Coach Bob Huggins calls himself a big college football fan, but that affection may be wavering after the Humanitarian Bowl invited UC to play Utah State in the Dec. 29 game.
Huggins wants UC football to succeed, and yet it has to hurt to lose guard Brent Petrus and forward Brad Jackson when they return to Rick Minter's squad.
Petrus, a reserve wide receiver in football, has become an important part of Huggins' rotation, passing for six assists in 16 minutes of playing time against Morehead State. A starting linebacker in football, Jackson provides a spark to the defensive press, and Huggins likes the way Jackson screens on offense.
Asked what would happen to the two players during the press conference to announce the bowl bid, Minter answered simply, with a chuckle: ''Who's paying their scholarships?''
Levett-ation
As difficult as it is for UC to lose star forward Ruben Patterson for 14 games, Melvin Levett has not made it any easier.
Levett has the athletic ability to compensate for a lot of what is missing with Patterson out of the lineup, but has been unable to consistently finish plays.
Huggins also is displeased with Levett's rebounding, calling it ''atrocious.'' Levett is averaging 5.3 per game, but Huggins believes he's had opportunities to do more. ''And he ought to be a pretty good rebounder.''
Shooting BBs
Forward Bobby Brannen entered the Alcorn game with a string of 23 consecutive free throws made, just seven short of the school record set in 1976-77 by Gary Yoder. After shooting just .550 from the foul line as a sophomore, Brannen has become UC's best free-throw shooter.
Up next
Wright State (3-2) travels down I-75 to face the Bearcats at Shoemaker Center at 6 p.m.
SEASON IN STORIES
