Morning Box Score

By Matt Motyka in News on Feb 1, 2009 5:30PM

'Hawks Handle Sharks
The Blackhawks soundly defeated the conference-best San Jose Sharks 4-2 on Saturday. Chicago came out swinging with Jonathan Toews scoring the game's first goal no more than 48 seconds into the bout. The Sharks would pull even later in the period, but the 'Hawks responded with three unanswered goals to establish a 4-1 lead. Kris Versteeg collected Chicago's second goal after Dave Bolland was tripped from behind on a short-handed breakaway. The game winner came from Toews, who feigned low and finished high for his second score of the night. Duncan Keith added an insurance goal in the third, while Nikolai Khabibulin gave a strong performance in net with 32 saves. The 'Hawks next see action north of the border in a Tuesday night contest with the Calgary Flames.

Bulls Torch Suns
There was nothing disastrous about the Bulls 122-111 victory over the Phoenix Suns Saturday, as Chicago has now won three straight. The Bulls never trailed in the contest, able to stay a couple shots ahead of fast-paced Phoenix throughout. Derrick Rose and Ben Gordon each had 26 points for Chicago, and Luol Deng notched a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Only their sixth win of the season against a team better than .500, the resurgent Bulls hope to carry the momentum into Houston on Tuesday.

College Basketball
No. 22 Notre Dame's ship continues to sink as they lost their fifth straight game Saturday, 93-80 to the no. 3 Pittsburgh Panthers.

Northwestern bested the Wisconsin Badgers 63-60, shooting 57 percent from the field and converting free throws down the stretch.

Loyola split their season series with the Wisconsin-Green Bay Phoenix, this time losing 87-68 after committing 20 turnovers.

DePaul convincingly lost the battle-for-the-bottom against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights, 75-56, as they are now sole possessors of last place in the Big East at 0-9.

UIC lost a heart breaker to the Milwaukee Panthers, 63-62, when the Panthers' Deion James drilled a three with one second left to snatch victory from the Flames.

Chicago State handled the one-win NJIT Highlanders, 85-69, forcing their opponents to turn it over 27 times.

NIU dropped a league game to the Bowling Green Falcons, 69-60, handicapped by the absence of Darion Anderson due to suspension.