BY MIKE DeCOURCY
The Cincinnati Enquirer

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. - The slogan this basketball team attempted to adopt - ''Intimidate. Dominate. Celebrate'' - was more appealing. In the month since the season began, though, the Cincinnati Bearcats have been assigned an entirely different catch phrase: ''Guard play.''

Two words. That's it. Not ''poor'' guard play. Not ''erratic'' guard play. Just guard play. Presumably, basketball fans know precisely what this means.

It means never knowing who will play point guard from one game to the next, sometimes one possession to the next. It means having only one backcourt regular, senior Darnell Burton, who consistently makes open jump shots.

This is the widespread diagnosis for UC's 25-7 record, third seed in the NCAA Tournament's Midwest Regional and decline from No. 1 in the preseason to No. 10 in the final regular-season polls.

The problem has become exacerbated as the university investigates the eligibility of junior point guard Charles Williams, a process that has kept him out of four games and threatens his availability for Thursday's 12:30 p.m. game against 14th-seeded Butler (23-9) in the NCAA opening round.

UC left home Tuesday night without Williams, although it appears the investigation is nearing its end. Interviews were conducted on campus during the morning and afternoon. Williams practiced with the Bearcats during the afternoon, missing the start to attend to an academic commitment. Indications are there could be a determination on his status today or Thursday.

Senior Damon Flint, who was sent to an eye specialist Monday, also worked out with the Bearcats wearing the eye shades he donned for the Conference USA tournament.

With Williams' status in question and Flint's injured eye a frequent concern - his vision blurs without warning after he was elbowed in the eye during a practice last week - it would seem natural for Huggins to make a firm commitment to Davis. In the most successful game UC has played without Williams, he played 35 minutes and did a proficient defensive job on Marquette star Aaron Hutchins.

''Do I need to say Terrence is starting in the newspapers for Terrence to feel better about himself? I don't think so,'' Huggins said. The strange thing about the Bearcats' alleged lack of competent guard play is how abundant their talent is at the position.

Davis believes he can add an element of outside shooting to the Bearcats' offense that has been lacking from the point guard position. He made one three-pointer early in the first half of the C-USA semifinal loss to Marquette, which he said made him confident he can do it consistently.

''But my first thing is to get the ball to Danny,'' Davis said. He is not the quickest or strongest of UC's guards, but there is a steadiness to his play.

Although it would have a direct effect on his playing time, Davis is hoping to see Williams cleared to join the Bearcats for the Butler game.

''Yeah, of course. I want to see all of my friends playing, doing good,'' Davis said. ''I'd like to see him back. We could use him.''

Flint had just been getting comfortable with his circumstance before Williams was taken from the lineup. He was playing occasional minutes at the point, but mostly at shooting guard. Now he's back to playing more often with the ball, having to defend small, quick players like Memphis' Chris Garner and Hutchins.

''It's day-to-day. If I have to play point, I just concentrate on what I have to do to win,'' Flint said. ''And if I'm at the two, it's more scoring and rebounding.''

The player who has disappeared from the rotation is junior D'Juan Baker. He had his finest game with the Bearcats in scoring 19 against DePaul just a week before the close of the regular season, and since has taken only six shots in four games.

Huggins reasoning is simple: Burton. In competitive games like those against Marquette and Memphis, the UC coach can't bring himself to remove Burton's shooting touch and knack for big shots.

''Bake's not a point. He's played better at off guard,'' Huggins said. ''It's a question of playing Darnell and Damon there, and not being able to get a lot of minutes for him.''

This is true even though Burton has entered a slight slump following his best stretch this season. Exhaustion helped cause him to shoot 2-of-9 from three-point range in the season-ending loss to Memphis, but he got plenty of rest following that game and didn't make a three-point shot (0-of-5) in the two games since.

''I don't think Darnell moved very well, was as active as he's been,'' Huggins said. ''It's hard to get Darnell out of the game. He's made so many big shots, so many big plays down through the years.''

HUGGINS QUOTES GILLEN ON OSU JOB
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MARCH MADNESS PAGE

Previous NCAA Tournament stories

MARCH 11, 1997
FORTSON ALL-AMERICAN March 11, 1997
WILLIAMS PREPARES TO START March 11, 1997
MARSHALL HAS THE MUSCLE TO CHECK FORTSON March 11, 1997

MARCH 10, 1997
UC, XU ON COLLISION COURSE IN SWEET 16 March 10,1997
LET FORTSON PLAY, REFS - IT'S HIS TIME Daugherty column, March 10,1997
OPPONENT DOESN'T MATTER TO BEARCATS March 10,1997
BUTLER ROSTER HAS LOCAL FLAVOR March 10,1997