Bob Huggins and the Cincinnati Bearcats are back after a season to forget.
By PETE YOUNG
Published February 11, 2004
Any list of elite college basketball programs would be remiss without Cincinnati.
Until last season.
The Bearcats' 12-year run of excellence, during which they won a minimum of 22 games a season, ended almost as suddenly as the heart attack that struck coach Bob Huggins before last season.
Cincinnati made the NCAA Tournament for the 13th straight time, but it limped in. The Bearcats dropped nine of the final 13 and finished 17-12, including opening-round losses to tepid Southern Miss in the Conference USA tournament and Gonzaga in the NCAA.
Did it signal a downturn or just an aberration? Apparently the latter. Cincinnati is 16-3, 7-2 in C-USA, and ranked No. 13 despite recent struggles.
"The guys had a great spring and summer," said Huggins, who is 365-115 (76 percent) in 15 seasons. "They really did a great job lifting (weights) in the offseason. We're a lot stronger than we were a year ago."
So is Huggins. The heart attack occurred on Sept. 28, 2002, and though he had a swift recovery - he was on the sideline for the first preseason game - the frightening incident set the tone for a trying season.
In midseason, Huggins' mother, Norma, was diagnosed with colon cancer, and she died in May. Two players had family members die. Troubled center Donald Little was dismissed.
Huggins, 50, made some lifestyle changes - he no longer smokes cigars - and seemed to maintain his trademark irascibility and intensity. But without Little's defensive presence and graduated star Steve Logan, Cincinnati faltered.
UC reloaded, bringing in three talented, experienced newcomers, including junior college transfers Robert Whaley and Nick Williams.
"We think (juco players are) more ready to make an impact," Huggins said. "They've already been away from home, they've played against better competition and they've persevered."
The third key newcomer is Florida transfer/dunker extraordinaire James White.
"James may be our most complete player," Huggins said of White, who is averaging 8.7 points and 3.3 rebounds. "At (6 feet 7), he's a very good perimeter defender and he handles the ball well."
Ten Bearcats average 12 or more minutes, none more than 28. The deep rotation helps UC play its traditionally rugged man-to-man defense. The bonus this season has been an offense that entered the week ranked 11th nationally in scoring.
"Wherever we go, we feel we can win, and we should win by double digits," forward Eric Hicks told the Cincinnati Post. "Last year, it was like, "Get this win, play hard.' This year, it's "Let's kill them, let's put them away."'
There is no star the likes of former UC greats Danny Fortson and Kenyon Martin. Junior post player Jason Maxiell (team-highs of 14.5 ppg, 7.6 rpg) is the No. 1 option and the 6-10 Whaley has emerged lately.
Daytona Beach's Tony Bobbitt, a former Florida State recruit who never matriculated at FSU, is one of the nation's top sixth men and combines with Field Williams to give UC two 3-point sharpshooters. Bobbitt is averaging 13.6 points in just 21 minutes a game.
"He's had a heck of a senior year," Huggins said of Bobbitt, who briefly quit last season. "He gives us great energy off the bench. He comes to practice every day and tries and listens."
The bounce-back season has been tempered by erratic play recently. UC is 3-3 since a 13-0 start against a modest schedule. The Bearcats are in a shooting slump - they scored 54 in Saturday's win at Houston - and defensive standout Armein Kirkland has had a recurring knee injury.
In the big picture, though, the UC program appears recuperated, as does its coach. The players are wearing patches with the initials NMH - Norma Mae Huggins - and a UC beat reporter said talk of Huggins' health has been nonexistent this season.
"We probably weren't mature enough to handle (the early season success)," Huggins said. "I don't think there's any question we haven't worked as hard as we did early in the season."
Just as there isn't any question the demanding, "old" Huggins is still around, lifting UC basketball back among the elite.
- Information from other news organizations was used in this story.
