By Bill Koch
Enquirer contributor

Eugene Land's comeback from reconstructive knee surgery and three missed seasons has hit a snag.

After participating in full three-hour practices with the rest of his teammates since the start of practice three and a half weeks ago, Land has been slowed the past few days. The University of Cincinnati forward was downstairs in the Shoemaker Center weight room Wednesday strengthening his right knee while his teammates practiced.

Land twisted his knee several days ago, UC coach Bob Huggins said, but the setback is not believed to be major. Huggins is still counting on the Roger Bacon graduate to provide an inside scoring presence for the Bearcats this season.

"We had it checked out, and it's OK," Huggins said. "I don't have any question that he'll help us. I don't know how much, but I think he'll help us."

Land isn't the only UC player who raises questions about how much he'll contribute. Huggins expressed the same degree of uncertainty about practically every player on the floor. With a team that features seven newcomers and no established stars such as a Steve Logan, Kenyon Martin or Danny Fortson, the UC coach doesn't know what to expect when the regular season opens Nov.23.

That's why Huggins is looking forward to Saturday's exhibition game against Northern Kentucky University with perhaps a little more relish than he normally reserves for such occasions. If nothing else, the first public outing against outside competition will give him a chance to gauge how his players, especially the newcomers, react under the bright lights.

The tentative starting lineup has Leonard Stokes and Jaxon Maxiell at forward, Rod Flowers or Derek Hollman at center, Taron Barker at point guard, and either Tony Bobbitt or Field Williams at shooting guard.

Among the newcomers, Huggins likes what he has seen so far of Armein Kirkland, a 6-foot-8 freshman with the ball-handling skills of a guard; Kareem Johnson, a 6-7 junior-college product; and Hollman, a junior who missed all of last season after undergoing shoulder surgery following his arrival from Panola (Texas) College.

What Huggins hasn't liked are the Bearcats' feeble attempts at defense.

Though he rarely sounds satisfied with his team's defensive effort so early in the season, he sounds especially concerned this year.

"Defense is what we do here," Huggins said. "I can't remember us being this bad since '94. We don't have anybody who knows what they're doing. Whatever we try to do, we're equally inept at everything. We need to play somebody else so they can see how far they have to go."