By Bill Koch
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Former Roger Bacon High School star Eugene Land has left the University of Cincinnati basketball team for personal reasons, the school announced before Wednesday's game against UAB.

Land was featured on the cover of the program sold at the game Wednesday night.

In addition, junior center Rod Flowers has been suspended indefinitely for conduct detrimental to the team, leaving the Bearcats with only 10 scholarship players.

Flowers played in 21 games, starting four. He was averaging three points, 2.4 rebounds and 10.6 minutes a game.

Land is the third UC player to quit the team this season. Freshman Eric Hicks left temporarily in December when he did not return to school on time after Christmas break. Junior Tony Bobbitt quit the team for three days, then returned Feb. 6, saying he had made a mistake.

UC coach Bob Huggins said Monday that Land, who returned to the program this season after a two-year absence while he recovered from right knee surgery, had planned to petition the NCAA for one more year of eligibility.

Land, a 6-foot-7 forward, was listed as a senior in terms of eligibility but was a junior academically.

He played in 19 games this season and started one, against Saint Louis, totaling four points and eight rebounds. He averaged 5.5 minutes a game.

E-mail bkoch@enquirer.com