LAWRENCE, Kan. - Russell Robinson scored four in the final 36 seconds Saturday night, allowing No. 2 Kansas to escape with a 64-60 victory over a South Carolina team that led most of the game.
The Gamecocks, 17-point underdogs in their first road game, came out with a full-court pressure defense and seized an 11-0 lead over the fumble-fingered Jayhawks.
Kansas had five turnovers and a blocked shot in its first six possessions and did not get its first lead until Keith Langford fed Christian Moody inside to make it 54-52 with 5:03 left.
Wayne Simien had 20 points and 11 rebounds for Kansas despite leaving for about five minutes in the second half after injuring his right thumb. He returned with the thumb heavily taped.
The Jayhawks would have been the highest-ranked team South Carolina had beaten on the road. The Gamecocks' previous best was a 72-66 victory on March 2, 1997, at No. 3 Kentucky.
South Carolina held a 58-57 lead when Simien, who had his sixth double double, scored underneath to put Kansas on top 59-58 with 1:37 left.
Then J.R. Giddens rebounded a miss by South Carolina's Antoine Tisby and Robinson, a freshman point guard, glided in for a layup and a 61-58 lead. Carlos Powell hit a short jumper to make it 61-60. Then, Robinson hit two free throws with 13 seconds left and Langford hit one with five seconds left.
The sellout crowd knew it was going to be a tough night when Kansas freshman C.J. Giles rebounded Josh Gonner's miss on a free throw and dropped it in for a South Carolina basket that put the Gamecocks on top 30-23.
Giles immediately was pulled by coach Bill Self and did not return.
NO. 17 ALABAMA 87, TENN. ST. 79: It was a big day on and off the court for Earnest Shelton.
The senior guard graduated in the morning with a degree in management after 31/2 years, then scored 15 at night to lift the host Crimson Tide.
"It's been a fun day. It's been a long day," said Shelton, who will begin work on a second degree in January. "I was up early for graduation and then I came here to play. I got to do the two things that I love to do."
NO. 20 MISS. ST. 80, XAVIER 74: Winsome Frazier emerged from a deep shooting slump by scoring 20, and the Bulldogs won their 14th straight road game, the longest current streak in Division I.
Mississippi State extended that streak by finding open shots against a defense prone to giving them up. The Bulldogs shot a season-high 54 percent.
The Musketeers, who lost their third straight home game, brought a lot of energy to their first game this season against a ranked team, but a late comeback came up just short.
ARKANSAS 102, PRAIRIE VIEW A&M 50: Darian Townes and Ronnie Brewer combined for 32 points for the host Razorbacks against the undersized Panthers. Arkansas (8-1), off to its best start since 8-0 in 1998, outscored Prairie View 54-26 in the paint.
OLE MISS 84, LA.-MONROE 58: Londrick Nolen shot 10-of-12 and scored a season-high 25 and Tommie Eddie added 17 as the host Rebels won their fourth in a row.
VANDERBILT 78, TCU 55: Corey Smith scored 17 off the bench, and the Commodores improved to 5-0 at home.
NEW MEXICO 77, TENNESSEE 58: Danny Granger had 20 points to lead five players in double figures to lead the host Lobos.
