Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern Rolls Past Northern Kentucky, 76-55
12/27/2014 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Box Score |
USA Today 
EVANSTON, Ill. (AP) - Tre Demps tied a career-high with 23 points as Northwestern beat Northern Kentucky 76-55 on Saturday.
Northwestern took its largest lead at 74-50 on a Demps 3-pointer with 2:32 left. He finished 9 of 18 from the field.
Bryant McIntosh added 15 points and Scottie Lindsey had 12 for Northwestern (9-4) in its final non-conference game before beginning Big Ten action on Tuesday.
The Wildcats have won three straight and four of five.
Todd Johnson scored 14 points for Northern Kentucky (6-7). The Norse fell to 0-3 against Big Ten teams this season.
Northwestern extended its lead to 18 with 17:41 left after three-point plays by Sanjay Lumpkin and Demps, and a Lumpkin dunk. Northern Kentucky cut the lead to nine on Johnson's 3-pointer and free throw with 10:38 remaining. But Vic Law's jumper and Gavin Skelly's putback extended Northwestern's lead to 13 with 8:02 left.
The Wildcats went ahead 71-49 with 4:26 remaining after a Demps 3 and a Law jumper.
In the first half, Northwestern went on a 16-2 run to turn a two-point deficit into a 36-24 halftime lead. Demps scored 10 points during the run, including a layup that rattled in at the buzzer.
Demps led the Wildcats with 12 points at halftime. Northwestern shot 50 percent from the field to the Norse's 39 percent and outscored Northern Kentucky 22-8 in the paint. Jalen Billups had six points for the Norse and finished the game with just eight.
The game was the first meeting between the schools.
Northwestern beat another Atlantic Sun Conference opponent this season. The Wildcats edged North Florida 69-67 on Nov. 20 in Evanston.
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TIP-INS
Northern Kentucky: The Norse transitioned from NCAA Division II in 2012-13. . Northern Kentucky went 0-3 against the Big Ten this season, falling to No. 6 Wisconsin on Nov. 14 and to Nebraska on Nov. 16. . The Norse were picked to finish fifth in the Atlantic Sun by coaches and media.
Northwestern: Bryant McIntosh (New Castle, Indiana) and Northern Kentucky's Tayler Persons (Kokomo, Indiana) played on the same Indiana All-Stars team when they were in high school. . The Wildcats entered the game scoring 65 points per game and holding opponents to 60.4 points. . The game concluded a five-game homestand for Northwestern.
UP NEXT
Northern Kentucky: Visits Youngstown State on Wednesday.
Northwestern: Opens the Big Ten season at Rutgers on Tuesday.
