Myron Hughes would look at the University of Cincinnati schedule and circle one name both times it appeared: Louisville.

        Hughes played for the Bearcats from 1982-86 and was a member of the team that halted the Cardinals' eight-year rule over UC.

LOUISVILLE at UC

• When: 8:05 p.m. today.   • Where: Shoemaker Center (13,176).   • Records: Louisville 6-12 (2-3 C-USA), UC 12-5 (3-2).   • TV: Ch.19.   • Radio: WLW-AM (700).   • Tickets: $20. Call 556-CATS.   LOUISVILLE   Player-Ht-Yr-Avg   Erik Brown-6-5-So.-8.0   Ellis Myles-6-8-Fr.-7.2   Joseph N'Sima-6-8-Jr.-1.9   Marques Maybin-6-3-Sr.-18.1   Reece Gaines -6-6-So.-15.8   Coach: Denny Crum (669-288, 30th season; same overall)   CINCINNATI   Player-Ht-Yr-Avg   I. McElroy-6-4-Jr.-5.5   Jamaal Davis -6-9-Jr.-8.2   B.J. Grove-6-11-So.-3.2   Steve Logan-6-0-Jr.-15.2   Kenny Satterfield-6-2-So.-15.6   Coach: Bob Huggins (288-91, 12th season; 456-163 overall)   BY THE NUMBERS   • 44.9: UC's 3-point percentage over the last five games.   • 56.0: B.J. Grove's field goal percentage over the last five   • 10.5: Antwan Jones' scoring average over his last four games.

        It was Jan.24, 1985, at Riverfront Coliseum. UC turned over the ball just three times — none in the second half — and won 56-54.

        “The only thing I can remember is us being elated that we finally broke through,” Hughes said. “It was a team effort when we did, because everybody stepped up.

        “It was very frustrating knowing you had the talent but never could pull the right strings in order to get that victory. It was fantastic final ly getting a chance to beat them.”

        The Cardinals are UC's longest running conference opponent. The teams have played 76 times, often as members of the Missouri Valley Conference, the Metro and now Conference USA.

        Cincinnati brings an eight-game winning streak over Louisville — its longest ever during the series — into tonight's game at Shoemaker Center. The Cardinals have not beaten UC in four years.

        But it was Louisville that dominated the series through most of the 1970s and '80s, and it was the team UC fans most wanted to beat.

        “Louisville was always the cream of the crop,” said Joe Niemann, a Bearcat from 1982-84. “They were always better than us in terms of talent. They were always nationally ranked, and we weren't. If you could beat Louisville, that could make your season — for us.”

        That didn't happen much.

        From 1974-84, Louisville defeated the Bearcats 19 of 20 times, including 17 consecutive victories from 1976-84.

        During that time, the Cardinals were not only the premier team in the Metro Conference, but they were one of the elite programs in the country, having won NCAA titles in 1980 and '86 and gone to Final Fours in 1972, '75, '82 and '83.

        “Louisville was always the team to beat (for UC) because of the exposure they had throughout the country and knowing if you could knock off a big-name team like Louisville, it would put you in the spotlight,” said Hughes, who is now vice president of planning and development for the Memphis (Tenn.) Center City Commission.

        Eight of Louisville's 17 straight victories were by double digits. Over a four-year period, UC never got closer than six.

        In 1985-86, the year of Louisville's national championship, Cincinnati was the only team to beat the Cardinals at Freedom Hall; that was its third consecutive victory over U of L, which then rattled off seven straight wins in the series.

        For four years, after UC joined the Great Midwest Conference, the teams did not play. The rivalry resumed with the start of Conference USA in 1995-96. Under Bob Huggins, UC has gone 11-4 against the Cardinals.

        “When I took the job in Louisville in 1971, Louisville, Saint Louis, Memphis and Cincinnati, we were all in the same league then and have been most of the time since,” Louisville coach Den ny Crum said. “It's been a great rivalry. Cincinnati has always had good players, good coaches and has been a top program for a long time. Coach Huggins does a tremendous job there.”

        The most recent game was 11 days ago in Louisville. UC won 72-52.

        “Even though I'm not tied into the program as close as I used to be, it's always good to see a UC team go out and smash Louisville,” Hughes said.

Louisville's swagger, glamour gone

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