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Oklahoma State trounces Robert Morris

Colonials struggle against the Cowboys, another major-conference foe.

AFTER POSTING a memorable win over Kentucky in the first round of last season's NIT, life against major-conference foes hasn't been as pleasant for Robert Morris this season.

The Colonials lost, 92-66, at No. 6 Oklahoma State last night and now are 0-2 against major-conference foes, with a trip to Alabama up next - part of a seasonlong five-game road trip for Robert Morris (5-9), which has played only four home games so far this season.

In the long run, the Colonials - who also have fallen at Kentucky this season - hopefully will benefit from such a difficult stretch, coach Andrew Toole said. But in the short term, he acknowledged the results might not seem like it.

"One of the things we're going through is we have some new bodies who don't understand what it takes," Toole said.

"They're kind of living in the name that some other guys helped build and they don't understand what it takes to go out on the floor and play at that level. We're trying to teach them . how to make the right decisions in any kind of environment and it's difficult. Sometimes it's uglier than it is pretty."

The ugly for the Colonials is that they surrendered 11 dunks as Oklahoma State (12-1) shot 57.1 percent from the field. The Cowboys recorded 27 assists on 32 baskets, their highest assist total since recording 27 against Nebraska on Feb. 19, 2000.

Coming off a 9-day layoff, Phil Forte scored 20 points and Markel Brown added 18 for Oklahoma State.

Karvel Anderson scored 16 points for Robert Morris, which is 2-8 on the road this season.

In other games

* At Kansas, Perry Ellis had 21 points and 11 rebounds, Naadir Tharpe and Andrew Wiggins had 20 points each and the No. 16 Jayhawks (9-3) beat Toledo, 93-83, giving the Rockets (12-1) their first loss of the season.

* At Baylor, Taurean Prince scored 10 of his 16 points in the go-ahead run as the No. 9 Bears (11-1) overcame a slow start to beat Oral Roberts, 81-55.

* At Gonzaga, Drew Barham scored 15 points and the No. 24 Bulldogs (12-2) downed San Francisco, 69-41.

Noteworthy

* Louisville dismissed junior forward Chane Behanan from the team for another violation of university policy. Cardinals coach Rick Pitino did not specify what rule was broken but expressed disappointment that the 6-6 forward had another setback just a month after being reinstated from a 26-day suspension for violating school policy.

Behanan was a key member of Louisville's national championship squad and was named to the Final Four all-tournament team. He had averaged 8.3 points, 6.2 rebounds and shot 67 percent from the field in 11 games this season backing up sophomore power forward Montrezl Harrell.

Pitino said "away from the lines, he just did not do the right things. ... It sets our basketball team back immensely."

* Arizona and Syracuse lead the same top five teams in the Associated Press' poll for the fourth straight week.

Three Big Ten schools - Ohio State, Wisconsin and Michigan State - remained third through fifth. Oklahoma State was sixth, while Duke, Wichita State, Baylor and Oregon all jumped two places to round out the top 10.

Connecticut remained atop the women's poll.

* Starting guard Gary Bell Jr., of No. 24 Gonzaga, will miss the next 4 to 6 weeks of the season with a broken hand, suffered in Saturday's 74-60 win over Santa Clara.