By Bill Koch
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Jason Maxiell slams the ball over AIA's Reed Rawlings in the first half. (Ernest Coleman photo) | ZOOM |

The Cincinnati Bearcats are still struggling to find their offensive rhythm, but at least one UC player is already in midseason form.

Junior guard Field Williams found his shooting stroke early and cut loose for 24 points in the Bearcats' 80-62 victory over Athletes in Action on Thursday night before 9,452 fans at Shoemaker Center.

Had this been a regular-season game, Williams would have surpassed his career high of 19 in the first half, when he scored all but three of his points. He took only one shot in the second half.

"After I hit the first 3, I felt like I was hot," Williams said.

He looked like he was, too.

Williams did the bulk of his scoring from beyond the 3-point arc, going 6-of-7, but he also displayed ability to put the ball on the floor and shoot off the dribble.

It was the first indication Williams might help pick up the scoring slack for departed All-American Steve Logan.

Leonard Stokes works on AIA's Saddi Washington. (Ernest Coleman photo) | ZOOM |

"Field's the best shooter in the country," UC senior forward Leonard Stokes said. "Or one of the best. If he's got those feet set, I'll take that."

Sophomore forward Jason Maxiell contributed 11 points and 10 rebounds for the Bearcats, while Stokes had 10 points and six assists.

UC coach Bob Huggins made two changes in the starting lineup, inserting junior Tony Bobbitt at point guard in place of Taron Barker and junior Derek Hollman at center in place of Rod Flowers.

"Derek Hollman deserved to start," Huggins said. "He played the best in practice. And I wanted to see what Tony could do at the point."

Bob Huggins was his usual shy self. (Ernest Coleman photo) | ZOOM |

Barker, who's expected to open the season as the starting point guard, scored seven points with three assists in 16 minutes. He has one turnover in 36 exhibition minutes.

"He was a lot better," Huggins said. "He's got to make shots when he's open and deliver the ball. He's going to have to play better defensively."

Stokes said the Bearcats were vastly improved since last Saturday's sloppy exhibition victory over Northern Kentucky (71-51). But Huggins wasn't so ebullient.

"We took some baby steps," Huggins said. "Our defense wasn't very sound. Twenty-four of their 33 points came in the paint in the first half. We can't do that. If Field doesn't have 21 points at halftime, we're in trouble."

Jason Maxiell swats at the shot of AIA's Eric Kubel. (Ernest Coleman photo) | ZOOM |

Huggins failed to make it out of the exhibition season without a technical foul, proving again that he won't allow the heart attack he suffered on Sept.28 to alter his coaching style. Official James Breeding called the technical with 1:07 left in the first half after Huggins stomped in front of the UC bench to protest a foul called on Maxiell.

Asked about the technical after the game, Huggins wondered if he could be reprimanded for criticizing officials in an exhibition. Told that he could because they were Conference USA officials, Huggins said: "I hope they're not."

RECRUIT HURT: Junior college guard Nick Williams, who signed a national letter of intent with UC on Wednesday, has undergone surgery for a broken foot and is expected to miss four-to-six weeks.

Williams, from Chipola (Fla.) College, broke his foot in a game last weekend. He had a pin inserted, and his foot was placed in a soft cast.

Game stats

AIA	M	FG	Att	FT	Att	R	A	F	TO	TP
Rawlings	28	2	9	2	2	5	1	1	1	7
Coleman	31	5	11	1	2	3	1	1	4	11
Shaw	22	8	8	4	7	4	3	4	2	20
Washington	31	3	7	0	0	5	3	1	0	7
Sears	32	1	7	2	2	8	5	0	3	5
Daniels	9	0	0	0	0	1	3	0	1	0
Harris	15	1	7	0	0	3	0	1	2	2
Walker	6	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Kubel	10	1	6	2	2	4	0	2	1	4
Hill	16	2	6	2	4	3	0	0	0	6
Totals	200	23	61	13	19	39	16	10	14	62

Team rebounds - 3.

UC	M	FG	Att	FT	Att	R	A	F	TO	TP
Stokes	29	4	12	2	2	2	6	2	3	10
Maxiell	26	5	9	1	1	10	0	1	1	11
Hollman	15	1	3	0	0	2	0	3	1	2
Williams	26	9	12	0	0	3	2	1	0	24
Bobbitt	19	2	9	0	0	1	3	1	1	6
Moore	9	3	5	0	0	2	1	1	1	6
Meeker	4	1	1	0	0	2	0	0	0	2
Lucas	7	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Hicks	14	3	6	0	0	3	0	2	1	6
Barker	16	3	5	0	0	0	3	0	1	7
Flowers	11	1	2	0	0	3	0	1	0	2
Kirkland	10	0	3	0	0	1	1	1	1	0
Johnson	14	2	2	0	0	2	0	2	0	4
Totals	200	34	69	3	3	34	16	16	11	80

Team rebounds - 3.

Athletes in Action	33	29	-62
Cincinnati	39	41	-80

3-pointers - AIA: Rawlings 1-5, Washington 1-2, Sears 1-4, Harris 0-4. UC: Stokes 0-1, Williams 6-7, Bobbitt 2-7, Moore 0-1, Barker 1-3, Johnson 0-1. Technicals: UC, Huggins. Officials - Jackie Sanders, James Breeding, Scott Johnson. Attendance - 9,452.