COLLEGE BASKETBALL / NCAA TOURNAMENT : SOUTHEAST REGIONAL : Indiana’s Bombers Bury Florida State

The three-point shooting of Calbert Cheaney and Pat Graham sparked a 21-2 surge in the first nine minutes of the second half as third-ranked Indiana rallied to eliminate Florida State, 82-60, Saturday night at Louisville, Ky.

The blitz erased a 38-32 halftime deficit and sent the Hoosiers (29-4) into the third round against 12th-ranked Kansas Thursday night at Charlotte, N.C.

During its surge, Indiana made seven of 10 shots--including four three-pointers--while Florida State (21-11) made only one of seven shots. Indiana, which made an average of three three-point baskets per game this season, made seven of 13 against the Seminoles.

“Most important were the three-point shots,” Florida State Coach Pat Kennedy said. “It got the (Indiana) players energized. You could really see it in their eyes.”

Cheaney began the spurt with a three-pointer 37 seconds into the half and Graham tied the score, 38-38, with another at 1:21. Eric Anderson’s free throw gave the Hoosiers a 39-38 edge before a layup by Charlie Ward with 17:40 left gave Florida State its last lead.

But Indiana got the next 14 points on consecutive three-point baskets by Graham and Cheaney, a dunk by Graham, Anderson’s 15-footer, Greg Graham’s dunk and two free throws by Damon Bailey. That gave the Hoosiers a 53-40 lead with 12:07 remaining.

Cheaney scored 24 points for Indiana.

Douglas Edwards had 18 points and 14 rebounds for Florida State, but only five points in the second half.

Kansas 77, Pittsburgh 66--Terry Brown, rebounding from a sub-par performance, scored 22 points and the No. 12 Jayhawks beat the Panthers.

Brown, who scored only two points in the Jayhawks’ first-round victory over New Orleans, hit consecutive three-point baskets early in the second half to help Kansas (24-7) take control. He finished with four three-pointers, as did Adonis Jordan, who scored 16 points.

Pitt (21-12) shot 38% and made another early exit. The Panthers have made seven NCAA appearances since 1974 and never gotten past the second round.

Pitt forward Brian Shorter, who scored 23 points against Georgia in the first round, got into foul trouble and scored only six points.

Pitt used the long-range jump shot to rally from an early 10-point deficit. The Panthers made only 11 of 30 shots in the first half, but the last seven were three-pointers.

Kansas held the Panthers to three three-point baskets in the second half, while Brown started to hit from outside. The Jayhawks also got solid inside play from Alonzo Jamison, who scored all 13 of his points in the second half.

Brown’s three-point basket gave Kansas a 42-37 lead with 17:02 remaining. Jason Matthews, who scored 17 points for Pitt, came back with a three-pointer a short time later, but that was as close as the Panthers would get.

Brown made consecutive three-pointers to give Kansas a 58-48 lead with 7:45 left. He made a layup to cap a 6-2 run that gave the Jayhawks a 12-point lead with six minutes left, and Pitt couldn’t get closer than seven after that.

Kansas made six of its first eight shots in taking a 14-4 lead. With the score 16-8, Matthews hit the first Pitt three-pointer and three more followed in a 13-8 run that brought the Panthers to 24-21.

Kansas led, 34-32, at halftime.

Pitt only led twice, the last at 37-36, but that’s when Brown hit his consecutive three-pointers.