The Nets entered Tuesday leading the league in pace for December

MINNEAPOLIS -- An off-court investigation and ankle injury slowed down Reggie Lynch earlier this year.Now his coach believes the redshirt junior is one of the Big Tens best players in the middle.Lynch and Jordan Murphy each had a double-double and Minnesota pulled away to beat Northern Illinois 77-57 Sunday.Lynch scored 11 of his career-high tying 18 points in the second half. His 11 rebounds were two off a career best.Murphy had 12 points and 10 rebounds for Minnesota (10-1). Nate Mason finished with 11 points and Akeem Springs and Dupree McBrayer had 10.I played pretty good, but everyone all around did very well, Lynch said.Accused of sexual assault in May and not allowed to practice with the team until it was announced in August he would not be charged with a crime, Lynch, who transferred from Illinois State, also missed the Nov. 25 game with an injured ankle.He just needs as many reps as he can, but I thought he was terrific today, said coach Richard Pitino. To me, I think hes one of the better centers in the league. . Hes a game-changer for us.Lynch feels like hes had a groove the whole time.I know how to play the game, he said. My teammates are finding me and everyone is playing really well. Even if Im in a little bit of pain on defense or trying to score I know my team has my back.Lynch and Murphy combined for 12 of Minnesotas first 21 second-half points as the Gophers, who led by six at the break, built a 50-38 lead. Springs, who played two seasons at Northern Illinois, had a 3-pointer and layup in that stretch.I thought that Lynch, he came out and it seemed like he wouldnt miss a shot in the first half. We tried to slow him down in the second half, but it just wasnt enough, said Northern Illinois coach Mark Montgomery.The Huskies (4-5) lost for the fourth time in five games. They were led by Marshawn Wilsons 19 points. Dontel Highsmith had 10.Northern Illinois has lost 14 straight games to Big Ten opponents since Dec. 14, 1999.Minnesota finished with a 48-28 rebounding advantage and was 25-for-30 from the free-throw line after entering the game with a 67.8 percent rate.PASSING FANCYMinnesota finished with 17 assists on 24 baskets.I think our whole team is really, really willing passers, Pitino said. Theyre very unselfish. . They look like theyre having fun together. Theyre constantly looking to share the ball.WELCOME HOMEA smattering of cheers could be heard when Northern Illinois Wilson made a play. He went to high school about 10 miles from Williams Arena and was a finalist for the states 2015 Mr. Basketball award. He had 13 points in his first six games before Sunday.BIG PICTURENorthern Illinois: The Huskies need to shoot better away from the basket. Northern Illinois had zero points outside the paint in the first half and finished with 10. The Huskies were 2-for-11 on 3-point attempts.Minnesota: The Gophers, who struggled in a 74-68 win over the New Jersey Institute of Technology on Wednesday but beat Georgia Southern by 37 on Friday, continue to seek offensive consistency. They shot just 30 percent in the first half despite a 5-for-21 start, but 53.6 percent in the second 20 minutes.UP NEXTNorthern Illinois: Plays its only home game in a 35-day stretch Wednesday against Olivet Nazarene. The Huskies have four road games in that span.Minnesota: The Gophers are home Wednesday against LIU Brooklyn before a nine-day layoff for final exams. Nike Sf Air Force 1 Pas Cher . For the Wild it was their first win of the season and they now have a record of 1-1-2 while the Jets fall to 2-2. Jets start a six game home stand Friday with another divisional game, home to the Dallas Stars. Nike Air Force 1 07 Lv8 Pas Cher . It is a cliché dragged out by fans and pundits regularly when discussions take place around which teams are better than others. http://www.siteairforce1pascher.fr/air-force-1-low-soldes/basket-basse-femme.html . "No difference at all," chirped U.S. roommate and linemate James van Riemsdyk. "Its still the same cranky Phil. Air Force 1 Basse Homme . Bryant, who signed a five-year, $34 million contract as a free agent with Cleveland in March, reported symptoms on Monday morning, a team spokesman said. Air Force 1 France . LOUIS -- Cardinals cleanup hitter Allen Craig says hes recovered from a foot injury and ready to be put on St. HOUSTON -- The Rockets delivered the type of defensive performance on Monday night against the Nets that left them scoffing for only so long, one chalked up to a lack of focus that sometimes accompanies the rigors of a grueling 82-game schedule.Even after the Nets torched the Rockets for 75 second-half points on 65.9 percent shooting and 68 points in the paint, Houston entered Tuesday ranked fifth in the NBA in the month of December with a 99.4 defensive rating (points allowed per 100 possessions).The Rockets defense had been exceptional for the most part as they won their first six games this month, so after they improved to 7-0 in December with their 122-118 victory, the Rockets didnt spend too much time lamenting the defense.It was one of those games, but once again we will count it, Rockets guard James Harden said. We will use it and just watch film and try to get better.There are 82 games and every game isnt going to be perfect. Youve got to figure out ways to win and thats what we did.That the Rockets (18-7), who will host the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday night at Toyota Center, can sidestep one hiccup and point to their defensive improvement represents a significant positive. Houston ranks fifth in the NBA this month in offensive rating (112.9) and second to the Toronto Raptors in net rating (13.4).And, after spending most of the first month attempting to play at a faster pace to better augment their high-powered offense, the Rockets have done exactly that thus far in December. The Nets entered Tuesday leading the league in pace for December at 104.7 possessions per 48 minutes. The Rockets were second at 103.0.TThat macro view allows the Rockets room to disregard a bad night at the office defensively.dddddddddddd Lessons were learned, but Houston didnt marinate too long on the bad stuff.Every night is not going to be pretty. Every night is not going to be easy, said Rockets guard Patrick Beverley. We enjoy games like this because we can learn from it.The Kings (9-15) won for just the second time in seven games on Monday night, blasting the visiting Los Angeles Lakers 116-92.The victory came at a cost, however, with guard Ben McLemore (left quad) and forward Rudy Gay (right hip flexor) landing on the injured list. Both were listed as day-to-day on Tuesday. The Kings recalled rookies Skal Labissiere and Malachi Richardson from D-league affiliate Reno to add bodies to their roster in advance of their second meeting with Houston.The Kings allowed an NBA-record 50 3-point attempts in their 117-104 home loss to Houston on Nov. 25. While the Rockets lead the league in 3-pointers per game (14.2) and 3-point attempts (37.4), the Kings are allowing 10.5 3-pointers per game.Those numbers alone are foreboding for the Kings. That Houston has made at least 10 3-pointers in an NBA-record 24 consecutive games represents a greater concern.Were not defending the basketball very well, Kings coach Dave Joerger said to the Sacramento Bee. So when we reach or we gamble ... it always seems like somebodys open. Those are the shots you practice. You get open 3s, youve got to knock them down, and thats what teams have done. ' ' '