assists, and Moses Morgan added 15 points off the bench. DePaul shot just 31 percent from the field.Wichita State wasn’t much better, hitting 43 percent of its shots and 56 percent of its free throws. But the Shockers never trailed, leading by as many as 13 in the second half.The game was the first meeting between the schools since 1988.