No Final Formalities Unlike Other ‘94 Finalists, Razorbacks Dodge Disaster

Of last year’s Final Four, only one survives.

That team, defending champion Arkansas, barely escaped the first round of the NCAA Tournament’s Midwest Regional on Friday as it edged Texas Southern 79-78.

Florida, which lost in the semifinals last season, was eliminated from the Southeast by Iowa State 64-61.

Already on the sideline from last year’s Final Four were Arizona, eliminated by Miami of Ohio in Thursday’s first round, and Duke, which didn’t make it to the tournament.

Florida fell first Friday, beaten when Iowa State’s Julius Michalik made his last five shots and led a 13-2 game-ending run for the Cyclones.

Texas Southern had a tougher exit.

Randy Bolden missed a game-tying free throw for Texas Southern with 6.1 seconds remaining to let Arkansas off the hook.

In other highlights:

Weber State shut down All-American Shawn Respert for most of the second half and ended Jud Heathcote’s 24-year coaching career with a 79-72 upset win over Michigan State in the Southeast.

Dion Cross scored 17 points and Brevin Knight had 13 as Stanford won its first NCAA Tournament game in 53 years, 70-68 over North Carolina-Charlotte in the East.

Paul O’Liney scored 22 points and 7-foot-1 Sammie Haley had two crucial offensive rebound baskets in the final 2 minutes of Missouri’s 65-50 win over Indiana in the West. The Hoosiers were ousted from the first round for the first time since 1990.

Purdue, seeded No. 3 in the Midwest, edged No. 14 Wisconsin-Green Bay 49-48. Cuonzo Martin hit two free throws with 35.2 seconds left to lift the Boilermakers.