EVANSTON, Ill. -- Perhaps prematurely looking ahead to its marquee weekend, Northwestern nearly stumbled into a crushing midweek upset.The Wildcats needed several clutch baskets late Wednesday night to overcome a second-half deficit and defeat Chicago State 68-64.Vic Law led Northwestern (8-2) with 18 points, Sanjay Lumpkin had 11 rebounds and the Wildcats edged the Cougars for their fifth straight victory.Every time we started to get a little momentum, they came right back at us, Northwestern head coach Chris Collins said. Every time we threw a punch, they came with a counterpunch.Fred Sims Jr. and Trayvon Palmer led Chicago State (3-7) with 22 and 18 points, respectively. They sparked a 20-6 run that left the Cougars ahead 52-50 with 8:06 remaining.Northwestern, which led by 14 at one point, jumped back ahead 54-52 with 6:07 remaining on Bryant McIntoshs jumper, giving the Wildcats a lead they would not relinquish.The win capped a perfect five-game homestand for the Wildcats, whose next game will be at the United Center in Chicago as part of the State Farm Chicago Legends. Illinois, BYU and Dayton are the other participants.I dont want to say we disrespected them because we didnt, Collins said when asked whether his team overlooked the Cougars. We prepared. But was our energy the same as its been in other games? I think we had some critical breakdowns tonight.Anthony Eaves 3-pointer with 46 seconds remaining moved Chicago State within three, but Northwestern scored on its next possession to secure the victory.When you play a seasoned team, theyre going to find a way to win, Chicago State head coach Tracy Dildy said. And we just havent gotten there. When they needed a basket, they got that basket.The Cougars converted a season-best 13 3-pointers, and outrebounded Northwestern 40-33.McIntosh finished with 14 points and seven assists, and Scottie Lindsey scored 13.Northwestern is 11-0 all-time against Chicago State. The Wildcats set a season-high with 27 3-point attempts.Northwestern, which ranked among the Big Tens leaders with a plus-2.4 turnover margin entering the night, held a 12-0 halftime advantage in that category, but was minus-4 in the second half.A NIGHT OF MILESTONESLumpkin achieved several landmarks in Wednesdays game, starting both his 100th career game at Northwestern and recording his 500th career rebound.NOT QUITE NO. 1Dildy, in his seventh year as head coach of the Cougars, remains tied with Bob Hallberg for the most Division-I wins at Chicago State. His record with the Cougars is 49-152.BIG PICTUREChicago State: The Cougars are in the midst of a 12-game road swing that will take them through the calendar year. The Cougars, who will not return home until Jan. 5, are 1-5 through six games of the trip.Northwestern: The Wildcats finished their season-long homestand unblemished. The Wildcats, who do not open Big Ten play until Dec. 27 at Penn State, have won their last 19 nonconference home games.UP NEXTChicago State: On the road against DePaul on Saturday.Northwestern: Will face Dayton in Chicago on Saturday.Kanken Mini Backpack Black . The defence is doing its part, too. Drew Brees threw a pair of touchdown passes in the first half and the guys on the other side made sure that was enough, sending the Saints to a 17-13 victory over the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday night. Fjallraven Kanken Big Backpack Sale . The players spoke Jan. 13 during a Major League Baseball Players Association conference call after Rodriguez sued the union and Major League Baseball to overturn an arbitrators decision suspending him for the 2014 season and post-season. http://www.cheapkankenbackpack.com/fjallraven-kanken-big-ox-red-backpack-20l.html . Its 1987 and a Brazilian playmaker, known as Mirandinha, is being paraded around St James Park to the passionate Newcastle fans. Fjallraven Kanken Classic Ox Red Backpack . The defence is doing its part, too. Drew Brees threw a pair of touchdown passes in the first half and the guys on the other side made sure that was enough, sending the Saints to a 17-13 victory over the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday night. Cheap Kanken Backpacks For Sale . LOUIS -- Roman Polak was celebrating even before Alexander Steen scored the winning goal in Saturdays 4-2 win over the Carolina Hurricanes.ROCK HILL, S.C. -- Keon Johnson scored 20 points, Tevin Prescott had 13 points, eight rebounds and three steals, and Winthrop beat Division III Greensboro College 106-63 on Tuesday night.Prescott and Roderick Perkins combined to score the first nine points of the game and Winthrop never trailed. Their lead ballooned to 54-26 at halftime, led by Johnsons 12 points and Prescotts 11. The Eagles made 56 percent of their field goals and held Greensboro to 37 percent.Winthrop didnt let up in the second half, scoring the first 11 points for a 39-point lead. Xavier Coooks had five points during the run.ddddddddddddCooks, averaging 17.4 points, finished with 13 points for Winthrop (5-3), which wont play again until Dec. 17. Adam Pickett had 11 points and six steals.Donavan Griffith led Greensboro with 26 points. Joseph Gatling added eight points after shooting 4 of 13.Winthrop, which won its 47th straight game over a non-Division I opponent, faced Greensboro for the first time since Dec. 8, 1986. ' ' '