COLLEGE BASKETBALL REGIONAL ROUNDUP : Arkansas Can’t Stop Robinson

Arkansas Coach Nolan Richardson felt as if he were watching a one-man team, and James Robinson was playing for Alabama.

Robinson broke out of a shooting slump with 27 points Saturday, leading the Crimson Tide to a 93-82 upset of the No. 14 Razorbacks in a Southestern Conference game at Tuscaloosa, Ala.

“He just controlled the game,” Richardson said. “That may have been the best I’ve seen him play.”

Alabama (13-7 overall, 5-5 in the SEC) beat a ranked team for the first time this season.

Arkansas (16-5, 7-4), which upset No. 2 Kentucky on Wednesday night was ahead, 41-36, at halftime and led by eight points early in the second half.

Alabama shifted the momentum with a 19-3 run to go ahead, 63-55, with 11:16 remaining. After Arkansas rallied to tie the score, 68-68, with about seven minutes to go, the Tide went ahead for good with an 11-3 spurt and made 10 of 12 free throws down the stretch.

Robinson was averaging 21.5 points per game but was held to 16 points or less in five of the Tide’s last six games. He continued to struggle in the first half against Arkansas, scoring 10 points while committing seven turnovers and attempting several poor shots.

But Robinson turned things around in the second half, scoring on a three-point play that gave Alabama a 73-68 lead.

Scotty Thurman scored 24 points for Arkansas.

WEST

Orlando Smart scored 27 points to lead San Francisco (17-8, 6-3) past Portland, 94-88, in a West Coast Conference game at Portland. Matt Houle scored 43 points for the Pilots (8-14, 2-8), breaking the school record of 42 set by Cincy Powell in 1964. . . . Gary Trost scored 26 points and Brigham Young (19-5, 12-1) won its 10th consecutive game by beating San Diego State, 80-73, in a Western Athletic Conference game at San Diego. Joe McNaul had 13 points and 14 rebounds for the Aztecs (6-16, 2-11). . . . Jeff Brown scored 21 points as Gonzaga (15-7, 6-3) defeated St. Mary’s, 79-54, in a WCC game at Spokane, Wash. Brian Brazier had 21 points for the Gaels (7-14, 3-7). . . . Sam Crawford scored 17 points and New Mexico State (18-5, 10-2) made 10 free throws to beat San Jose State (6-13, 3-8) for the 12th consecutive time, 60-55, in a Big West Conference game at San Jose. . . . Steve Haase hit two free throws in the closing seconds to lift Air Force (2-9, 8-12) to a 61-58 WAC victory over Fresno State (5-6, 10-10) at Colorado Springs, Colo. . . . Ike Williams scored 29 points, including five three-point shots, to lead New Mexico (16-5, 8-4) to a 76-60 WAC victory over Wyoming at Laramie, Wyo. . . . Keith Bonds scored 26 points, including five three-pointers, as Colorado State (15-8, 7-6) defeated Texas El Paso, 82-77, in a WAC game at Ft. Collins, Colo. Eddie Rivera had 24 points for the Miners (14-9, 6-6).

MIDWEST

Shawn Respert scored 24 of his 28 points in the second half to lead Michigan State (13-7, 5-5) past Ohio State, 81-66, in a Big Ten Conference game at East Lansing, Mich. Lawrence Funderburke scored 24 points for the Buckeyes (11-9, 4-7). . . . Jeff Webster scored six consecutive points down the stretch, including a follow shot with 11 seconds left that helped Oklahoma (16-7, 4-4) to an 81-77 Big Eight Conference victory over Iowa State (14-8, 4-5) at Norman, Okla. . . . Randy Rutherford had 15 of his 18 points in the second half as Oklahoma State (14-5, 5-4) beat Colorado, 77-59, in a Big Eight game at Stillwater, Okla. Randy Robinson scored 23 points for the Buffaloes (8-12, 0-8).

SOUTH

Andre Owens scored 19 points and hit a jump shot with six seconds left to lift Louisiana State (17-6, 6-5) past Auburn, 75-73, in an SEC game at Auburn, Ala. Wesley Person had 25 points for Auburn (10-9, 4-7). . . . Cleveland Jackson scored 23 points to help Georgia (10-10) beat Texas, 78-70, at Athens, Ga. Terrence Rancher scored 25 points for the Longhorns (8-11). . . . Freshman Vandale Thomas scored 22 points to lead Mississippi State (12-10, 4-7) to an 83-63 SEC victory over South Carolina (9-12, 5-6) at Starkville, Miss. . . . Kevin Thompson scored on a follow shot with five seconds left to lift North Carolina State (6-13) over Tennessee, 74-72, in an SEC game at Raleigh, N.C. Allan Houston had 27 points for the Volunteers (10-12).

EAST

Franklin Western scored 21 points and Providence (11-9, 4-8) handed Georgetown (12-8, 5-7) its fifth consecutive Big East Conference loss, 68-50, at Providence, R.I. . . . Donyell Marshall had 19 points and 14 rebounds as Connecticut (11-6, 6-6) dealt Miami (8-12, 5-7) its 31st consecutive road defeat at Storrs, Conn. . . . Scott Shreffler made two free throws with six seconds left and Midwestern Conference leader Evansville (16-5, 8-1) beat Duquesne, 74-71, at Pittsburgh. Anthony Smith scored 20 points for the Dukes (8-12, 2-7) and Parrish Casebier had 28 for the Purple Aces. . . . Kyle Ivey-Jones made a six-foot jump shot with one second remaining in overtime and Rhode Island (14-7, 5-4) beat St. Bonaventure, 83-81, in an Atlantic 10 game at Olean, N.Y. Harry Moore had 29 points for the Bonnies (10-10, 0-8). . . . Barry Pierce had 26 points and 10 rebounds, leading Penn (15-4, 7-0) to a 66-62 Ivy League victory over Cornell (11-9, 4-4) at Philadelphia. . . . Tom Casey’s layup with 12 seconds remaining gave Columbia a 71-69 Ivy victory over Princeton (12-7, 4-3). Buck Jenkins had 30 points for the Lions (12-8, 6-2).

SOUTHWEST

Charles Outlaw scored 28 points, leading a 17-0 surge in the second half that carried Houston (14-6, 5-4) past Texas Tech, 93-76, in a Southwest Conference game at Houston. Will Flemons scored 22 points for the Red Raiders (11-9, 3-5). . . . Torrey Andrews scored 19 points to spark Rice (13-6, 7-2) to a 68-50 SWC victory over Texas Christian (5-15, 2-7) at Ft. Worth. . . . Aundre Branch had 28 points, leading Baylor (14-6, 6-3) to a 90-82 victory over Texas A&M; (7-12, 2-6) at Waco, Tex.