Morning Box Score

By Matt Motyka in News on Mar 19, 2009 3:40PM

Bulls Silence Thunder
The Chicago Bulls snapped an 0-7 road slump with a win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday, 103-96. The Thunder took a five-point lead into the half, but Derrick Rose dropped 14 in the third quarter to spark a 10-point swing for the Bulls. Chicago carried the momentum into the final period, growing its lead to nine, but nearly faltered with a three-and-a-half minute dry spell towards the end of regulation. With their advantage reduced to one possession, Tyrus Thomas grabbed three key defensive rebounds and went four-for-four from the free-throw line to keep the Bulls on top. Thomas finished with 12 points and 11 rebounds, while Rose went 12-for-14 from the field and led the Bulls with 25. The Bulls, who host the West's-best LA Lakers on Saturday, are now a game and a half ahead of Milwaukee and Charlotte in the standings.

Blue Jackets Thwart Blackhawks
The 'Hawks picked up a point on Wednesday night but did not get the win, falling to the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-3 in OT. Dave Bolland came out swinging with a first-minute goal for Chicago, but the lead would change hands three times before the end of the second period. Entering the third with the score tied at three, the Blackhawks upped the intensity and out-shot their opponents by nine attempts, but couldn't crack rookie goalie Steve Mason. Halfway into bonus period the Blue Jackets' Rostislav Klesla poked the puck away from Brian Campbell, and teammates R.J. Umberger and Antoine Vermette charged the length of the ice for the game-winner. Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews were the other goal scorers for Chicago, who kick off a five-game home stand on Friday versus Edmonton.

College Basketball
Northwestern's run at an NIT title ended abruptly on Wednesday with a 68-59, first-round loss to the Tulsa Golden Hurricane. Tulsa held an 11-point lead midway through the second half, but the Wildcats clawed back to within three points by the two-minute mark. Neither Craig Moore nor Kevin Coble could get the deep ball to fall, however, and the Golden Hurricane held on for the win. Tulsa was able to draw 21 fouls in the contest and scored 25 of their 68 points from the charity stripe. Moore and Coble led the scoring with 17 points apiece, but were offset by a balanced Tulsa attack.

Illinois State was edged out of the NIT by the Kansas State Wildcats, 83-79 in overtime. The Redbirds watched a five-point lead slip away in the final 25 seconds of regulation, as the Wildcats' Dominique Sutton dropped-in the tying shot to force OT. Fouls caught up with Illinois State in the bonus period when they lost their top-scorer, Champ Oguchi, but the Normal squad hung tough. Down one and ball in hand with 14 seconds remaining, the Redbirds couldn't get a clean shot and the Wildcats would go on to win. Oguchi finished with 23, but Kansas State's Jacob Pullen stole the spotlight with 32 points and six three-pointers.

Bradley earned a victory over the Austin Peay Governors in the College Insider Tournament, 81-74. The Governors shot a blistering 56 percent from the field, but the Braves countered with 11 threes and held a 19-point advantage at the free-throw line. Bradley never trailed in the second half. Senior Theron Wilson recorded 18 points and 8 boards for the Braves, who next face the Oakland Golden Grizzlies in the quarterfinals Monday.

AP Photo