By Bill Koch
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Robert Whaley returned to practice with the University of Cincinnati basketball team Thursday and by most accounts acquitted himself well.

But it wasn't enough to convince UC coach Bob Huggins that Whaley is ready to make a major contribution to the Bearcats.

"It's an everyday thing," Huggins said. "That's what we have to get through to everybody. It's like going to work."

Huggins left the 6-foot-10 junior center behind Tuesday when the Bearcats boarded their plane for their game at Tulane because he said Whaley "failed to fulfill his obligations to the team."

Asked if Whaley would play Saturday against DePaul, Huggins said he didn't know.

"He's got to do what he's got to do," Huggins said.

But several UC players said Whaley, a two-time junior college All-American who's averaging 6.3 points and 5.2 rebounds, has gotten the message.

Whaley declined to talk to reporters after practice.

"He was good in practice today and it's going to continue because we're going to help him," said senior guard Tony Bobbitt. "He's going to be fine."

Meanwhile, sophomore forward Armein Kirkland, who sprained his left knee in Wednesday's win over Tulane, underwent an MRI Thursday. Trainer David Fluker said results would be available today.

Kirkland did not practice Thursday and is doubtful for Saturday's game against DePaul. If Kirkland's out for a long period of time, Huggins said, it would be a significant blow to UC, even though he averages only 6.8 points and 2.2 rebounds.

"It would be a huge loss to us defensively," Huggins said. "He's really good in pressure. He's one of the fastest guys on the team. He's pretty good offensively, too. He probably plays with more strength with the ball than anybody else on our team."

If Kirkland can't play, Huggins said he would insert James White into his spot.

Bobbitt went through some of the same problems last year that Whaley is fighting through now and left the team for a few days in February. He said he and his teammates have talked to Whaley in an attempt to help him.

"Now he understands the other guys are busting their tails and he wants to be a part of that," Bobbitt said. "I told him to keep his head, stop worrying about all the negative things, and put the positive things over the negative things, and he'll be fine."

Sophomore forward Eric Hicks, who endured similar problems as a freshman, said what Whaley is experiencing is not unusual for newcomers to the program who initially don't understand Huggins' expectations.

"Who hasn't gone through this?" Hicks said.

The important thing, said assistant coach Andy Kennedy, is how a player responds when things don't go well.

"I haven't been real pleased with his response to the adversity to this point," Kennedy said. "His whole life he's been able to produce on the floor. His inability to do that for us has obviously shaken him. He needs to have something good happen to him and we're trying to put him in a position so that can happen."

TICKET UPDATE: Fewer than 300 tickets remain for Saturday's game against DePaul at Fifth Third Arena. The Feb. 21 Louisville game is sold out, and fewer than 2,000 tickets remain for UC's other remaining home games, against Texas Christian, East Carolina, Charlotte, South Florida, Saint Louis and Memphis.

E-mail: bkoch@enquirer.com