By Bill Koch
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Cincinnati forward Jason Maxiell shoots over Northern Kentucky forward Pat Cary. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

If they were looking to make a good first impression, the University of Cincinnati Bearcats failed.

UC shook off a horrible first half and prevailed over Division II Northern Kentucky 61-48 in an exhibition game Saturday night before 9,526 fans at Fifth Third Arena, but it didn't resemble a team that was ranked 19th in the preseason coaches' poll this week.

No one was more disappointed than UC coach Bob Huggins, who missed his postgame radio show and kept the Bearcats in the locker room for a half hour after the game before meeting the media.

"They outscrapped us," Huggins said. "They beat us to loose balls. They beat us in every area but the scoreboard."

The Bearcats dressed only nine players. Tony Bobbitt and Asrangue Souleymane did not play, Huggins said, because "I didn't want to play them."

Cincinnati's Eric Hicks and Northern Kentucky's Jesse Rupe battle for the ball. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

Transfer James White is ineligible until Dec. 20. Chadd Moore is still struggling with a sore back and Mike Pilgrim is out with a stress fracture in his foot.

Center Rob Whaley led UC with 13 points and 12 rebounds after a slow start in his debut.

Trailing 22-21 at halftime, UC scored the first eight points of the second half - four each by Kareem Johnson and Armein Kirkland - to take a 29-22 lead and assume control of the game, but didn't produce the blowout that many expected.

The Bearcats shot 34.2 percent from the field and were so inept offensively that Huggins said he planned to scrap his approach.

"We scored 61 points running up and down the floor," he said. "I can't give them the freedom that I gave them because they abuse it. We've got guys doing so many stupid things that they can't do."

BURNS UPDATE: Rusty Burns, offensive coordinator for the UC football team, remained hospitalized in Tampa General Hospital on Saturday. He was admitted Friday before the UC-USF game after complaining of discomfort. He's scheduled to undergo tests today.

NKU	M	FG	Att	FT	Att	R	A	F	TO	TP
Reinhardt	14	0	3	0	0	1	0	4	2	0
Cary	25	0	8	2	4	0	0	1	1	2
Rupe	28	5	13	2	3	7	0	2	3	12
Kelsey	39	5	16	2	2	4	2	2	0	15
Rowland	31	0	3	0	0	6	2	2	3	0
Stowers	5	0	0	0	1	0	0	2	1	0
Ronai	5	0	0	0	0	4	1	0	1	0
Lewin	16	1	7	0	0	2	0	1	1	3
Purdon	11	0	5	0	0	0	2	2	0	0
Schappell	21	5	14	3	3	10	2	2	1	14
Wilkinson	5	0	0	2	2	1	0	0	1	2
Totals	200	16	69	11	15	42	9	9	14	48

Team rebounds - 7.

Cincinnati	M	FG	Att	FT	Att	R	A	F	TO	TP
Kirkland	25	4	10	0	0	5	0	3	0	8
Maxiell	25	5	15	2	2	8	0	3	2	12
Whaley	26	6	18	1	2	12	1	1	3	13
F.Williams	34	2	7	0	0	3	3	2	1	5
N.Williams	28	2	10	3	4	5	1	1	2	8
Meeker	12	0	2	0	0	1	4	1	1	0
Lucas	21	1	3	0	0	4	1	0	0	2
Hicks	12	0	2	2	4	5	0	3	3	2
Johnson	17	5	6	1	3	10	1	4	2	11
Totals	200	25	73	9	15	59	11	18	14	61

Team rebounds - 6.

NKU	22	26	-48
Cincinnati	21	40	-61

3-pointers - NKU 5-29 (Reinhardt 0-2, Cary 0-1, Kelsey 3-12, Rowland 0-1, Lewin 1-6, Purdon 0-3, Schappell 1-4), UC 2-11 (Kirkland 0-1, F.Williams 1-4, N.Williams 1-4, Meeker 0-2). Technicals - None. Officials - Welmer, Hillary, Sanzere. Attendance - 9,526.