COLLEGE BASKETBALL ROUNDUP : Arkansas Slow to Settle Into Role of No. 1, 96-78

Arkansas, perhaps a little tight in its first game since taking over the No. 1 ranking this week, struggled a bit before righting itself and defeating Memphis State, 96-78, on Wednesday night at Memphis, Tenn.

“I’m sure that had a lot to do with it,” said Coach Nolan Richardson after the Razorbacks improved to 4-0. “They wanted to play so well so early and so bad to show they deserve what they’ve gotten. Sometimes everything they did turned the other way.”

Consecutive three-point baskets by Dwight Stewart started a 17-2 run and defensive specialist Corey Beck contributed two big steals down the stretch.

Both are from Memphis.

Arkansas led at halftime, 42-40, but increased its lead over the Tigers (2-1) to 59-42 less than six minutes into the second half.

Corliss Williamson led the Razorbacks with 18 points.

No. 6 Kentucky 107, Eastern Kentucky 78--Travis Ford had a school-record 15 assists and made two three-point shots to spark a 13-0 run for the Wildcats at Lexington, Ky.

Western Kentucky (3-1) had closed to within 51-45 before Ford made a three-point shot from the right wing to spark a run that gave Kentucky (3-1) a 64-45 lead.

No. 7 Kansas 74, North Carolina State 57--Steve Woodberry keyed a 13-0 run at the end of the first half that helped the Jayhawks (7-1) break open a close game at Raleigh, N.C.

Junior Greg Gurley scored a career-high 17 points for the Jayhawks, who have won eight straight over the Wolfpack (2-4).

No. 10 Louisville 107, Morehead State 81--Clifford Rozier scored 25 points and the Cardinals (2-1) made 64% of their shots at Louisville.

Morehead State (3-1) had trouble matching up with Rozier, who scored all 11 of his baskets from inside.

No. 11 Purdue 84, New Orleans 82--Cuonzo Martin made two free throws with 17 seconds left in overtime, giving the Boilermakers (6-0) the victory at New Orleans.

Purdue had to battle back after trailing much of the first half, and then had to hold off the Privateers (1-1) to force overtime.

Purdue’s Glenn Robinson, who scored 21 points before fouling out with 3:26 to play in overtime, made six free throws in the closing seconds to tie the score, 74-74 at the end of regulation.

No. 19 Wisconsin 64, Wisconsin Green Bay 50--Tracy Webster scored 19 points and the Badgers (3-0) built a big first-half lead at Madison, Wis.

Rashard Griffith added 15 points for Wisconsin, which won despite a sub-par performance by forward Michael Finley, who scored eight points on two-of-13 shooting. Finley had been averaging 22.5 points.

Wisconsin Green Bay is 3-3.

No. 21 Connecticut 82, Seton Hall 66--Freshman Ray Allen scored 11 points in a 24-2 second-half run that carried the Huskies to the Big East Conference victory at East Rutherford, N.J.

Donyell Marshall led Connecticut (4-0, 1-0) with 20 points and 14 rebounds, and junior Donny Marshall scored 19 points.

Seton Hall is 1-2, 0-2.

No. 23 Vanderbilt 91, Wake Forest 83--Chris Lawson scored seven of his 20 points in the second overtime as the Commodores (4-1) held off the Demon Deacons (5-2) after squandering a 12-point lead at Nashville, Tenn.

Vanderbilt led, 58-46, with 5:36 to play in regulation, but Randolph Childress brought the Demon Deacons back by scoring eight of his 28 points in the final 3:47. His three-point basket cut the lead to 67-66 with 17.3 seconds left, and Trelonnie Owens made another three-pointer with 2.8 seconds left to tie the score, 69-69.

Childress scored the first four points of overtime, giving Wake Forest a 73-69 edge, but fouled out with 3:23 remaining. Lawson tied the score, 75-75, with 23.6 seconds left, but missed his second free throw. Another potential game-winner failed to drop when Frank Seckar’s three-pointer bounced off the rim.

OTHER GAMES

Texas A&M; (3-1) got 20 points and 11 rebounds from Joe Wilbert and rallied from a 13-point halftime deficit during a 68-62 victory over Nevada Las Vegas (0-2) at College Station, Tex. . . . Guard Craig Brown made three of four free throws in the final 2.4 seconds to give Florida (4-0) a 68-67 victory over Jacksonville (3-1) at Jacksonville, Fla.