By Dustin Dow
The Cincinnati Enquirer

He sits, and he watches, waiting for the coach's call to enter the game.

2004 CROSSTOWN SHOOTOUT

SPORTS • Tonight, one trend has to end • XU disputes Huggins' claims • Bobbitt is Mr. Impact • Crosstown Matchups: A position-by-position look • Coaches' oaths • Storylines to keep your eyes on • Xavier's Chalmers: We still have bragging rights NEWS • Crosstown staples: cookies, chili, rivalry EDITORIAL PAGE • Shootout more than 'just one game'

And when it comes, Cincinnati's Tony Bobbitt brings instant offense to the 10th-ranked Bearcats' attack. The 6-foot-4 senior is the team's second-leading scorer, averaging 13.9 points as a sixth-man who plays 20 minutes per game. The guard brings a long-range potency off the bench that Xavier University has not seen from any opponent this season.

In tonight's 71st Crosstown Shootout at Cintas Center, Xavier will have to be as aware of Bobbitt's presence as any other player on UC's (15-2) team.

"The big fear you have is Bobbitt coming into the game and knocking down three 3s before you can call a timeout," Xavier coach Thad Matta said. "I think he's just a prolific shooter."

He's also somewhat of a streaky shooter who made 5 of 10 3-pointers earlier this season against Valparaiso, but came back the next game to miss all six of his 3-point attempts against Clemson. Bobbitt has taken 106 3-point attempts, the most on the team, and made 39 of them for 36.8 percent. In Saturday's loss to Charlotte, he made 4 of 8 3s, and finished with 14 points.

"He's very specific in looking to ignite the team and shooting the ball in," Matta said. "He has the impact to rejuvenate his team."

When he enters the game, Bobbitt says he gets advice from Cincinnati's starting shooting guard Field Williams.

"I listen a lot to Field," Bobbitt said. "He tells me before the game to sit down on the bench and concentrate about what's going on. Most guys, when a teammate tells them something, it goes in one ear, and out another. Field told me (against Charlotte Saturday) 'I'm not hitting,' so I stepped up and hit some shots."

That ability to analyze and solve UC's problems in any given game is what makes dealing with Bobbitt so difficult, Matta said. And when Bobbitt and Williams play at the same time, keeping track of both can be difficult.

Xavier (10-9) has had just two days to prepare for Cincinnati. Keeping track of Bobbitt has been a major theme.

"It's valuable to them," Xavier's Lionel Chalmers said. "He gives them a spark off the bench. ... We understand that, and we know the role that he plays."

So do Bobbitt's teammates, who appreciate the lift he gives when he enters the game. He has led UC in scoring in five of the last eight games and shot 50.6 percent from the field during that span.

"Tony gives us weapons that a lot of teams don't have," UC point guard Nick Williams said. "He's a very explosive scorer, and when he gets it going, he can light you up for 20-30 points. It's been a big help for the team to know we've got scoring coming off the bench."

Spark off the bench

Tony Bobbitt is the Bearcats' second-leading scorer, behind Jason Maxiell, even though he plays fewer minutes (20.6) than five other Bearcats. A look at his career at UC.

Year	GP	GS	AP	AR
02-03	27	0	8.0	1.8
03-04	17	0	13.9	2.9

GP - Games played; GS - Games started; AP - Avg. points; AR - Avg. rebounds.

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E-mail ddow@enquirer.com