COLLEGE BASKETBALL NATIONAL ROUNDUP : Arkansas Shuts Down Arizona

The Arkansas Razorbacks know more than one way to play defense.

The 19th-ranked Razorbacks built a reputation as a pressing team under Coach Nolan Richardson, but they eschewed those tactics Saturday and upset second-ranked Arizona, 65-59, at Fayetteville, Ark.

“I’ve been in this business a long time and that was a game plan that was executed well,” Richardson said. “It was one of the best defensive games we’ve played in years and we rebounded well. We don’t have the numbers to press like we did last year.”

Arizona’s front line of Chris Mills, Sean Rooks and Ed Stokes made five of 24 shots. Mills and Rooks, each averaging more than 16 points a game, combined for 10 points. Last year, Mills and Rooks combined for 60 points in a 12-point victory over the Razorbacks.

“Our front line had its tail kicked pretty good by Arkansas’ front line,” Arizona Coach Lute Olson said. “When we get only 13 points out of our front line, we’re really in trouble.”

Arkansas’ Robert Shepherd converted both ends of a one-and-one for a 59-56 lead with 2:14 left. Lee Mayberry, who led the Razorbacks with 15 points, made two free throws with 38 seconds left and two more with 21 seconds left to make the score 63-56.

“I think that we played the best man-to-man that we have played all year in the last part of the game,” Mayberry said. “They couldn’t get a decent shot.”

Arkansas (7-2), known for an up-tempo offense, at times in the second half worked the shot clock under 10 seconds.

Arkansas used a 17-4 run in the final nine minutes of the first half for a 35-29 lead. Arizona (5-1) pulled to within a point three times in the second half.

With the Razorbacks leading, 57-56, Mayberry slapped the ball away from Matt Othick, who fouled Shepherd in a scramble. Shepherd, who scored 11 points, made both free throws.

Then Rooks, who had eight points, missed from short range and Stokes missed a stuff. Arkansas’ Oliver Miller missed the front end of a one-and-one but blocked Rooks’ shot at the other end before Mayberry’s free throws made the score 61-56.

Othick, who had 20 points, made three of four three-point shots as Arizona opened a 25-18 lead in the first 11 minutes.

Khalid Reeves added 17 points for Arizona.

No. 5 Oklahoma State 100, Houston Baptist 57--Corey Williams scored 30 points and reserve Randy Davis added 17 at Stillwater, Okla., as the Cowboys improved their record to 10-0 for the first time since the 1950-51 season.

Oklahoma State was without Byron Houston, its leading scorer and rebounder, who injured an ankle in practice last week.

The Cowboys scored 100 points for the first time this season and the third time in Eddie Sutton’s two years as coach.

Davis scored 11 of his points in the first half when the Cowboys took a 19-point lead. He scored eight points during a 14-2 run that gave Oklahoma State an 18-6 lead, and Houston Baptist (3-8) got no closer than six.

No. 6 Kansas 97, Seattle Pacific 62--Rex Walters scored 18 points and Richard Scott added 14 as the Jayhawks extended their home winning streak to 23 games with the victory at Lawrence, Kan.

Walters scored six points in a 17-0 run midway through the first half as Kansas raised its nonconference record in Allen Fieldhouse to 64-1 since 1983, including 29 consecutive victories outside the Big Eight.

Adonis Jordan added 11 points and Eric Pauley had 10 for the Jayhawks, who have beaten opponents by an average margin of 29 points and are off to their second 6-0 start since 1970.

Dave Davies scored 20 points for Division II Seattle Pacific (6-4).

No. 14 Indiana 82, No. 10 St. John’s 77--Calbert Cheaney scored 25 points and Eric Anderson had 18 for the Hoosiers in the nonconference victory at New York.

St. John’s (4-2) made only 25 of 81 shots. The Redmen made nine of 40 in the first half.

Malik Sealy of St. John’s scored 25 points but made only seven of 26 shots. His last points came with 5:56 left and Indiana leading, 67-66.

Alan Henderson and Jamal Meeks scored Indiana’s next 11 points, the last with 38 seconds left when Meeks’ two free throws gave the Hoosiers (6-2) a 78-73 lead.

St. John’s twice pulled to within three points, but Cheaney and Anderson both made two free throws to increase the lead to five.

No. 12 Michigan State 90, Cincinnati 89--Kris Weshinskey’s three-point basket with five seconds left capped a second-half rally that gave the Spartans the victory at East Lansing, Mich.

Cincinnati led by 18 with 12:43 left, but Michigan State (8-0) tied the score, 85-85, on a jump shot by Jon Zulauf with 34 seconds left.

The teams traded baskets before Allan Jackson made two free throws to give Cincinnati (7-1) an 89-87 lead with 22 seconds left.

Weshinskey took a pass from Shawn Respert and made a 22-foot baseline jump shot to give Michigan State the lead.

Anthony Buford’s last-second shot bounced off the rim.

Mike Peplowski led Michigan State with 20 points. Buford led all scorers with 29.

No. 15 Michigan 87, Rice 70--Jalen Rose scored 15 of his 19 points in the second half at Ann Arbor, Mich., as the Wolverines ended Rice’s five-game winning streak.

Chris Webber and Juwan Howard each added 14 points for Michigan (6-1).

Reserve Kenneth Rourke had 16 points for Rice (7-3) and Marvin Moore added 13 for the Owls.

Michigan built its winning margin from the free-throw line. The Wolverines made 30 of 40 foul shots. Rice made 10 of 11.

Despite the defeat, Rice is off to its best start in 36 seasons.

No. 16 Oklahoma 144, Morgan State 81--Damon Patterson scored a career-high 41 points at Norman, Okla., as the Sooners easily surpassed their season high in scoring.

The Sooners (6-0), playing for the first time since a Dec. 10 victory over Texas, dominated the rebounding and forced 49 turnovers in topping their previous season high of 119 points against Missouri-St. Louis.

Ural Hogans had 26 points to lead Morgan State (0-9).

No. 17 Missouri 99, Jackson State 76--Anthony Peeler scored 26 points and moved into fifth place on Missouri’s all-time scoring list in the victory at Columbia, Mo.

Missouri (7-0) led, 53-31, at halftime and built a 33-point lead three times.

Lindsey Hunter led Jackson State (4-5) with 34 points, including 26 in the second half.

No. 18 Utah 58, Wichita State 36--Sophomore Phil Dixon scored 16 points and junior Tyrone Tate added 15 as the Utes broke away for the victory at Wichita, Kan.

Utah (9-1) led, 24-23, at halftime, then outscored the Shockers, 19-4, in the first 10:48 of the second half. Wichita State is 2-3.

No. 20 Alabama 87, Southern Mississippi 64--James Robinson scored 26 points and Robert Horry had 20 points and 19 rebounds to lead the Crimson Tide at Biloxi, Miss.

Alabama (8-1) is off to its best start since the 1984-85 season.

Clarence Weatherspoon scored 24 points for Southern Mississippi (3-4).

No. 21 Wake Forest 74, Richmond 60--Rodney Rogers had 28 points and 16 rebounds to lead the Demon Deacons to victory at Richmond, Va.

Wake Forest (5-1) also got 22 points from Anthony Tucker.

Curtis Blair scored 20 points for Richmond.

No. 23 Georgetown 79, Maryland-Eastern Shore 37--The Hoyas held Maryland-Eastern Shore to 17 points in the first half and cruised to victory at Landover, Md.

Alonzo Mourning had 15 points and freshman guard Irvin Church had 12 for Georgetown (6-1).

No. 24 North Carolina Charlotte 83, William & Mary 75--Henry Williams scored 19 of his 25 points in the second half as the 49ers won at Kappa, Hawaii.

Rodney Odom added 21 points for North Carolina Charlotte (6-1).

Thomas Roberts scored 25 points for William & Mary (4-4).

No. 25 Louisville 93, Louisiana State 92--Keith LeGree made a desperation jump shot from 26 feet at the buzzer to give the Cardinals (6-0) the victory at Baton Rouge, La.

Shaquille O’Neal had 22 points, 14 rebounds and six blocked shots for LSU (3-3) before fouling out with 4:42 left.