It looked as if Russell Robinson had been hit by a haymaker from Rocky Balboa.

Robinson, Kansas University’s junior point guard, went down to the ground in a heap with 1:37 remaining in the Jayhawks’ 63-43 victory over Detroit Mercy on Thursday at Allen Fieldhouse.

Robinson, who had seven points and two assists in 28 minutes and spent a lot of time guarding Detroit’s best player, Brandon Cotton, was paralyzed in pain after suffering cramps.

“I cramped up in both calves. I’d been drinking water and Gatorade. It’s one of those things that happens,” Robinson said.

“I felt it first when I stole the ball. As I made a move, I collapsed. I felt it in my whole lower body, both calves.”

Robinson was fine after the game, carrying a bottle of Gatorade out of the arena with him. KU sophomore Brandon Rush said he also felt a cramp in his side late in the game.

¢

Five stitches for Wright: KU sophomore Julian Wright was popped in the jaw late in the first half and headed to the locker room, where he received five stitches.

“It was unintentional,” Wright said of the shot from a Detroit player.

He wasn’t able to hear all of Bill Self’s halftime speech. KU led, 26-16 at halftime despite grabbing just two offensive rebounds and getting outrebounded 19-16.

“He was real upset,” Wright said. “I wasn’t in the locker room as much. I was getting worked on, but I heard him. He said we had to crash some glass.”

KU wound up outrebounding Detroit, 36-32. Wright, Sasha Kaun, Robinson, Brandon Rush and Darrell Arthur each had five boards.

¢

In the house: Former KU guard Billy Thomas, who is playing in Serbia this season and is back home on holiday break, attended the game. He received a loud ovation from the crowd. : Former KU interim athletic director A. Drue Jennings attended and stood in the northwest tunnel much of the first half. : Also on hand was U.S. federal district court judge John Lungstrum, who sat next to KU athletic director Lew Perkins next to the scorer’s table as he has several games. : North Kansas City High coach Jim Hinrich, the father of former KU player Kirk Hinrich, and Larry Hogan, the coach of Wayne Simien at Leavenworth High, also attended and sat behind KU’s bench.

¢

Stats, facts: KU is 3-0 all-time against Detroit. : Kaun’s four blocks tied a career high. They all came in the first half. : Kaun became the second Jayhawk to foul out, the last Mario Chalmers against Ball State on Nov. 24. The disqualification was the second of Kaun’s career. : Chalmers tied his career high in threes made (four). His 22 points tied a season high and fell a point shy of of his career high. : Sherron Collins had a career-best five assists. : KU set season lows for two-point field goals (14), two-point field goal attempts (32) and offensive boards (seven). : KU hit 50 percent of its threes (8 of 16) for its best percentage outing of the season.