Northwestern overcomes slow start to close out Houston Baptist, 72-63

EVANSTON, Ill. (AP) Scottie Lindsey had 19 points, Isiah Brown added 12 and Northwestern overcame a sluggish first half for a 72-63 victory over Houston Baptist on Thursday night.

[btn-post-package-v2]

Sanjay Lumpkin and Vic Law had 11 points apiece as the Wildcats (11-2) won their eighth straight game.

Colter Lasher and Atif Russell had 13 points apiece for HBU (4-6).

Before Thursday, HBU had allowed opponents to shoot a blistering 48.7 percent from the field, but Northwestern made only 8 of 30 (26.7 percent) first-half shots. Lindsey, Law and Bryant McIntosh – the Wildcats' top three scorers – were a combined 4-for-23 before the break.

HBU, which led by as many as 12 points, took a 35-25 halftime lead.

Lumpkin opened the second half scoring with a 3-pointer and, roughly seven minutes later, his putback of a McIntosh miss gave the Wildcats a 45-44 lead – their first since early in the first half.

Russell put the Huskies back on top with a fast-break dunk with just over 12 minutes to play, but Lindsey gave Northwestern the lead for good with a 3-pointer to make it 48-46 with 11:17 remaining.