DETROIT (AP) — Zach LaVine scored 15 of his 34 points in the third quarter, leading the Chicago Bulls to a 94-88 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday night in the opener for both teams. Detroit’s Jerami Grant was off on an 11-foot baseline jumper with 50 seconds left, missing a chance to tie it. The Bulls sealed the victory by making free throws. The Pistons were without rookie guard Cade Cunningham due to a sprained right ankle. DeMar DeRozan had 17 points, and Lonzo Ball had 12 points in their Bulls debut.

LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) — The lesson Bears rookie quarterback Justin Fields is learning from facing good defenses is the same as the one he is learning by watching Aaron Rodgers last week and Tom Brady this week and that’s how scoring drives require several big plays. Fields said he was used to scoring in one play at Ohio State, but NFL defenses can’t be so easily overmatched. The Bears are at Tampa Bay on Sunday looking to beat Brady and the defending Super Bowl champions to avoid consecutive defeats for the first time this season. 

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) — Illinois linebacker Jake Hansen will miss the rest of the season after having knee surgery. Hansen was injured in the second quarter against Wisconsin on Oct. 9 and made his announcement on Twitter. He says it pains him to say he won’t play another game for the Illini. He thanked coaches, teammates, staff and family and that he enjoyed every moment in Champaign. Hansen was the NCAA’s active career leader in forced fumbles with 12 and ranks second on the Illinois career chart with 13 forced fumbles. 

EVANSTON, Ill. (AP) — Chris Collins had Northwestern humming along just a few years ago. He coached the Wildcats to their first NCAA Tournament appearance. Northwestern looks to put the brakes on the skid and start building some momentum again after four straight losing seasons. Collins says it’s “going to be exciting” to see what the Wildcats can do with most of their key players back. Northwestern went 9-15 last season and is 45-74 since the 2016-17 team made the tournament.

UNDATED (AP) — Illinois is back for another season and plan to build around junior center Kofi Cockburn. The Illini were one of the nation’s top teams a year ago and grabbed a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. They lost star Ayu Dosunmu, but have a deep team. Sophomore guard Andre Curbelo will be the director on offense for coach Brad Underwood.  The season opener is Nov. 9 at home against Jackson State. The first month of the schedule includes games against the likes of Marquette, Notre Dame and Cincinnati.

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