After the buzzer had sounded on then No. 21 Cincinnati's 88-82
win over No. 22 Rhode Island at Shoemaker Center in Cincinnati
on Sunday, Ruben Patterson, the Bearcats' 6'6" senior forward,
tore the white Michael Jordan designer jersey off his back and
wadded it up as if he were going to throw it into the crowd. But
Patterson, who had just matched a career-high with 27 points in
his first home game in more than two months, hesitated and kept
the singlet clutched in his hand. For the first time in a long
while, wearing a white jersey at the Shoe was something he could
feel good about.
Between Nov. 17 and Sunday, wearing white in that gym had been
all sweat and no glory for Patterson, who kept in shape during a
14-game suspension for NCAA rules violations by playing on the
white-clad scout team in every minute of every Bearcats
practice. "Any time there was action on the floor, I had to be
in it," says Patterson. "I might get a few sips of water;
otherwise I was running." But practices—even coach Bob
Huggins's grueling workouts—aren't the same as games. "Games
are much more intense," says Patterson. "It feels great to be
playing in them again."
Patterson couldn't have picked a better one for reintroducing
himself to the home crowd. Rhode Island, much improved (13-4)
under first-year coach Jim Harrick and appearing in its first
regular-season national TV game, kept it close despite getting
pounded on the boards 37-18. The Rams ultimately lost because
they had no one who could guard the versatile Patterson, who led
both teams in scoring and rebounding (10). He had scored just 29
points total in Cincinnati's previous three games, which were
all on the road. "Nobody thought he'd take over immediately,"
says teammate Melvin Levett. "I'm just glad he didn't wait a
couple of more games."
Though Patterson's contributions were clearly needed, there had
been some concern in Cincinnati that his return might negatively
affect what has become, against all odds, a very good team.
Unlike last year's Danny Fortson-led Bearcats, who started the
season ranked No. 1 and then struggled under weighty
expectations before losing to Iowa State in the second round of
the NCAAs, Cincinnati this season has flourished as a starless
underdog. After a 20-point loss to Xavier in early December, the
Bearcats appeared to be the mediocrities everybody thought
they'd be without Fortson, Darnell Burton, Damon Flint and
Charles Williams, who are all gone from last year's team.
But then a funny thing happened. Two starters, D'Juan Baker and
Kenyon Martin, were given three-game suspensions for misusing
the athletic department's long-distance access codes, the same
offense that was a factor in Patterson's suspension. Desperate
for bodies, Huggins had to give significant minutes to Bearcats
on the far end of his bench, which included two football
players, Brent Petrus and Brad Jackson, who had joined the team
primarily for winter exercise. Instead of crumbling, Cincinnati
jelled. Between the loss to Xavier and a 66-63 overtime loss at
Marquette last Thursday, the Bearcats won 10 in a row. After
their defeat of Rhode Island they were 15-3 and ranked No. 18 in
the latest AP poll.
"Last year we had more talent," says senior forward Bobby
Brannen, whose points per game have soared from 5.0 last season
to 16.9. "This year we play harder and really defend. It's been
more fun because with all the talent we lost, not much was
expected from us. So we've had a great time showing everybody
that we can play."
Issue date: February 2, 1998
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