COLLEGE BASKETBALL / NCAA TOURNAMENT: THE FIRST ROUND : EAST REGIONAL AT WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. : Rhode Island Takes Out Purdue, Robinson

Rhode Island made the NCAA selection committee look very wise Thursday night.

The Rams, playing in the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1988 and one of four Atlantic 10 Conference teams included in the 64-team field, beatPurdue, 74-68, in a first-round East Regional game at Winston-Salem, N.C.

“A lot of people questioned the University of Rhode Island and the league that we play in,” Coach Al Skinner said. “If nothing else, we made a statement about the quality of team we are and the quality of league we’re in.”

Said Carlos Cofield, who scored 16 of his 22 points in the second half for the eighth-seeded Rams (19-10): “We just want to prove that we’re a good team and that we can play with anybody.”

Damont Collins’ rebound and two free throws with 12.4 seconds to play sealed the victory.

Big Ten scoring leader Glenn Robinson had 36 points for Purdue, the most the Rams have given up all season, but he had little help. Robinson scored 18 of Purdue’s last 23 points and was the only Boilermaker in double figures.

Purdue’s lack of help for the sophomore star frustrated Coach Gene Keady.

“You’ve got to step up and make some baskets. It’s not that difficult,” Keady said. “We keep thinking we’re going to get better, but somebody’s got to step up.”

Ninth-seeded Purdue (18-10) failed to reach the 20-win mark for the third consecutive season and the fourth time in five years.

Arkansas 94, Holy Cross 64--The fourth-seeded Razorbacks forced 31 turnovers, winning easily over the 13th-seeded Crusaders.

“They think when we play basketball we just rip and run and shoot,” Arkansas Coach Nolan Richardson said. “I’ve always said we’re a running team that executes. That’s a big difference.”

Said Rob Feaster, who led Holy Cross with 23 points: “We were prepared for their pressure, we knew it was coming, we knew what to expect, but it was different on paper.”

Corliss Williamson continued his recovery from an early-season foot injury, scoring 19 points to lead Arkansas.

The Razorbacks (21-8) used runs of 11-0 and 10-0 in the game’s first 12 1/2 minutes to open a 29-10 lead. Holy Cross committed six turnovers during the first spurt and had 12 in the first half.

“They got us back on our heels and we stayed back on our heels,” Feaster said.

Added Coach George Blaney of Holy Cross (23-7), which played in the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1980: “Almost every place we went, they were running at us and trapping and forcing us to do things we really didn’t want to do.”

St. John’s 85, Texas Tech 67--Reserve guard Carl Beckett scored six of the Redmen’s first nine points during a 22-4 run that sent fifth-seeded St. John’s (19-10) into the second round.

“One thing he gives us day in and day out is that defense and that rebounding,” Coach Brian Mahoney said. “Tonight, he gave us the scoring, which I’ll take every game.”

Beckett, a junior who averages only 3.2 points, entered the game in the second half with St. John’s struggling to maintain its lead over the outsized Red Raiders. He made jumpers on three consecutive possessions to help the Redmen pull away after leading by only 61-59 with 9:47 to play.

By the 1:07 mark, the Redmen had stretched the lead to 83-63.

Twelfth-seeded Texas Tech (18-12) made only two shots during the final 10 minutes, missing 23 of 24 during one stretch.

Point guard David Cain of St. John’s had a triple-double, finishing with 12 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists, and the Redmen got 17 points from Derek Brown and 12 from Shawnelle Scott.

St. John’s had a 51-35 rebounding edge over Texas Tech, a nine-man team that used two freshmen starters and had no player taller than 6-7.

Will Flemons had 26 points and 10 rebounds for Texas Tech.