Michael Horton was on his way back from the weight room, where he had spent a little while longer building a body that looks more like a strong safety's than it does a point guard's.
''It's time for me to be a leader,'' said Horton, the Cincinnati Bearcats' junior playmaker. ''I think I need to play more aggressively, play Michael Horton's game, and that's penetrating and finding the open man.''
In an 88-68 loss to Xavier, Horton was responsible for five turnovers of UC's staggering total of 29. That put coach Bob Huggins in the position of
answering questions about whether Horton can handle the point guard position for a team aspiring to remain among the nation's elite and whether the Bearcats are looking for the right type of player to handle that spot.
UC's focus following its successful fall-semester recruiting haul has turned to locating more backcourt help, although Huggins maintains his belief in Horton.
''Keith LeGree turned it over nine times, and we lost to California, and I'd coach LeGree every day of my life, the rest of my life,'' Huggins said. ''As long as Mike keeps coming in the way he comes in, works at it, is coachable, he's going to be fine.''
Horton is listed at 6-1, 200 pounds, but appears to carry more weight. He is not the sort of small, quick point guard that's increasingly prominent nationally.
Small guards have had success against the Bearcats in recent seasons, without UC having any in finding one or two for themselves.
Memphis' Chris Garner, now with the Toronto Raptors, went 4-4 against the Bearcats. In two seasons as a starter, Marquette's Aaron Hutchins is 2-4. Louisville's DeJuan Wheat won two of three over UC. Of the past seven teams to defeat UC, only South Carolina and Xavier had point guards taller than 6-0.
''We've chased the right players,'' Huggins said. ''We haven't gotten them. We've never been caught up in size.''
One of the players UC is pursuing is 6-foot Brandon Dean of Monroe, La., who originally committed to Clemson but backed out without signing. But he's the one player among the first group of spring backcourt targets who fits the small-guard prototype.
Anthony Grundy of Hargrave Military Academy in Virginia and Bobby Smith and Kevin Braswell of Maine Central Institute are all 6-2.
Zach Marbury of Milford (Conn.) Academy is 6-3, but brings a quick first step, shooting range and excellent court vision. His one problem to date has been pushing himself, at times, to play like a Marbury. His brother is Stephon, the spectacular point guard for the Minnesota Timberwolves.
UC is looking to add at least one player to the recruiting class of 6-7 Eugene Land, 6-6 Pete Mickeal, 6-10 Donald Little, 6-5 Cory Powell and 6-8 Jermaine Tate, who will transfer from Ohio State.
''I would think we could get a good guard to come in and play with the people we've got,'' Huggins said.
Compliance officer leaves UC for Illinois
Williams may get edged out
SEASON IN STORIES
SEASON IN STORIES
