Donald Little is fouled by Charlotte's Kevin Johnson. (Jeff Swinger photo) | ZOOM |

        He got going early Tuesday night with a couple free throws, a 3-pointer and a layup.

        All of a sudden, Leonard Stokes was part of the University of Cincinnati's offense again.

        “He attacked the basket,” coach Bob Huggins said. “That's Leonard's game.”

        The 6-foot-6 sophomore, who had scored in single digits five straight games, tied a season-high with 19 points and led the Bearcats past Charlotte 71-58.

        Stokes was coming off a season-low three points at East Carolina and had not made a 3-pointer since Dec.20 against Louisiana-Monroe in Las Vegas. He was 0-of-10 from behind the arc over the previous four games but made 2 of 4 against the 49ers.

        “It felt good,” he said. “But the big thing is we won the game. That's the big picture always.”

        Stokes, who scored seven of UC's first nine points, was just one reason the 10th-ranked Bearcats (14-1, 2-0 C-USA ) extended the nation's longest winning streak to 14 games.

        UC senior Immanuel McElroy shadowed Charlotte's Jobey Thomas (18.5 ppg) — Conference USA's all-time 3-point field goal leader — and helped hold him to 13 points on 5-of-15 shooting (1-of-6 on 3s).

        Thomas missed his first three shots, didn't score until 14 minutes in the game and finished the first half 1-of-5 from the field and 0-of-2 from 3-point range. Nine of his points came in the last 5 1/2 minutes.

        “He was my responsibility ... to chase him everywhere he goes, not let him catch and shoot,” McElroy said. “He got some shots off, but I think I did a pretty good job on him.”

        Said Thomas: “They made it really tough for us to run our offense and for me to even touch the ball. It seemed like every time I caught the ball, I was worn out from getting open.”

        Jason Maxiell continues to show traces of what he is capable of doing. The UC freshman, who comes off the bench, finished with 15 points and 13 rebounds — his second double-double.

        It was his third straight game scoring in double figures. Maxiell has averaged 14.3 points — on a combined 19-of-24 shooting (79 percent) — and 9.7 rebounds against Akron, East Carolina and the 49ers.

        UC was ahead 59-40 with 9:21 remaining after a Jamaal Davis 3-pointer but had to hold off the 49ers, who pulled within 10 points and had the ball in the final four minutes. But Cam Stephens missed a jumper and Steve Logan drained a 3-pointer for the Bearcats.

        Then Thomas missed on a drive to the left side of the basket and Cincinnati broke out in transition with Logan hitting Stokes for a layup. That made it 66-51 and prompted a Charlotte timeout.

        The 49ers never got closer than 11 after that.

        “I thought we played great,” UC coach Bob Huggins said. “Particularly in the first half, I thought our team defense was probably as good as it's been.”

        Logan added 13 points for Cincinnati, which won the rebounding battle 47-39. Donald Little grabbed 11 boards.

        The Bearcats' defense was so good in the first half that they led 40-24 despite getting only five points and one assist from Logan.

        Charlotte shot just 25 percent from the field in the opening 20 minutes and missed all nine of its 3-point attempts. The 49ers went 7 1/2 minutes without a field goal and trailed by as many as 18 points (twice) in the first half.

        Stephens led Charlotte (7-6, 1-1) with 14 points and a career-high 16 rebounds. Kevin Johnson added 11 points and seven boards. The 49ers are 0-7 at Shoemaker Center.

        “Once again we fall woefully short at Cincinnati,” Charlotte coach Bobby Lutz said. “Physically they're by far the most impressive team we've played, and we've played some good teams. They made it difficult for us to get good shots.

        “I think that we'll be much better when they come to Charlotte (Feb. 6). Is that enough? I don't know.”

Bearcats roll on, win 14th in a row UC notebook Women: Syracuse 70, Cincinnati 68

Rams see how other half lives
Bengals to draft in 10th position
Bengals Q&A with Mark Curnutte
Saints, Falcons, Texans new foes on 2002 schedule
Colts fire Mora after 6-10 season
Ozzie makes Hall; can Larkin?
Reds sign Casey, but talks with Harnisch fail
Road to Hall could be uphill for Larkin
Baseball notebook
At last, RedHawks come home
Miami's Cousino honored
No. 8 Wildcats look to rebound vs. Georgia
Indiana's 3s blast No. 25 Michigan St.
Cincy ATP mulls cutting purse
Dopita scores four goals
Jordan, Wizards top Clippers
Recreation notes
Coming up this week
Woodward rallies to top Mt. Healthy
Gallatin County holds off Williamstown 64-60
Boys basketball roundup
Ohio girls basketball roundup