Ruben Patterson goes up to defend Kawika Akina's drive.
| ZOOM |
|
It was not the best defensive afternoon for UC forward Ruben Patterson.
He scored 11 points and grabbed six rebounds for the Bearcats in their 65-62 win against Northern Arizona in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, but his inability to deal with the constant screening NAU executed on the perimeter earned him a seat on the bench for 14 minutes of the second half.
''If we hadn't gotten the win, I'd have been upset,'' Patterson said, ''but we got it, so I'm happy. I wanted to be out there, but the other guys were playing well.''
Patterson had at least one moment on defense where he was nearly perfect, but even that turned out all wrong. Through a switch, he wound up on NAU point guard Kawika Akina with the shot clock dwindling. Akina tried to get past him into the lane, but had no choice but to toss a shot in the air, hoping it would catch the rim. It banked in for a 26-24 Lumberjacks lead.
''I just shook my head and said, 'Wow.' He couldn't go past me, so he just had to throw it up.''
Who's the point?
That guy out there playing point guard for the UC Bearcats in the second half? Shawn Myrick.
Shawn Myrick crashes to the floor and grabs UNA's Andrew Mavis down with him.
(Saed Hindash photo)
| ZOOM |
|
You are to be excused if you had forgotten him. Coach Bob Huggins had not, but behaved as though he wanted to, using Myrick for only 12 minutes combined in last week's Conference USA tournament.
After a difficult practice Tuesday, though, Myrick began to respond and earned enough confidence from Huggins to play 16 minutes, 12 in the second half, and subtly guide the Bearcats' recovery.
Starter Michael Horton said he wasn't feeling well and admitted he played miserably. ''That wasn't the real Michael Horton out there.''
Myrick did not score, but he assisted on the game-winning basket and his defense helped drive Akina out of the game.
''I've just been listening a little bit more, doing what I have to do to play,'' Myrick said. ''I'm glad he stuck with me, that he had confidence in me in a big game like this.''
Odds and ends
UC's win was the sixth in seven NCAA Tournament first-round games under coach Bob Huggins. The Bearcats have lost in two of their past three trips to the second round: to second-seeded Connecticut in 1995 and to sixth-seeded Iowa State last season.
Forward Bobby Brannen missed four of his 12 free-throw attempts. He'd missed only three in his past 11 games.
The seven steals by Akina were a season-high for a UC opponent. UC committed only four unforced turnovers, losing the rest of their 14 on steals by the Lumberjacks.
Center Kenyon Martin extended his string of games with at least two blocks to seven. He has averaged 4.4 blocks in that stretch but got only two against NAU, which attempted just 17 of its 54 shots in the lane.
Wake up call doesn't spoil UC's dream Tim Sullivan column
Martin stars on big screen
Catlett waits to consider UC
UC, XU women open NIT tonight
SEASON IN STORIES
