Because of those apparent shortcomings, the University of Cincinnati Bearcats begin their final season in Conference USA, a league they have dominated for the past nine years, considered to be no better than the fourth or fifth-best team in the conference.

But under head coach Bob Huggins, the Bearcats have often been at their best when there wasn't much expected of them.

Will that be the case again this year?

UC will begin its 16th season under Huggins when the players take the floor at Fifth Third Arena for Midnight Madness shortly after midnight early Saturday.

• Who'll play point guard?

The likely candidate is Jihad Muhammad, a 5-11 junior college transfer. Unlike Nick Williams, another JUCO transfer who tried to make the switch from shooting guard to the point last year, Muhammad is considered a natural at the position, with the quickness to penetrate and dish off to teammates, as well as the outside shooting ability to keep opposing defenseshonest.

He shot 86 percent from the free-throw line last year at San Jacinto (Texas) Junior College.

Junior Chadd Moore also returns after a season during which he was hindered by chronic back problems that limited him to 10.4 minutes per game last year.

• Do the Bearcats have a center?

Last year at this time, 6-10 Robert Whaley was seen as the prototypical big man who would help the Bearcats reach the promised land, but Whaley had all kinds of problems at UC and has since moved on to Walsh University.

That leaves UC with 6-8 Asrangue Souleymane, an untested redshirt freshman and the only player on the roster who can be considered a center. With no proven pivot man, the Bearcats likely will use three forwards in their starting lineup.

• Will Jason Maxiell become a dominant player during his senior season?

Maxiell, a second-team all-conference selection last season, expanded his shooting range last year and is the unquestioned leader on this team. He already has 1,060 career points, but he may continue to suffer from the lack of a quality big man to take the pressure off him along the baseline.

Look for opponents to continue to double-team him when he gets the ball down low, just as they have the past two years, which will make it difficult for him to take over a game the way Kenyon Martin and Steve Logan did.

• Who will fill the gap in 3-point shooting created by the departure of Tony Bobbitt and Field Williams?

Freshman Vincent Banks, a long-range shooting specialist, who shot 42 percent from 3-point range last year at Laurinburg (N.C.) Prep, will have to contribute in a hurry. The Bearcats are also counting on Williams to improve his 36.5 percent 3-point shooting mark from last year now that he'll no longer have primary point guard responsibilities.

Armein Kirkland (45.5 percent on 22 3-point attempts) and James White also can shoot the three, although White will have to improve on the 23.8 percent he displayed last year.

• Is this the year UC's streak of 13 straight NCAA Tournament appearances comes to an end?

The Bearcats made the tournament two years ago with a 17-11 record and they figure to be at least that good this season.

But a non-conference schedule that includes Purdue, Vanderbilt, Wake Forest, and Illinois (in the Las Vegas Holiday Classic), as well as perennial area rivals Dayton, Xavier and Miami means that the NCAA Tournament can't be taken for granted.

Conference USA also will pose a huge challenge with Louisville, Memphis, Charlotte and Alabama-Birmingham all looming as formidable foes.

E-mail bkoch@enquirer.com