By Bill Koch
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Bad shooting night? What bad shooting night? That's the attitude University of Cincinnati guard Field Williams has adopted in light of his 2-for-14 shooting performance in the Bearcats' season-opening 54-48 win over Tennessee Tech on Saturday.

Williams' errant shooting was a big reason why the Bearcats (1-0) shot 27.9 percent from the field. And that, in turn, is why Williams, who scored five points, is looking forward to today's game against Florida A&M (0-1).

He doesn't want a night like that to linger too long in his psyche.

"If you let it get to you, you'll never be the same," Williams said. "It's behind me right now. I don't want to think about it."

Williams' long-range shooting was one thing UC's coaches thought they could rely on as the season began. In two years, Williams has made 43 percent of his 3-point attempts and developed into someone who can burn opposing defenses if they focus too much on Steve Logan.

But even good shooters have off nights. They can't explain them. In fact, they don't even try to. The best thing is forget about them altogether.

"I was getting good shots," Williams said. "They just weren't dropping."

One game doesn't make a slump and certainly no one at UC is worried about Williams, but the Bearcats need the junior to blossom into a consistent double-figure scorer.

"On Thursday in practice, he made everything," said Bearcats coach Bob Huggins. "Then on Friday, he really struggled. He stayed after practice and came early. He did all the things that you want guys to do and he still struggled Saturday. He just has to keep shooting the ball. The worst thing he could do is not shoot it."

Williams wasn't the only UC player to grapple with his shooting against Tech. Jaxon Maxiell was 2-for-12, and Tony Bobbitt was 1-for-6. Even Leonard Stokes, who led the Bearcats with 21 points, made only 7 of 20 shots and missed 8 of 9 in the first half.

It's no secret, then, that Huggins will be looking not only for more accurate shooting but better shot selection and crisper execution.

UC's coach will also be eager to see how junior Kareem Johnson responds in his second Division I college game after securing eight rebounds, six offensive, and scoring four points Saturday.

Johnson, at 6-foot-7, 250 pounds, was the most effective of the Bearcats' three centers in the season opener, and he is looking forward to more playing time.

"I think that put me in the picture a little bit," Johnson said. "But I'm not close to taking over."

Huggins would love to see one of his big men emerge at the center position, but so far that hasn't happened.

"He gave us more than anybody else," Huggins said of Johnson. "We were struggling to find somebody. It wouldn't surprise me if this game somebody else played good. It's been a day-to-day deal with those guys"

Florida A&M, which stayed in Cincinnati after its 93-64 loss Sunday to Xavier, should pose a much easier challenge for the Bearcats, assuming UC shoots better. But Huggins is taking nothing for granted.

"Xavier is so good, so experienced," Huggins said. "We're not. It's hard to look at that game and say we could do that. We don't have David West down there. We don't have Romain Sato. That game told us a lot about Xavier. I don't think it told us much about Florida A&M, other than that they're going to play really hard.

Rattlers coach Mike Gillespie wasn't sure who would available to play against UC.

Starting guard Moses White is doubtful with a badly sprained ankle. Decisions on Terrence Woods, who was suspended for the Xavier game on Sunday, and Dominique Jackson, who scored 20 points against the Musketeers but is also facing suspension, will be made today.