NU uses big first half to coast past DePaul

Scottie Lindsey scored 16 of his 19 points in the first half, and Northwestern opened a whopping 36- point halftime lead on its way to an 80- 64 victory Saturday against DePaul at Welsh- Ryan Arena.

Vic Law added 16 points, Gavin Skelly 15 points and Sanjay Lumpkin 11 points and 10 rebounds for the Wildcats ( 6- 2), who shot 54 percent in the first half and used an early 25- 2 spurt to help them open a 54- 18 lead at the break.

Derrick Wood scored 15 points and Joe Hanel and Billy Garrett Jr. 11 each for the Blue Demons ( 4- 2), who shot 33 percent overall — 24 percent in the first half — and made only two of its 20 threepointers.

DePaul outscored NU 46- 26 in the second half.

Illinois 64, VCU 46

Leron Black matched his career high with 18 points and grabbed eight rebounds, and the Illini ( 6- 3) held the Rams ( 6- 2) to 30 percent shooting to earn an easy victory in the HoopHall Invitational in Miami. Hall was voted the most valuable player of the game.

Malcolm Hill added 16 points and five assists and Jalen Coleman- Lands 12 points for Illinois, which outscored VCU 14- 3 in the last 4: 20 to pull away. Mo AlieCox led the Rams with 10 points, but leading scorer JeQuan Lewis was held to three, nearly 13 points below his average.

VCU shot 16- for- 53, including 2- for- 18 from three- point range.

UCLA 97, Kentucky 92

Isaac Hamilton led six players in double figures with 19 points, and the No. 11 Bruins ( 9- 0) shot 53 percent on their way to upsetting the No. 1 Wildcats ( 7- 1) in Lexington, Kentucky. The loss ended Kentucky’s 42- game home winning streak.

T. J. Leaf added 17 points, Lonzo Ball, Bryce Alford and Thomas Welsh 14 each and Aaron Holiday 13 for UCLA, which prevailed in its first visit to Rupp Arena. Malik Monk scored 24 points and De’Aaron Fox 20 for the Wildcats, who yielded the most points they have in eight seasons under coach John Calipari.

Loyola 65, San Diego State 59

Aundre Jackson scored 24 points on 11- of- 12 shooting, and the Ramblers ( 7- 2) shot 51 percent overall to slip past the Aztecs ( 4- 2) as part of the Mountain West- Missouri Valley Challenge at Gentile Arena.

Milton Doyle added 12 points and Clayton Custer 10 for Loyola, which has won its first five home games.

| AP Northwestern’s Scottie Lindsey drives around DePaul’s Chris Harrison- Docks during the second half Saturday at Welsh- Ryan Arena. Lindsey scored 19 points.