BY MIKE DeCOURCY
The Cincinnati Enquirer

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. - The proximity of the NCAA Tournament's Midwest Regional first-round games in suburban Detroit has attracted a large contingent of Ohio sports media representatives asking Cincinnati Bearcats coach Bob Huggins whether he might soon be working elsewhere.

Ohio State has been looking for a new coach since Monday, when Randy Ayers was fired after four consecutive losing seasons. Big Ten sources indicate Huggins has contacted Ohio State boosters in an effort to build support for a potential run at the job.

Huggins was questioned during his press conference and twice afterward about whether he was interested in the job.

Huggins reiterated his earlier comments that he had not been contacted by anybody at OSU. He added he did not expect to hear from the school, either.

''There's not anything to talk about. Nobody's approached me or anybody else.''

Wake Forest's Dave Odom, Marquette's Mike Deane and George Washington's Mike Jarvis are also names to emerge as OSU candidates, joining Huggins, Skip Prosser of Xavier, Rick Barnes of Clemson, Mike Montgomery of Stanford, Kevin Stallings of Illinois State and Steve Alford of Southwest Missouri State.

Asked whether he thought the investigation of Charles Williams' eligibility could hinder the interest of others in hiring him, Huggins said, ''They can call anybody they want to call. My reputation is beyond reproach.''

UC'S FORTUNES HINGE ON FORTSON
NCAA LETTER LED TO WILLIAMS INQUIRY
WILLIAMS PUNISHED BEFORE TRIAL Daugherty column

Previous NCAA Tournament stories

MARCH 12 1997
GUARD PROBLEMS PLAGUE BEARCATS
HUGGINS QUOTES GILLEN ON OSU JOB

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

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