By Bill Koch
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Armein Kirkland's status with the University of Cincinnati basketball program will be determined after athletic director Bob Goin meets with Kirkland and coach Bob Huggins, Goin said Sunday.

KIRKLAND FACTS

• 2002-03 stats: Averaged 3.4 points and 2.0 rebounds a game. • Career highlights: Scored career-high 18 points March 5 over UAB ... Had career-high seven rebounds and three blocks versus Gonzaga in a NCAA West Regional game ... Averaged 10.3 points a game over the final four games.

Kirkland, a 6-foot-8 sophomore guard from Tyler, Texas, was arrested Saturday afternoon on misdemeanor charges of domestic violence and assault after he was accused of grabbing a woman by the throat and slapping her in the face following a verbal altercation.

The woman, a 17-year-old juvenile with whom Kirkland had been living for two months at the 2600 block of Wendee Dr., according to the police report, was arrested on the same charges.

She was accused of biting Kirkland's elbow and stomach, according to the report.

The woman, one UC source said, is an acquaintance of Kirkland's from Tyler who was spending the summer with him.

Kirkland, 19, made the call to Cincinnati police at 1:45 p.m. and is listed as the complainant in the report.

He spent Saturday night in the Hamilton County Justice Center and was released Sunday evening after posting bond. He's scheduled to be arraigned at 9 a.m. today.

The woman was taken to the Hamilton County Youth Center.

Kirkland's mother, Farrah Kirkland, declined to comment Sunday night.

"I haven't talked to anybody," said Goin, who is on vacation. "I think the position is that I'm going to come back and let's see what the law of the land is.

"I've got to see what he's charged with and what the legal system says about how serious it is."

UC coach Bob Huggins said he had not talked to Kirkland and declined to comment.

Under UC athletic department policy, an athlete is suspended immediately upon being charged with a felony. Since this is a misdemeanor, Goin has more flexibility.

But that did little to lessen his outrage about the incident.

"Misdemeanor doesn't mean anything to me anymore," Goin said. "I'm tired of misdemeanors."