Donald Little watched tape of his play from last Saturday night's exhibition game and noticed one particular flaw that, if corrected, could solve two problems at once.

MAFC-KE Budapest at UC

• When: 6:05 p.m. today   • Where: Shoemaker Center (13,176)   • Tickets: $20 adults, $12 youths (12 and under)   • TV/radio: None

        The University of Cincinnati sophomore center was not getting a body on opponents as shots went up. So, he was not only missing out on rebounds, but he would end up fouling from behind.

        That helps to explain his one-point, one-rebound performance in 10 minutes before fouling out.

        “It's hard to rebound when you're behind the guy,” coach Bob Huggins said.

        The Bearcats have emphasized rebounding all week leading up to tonight's final dress rehearsal, an exhibition game against MAFC-KE Budapest (6:05 p.m., Shoemaker Center).

        “I have to just try to calm down and play my game,” Little said. “I know it's exhibition, but I have to try to get better. I'm glad it wasn't a more serious game when they needed me.”

        B.J. Grove, UC's other center, also watched video of himself. But he may have learned more when he popped in a tape of former Bearcat Danny Fortson, who leads the NBA in rebounding as a member of the Golden State Warriors (15.0 rpg).

        “I watched him kill everybody,” Grove said. “Mostly I see him getting into position, moving his feet a lot, getting low, just what they tell me to do.

        “I want to dominate, and Danny was a dominating player. I just felt like I needed to watch somebody who controlled the game. I needed something to get me motivated, and I think the Fortson tape did it.”

        The California Southeast All-Stars, fatigue and all, outrebounded UC 37-35 last week, and Huggins said he anticipates that will be a season-long problem.

        Rebounding is part technique and part desire. The guy who wants the ball most, who is relentless in pursuit of a rebound, often gets it.

        Huggins said lower-body strength is also important. Grove, Little and freshman Rod Flowers all lost rebounds last week because they were off balance and could not hang on to the ball, Huggins said.

        “We just turn and watch the ball,” Huggins said. “Donald doesn't work to get into position, and the rest of us are so small that things rebound over us.

        “We're going to have to team-rebound it better.”

        That includes Flowers and starting power forward Jamaal Davis, who had three boards in 25 minutes last week. That includes wings Leonard Stokes and Immanuel McElroy and guards Steve Logan and Kenny Satterfield. Stokes led UC last week with 11 rebounds.

        If history is any indication, it all will come together. No Huggins-coached UC team has ever been outrebounded over the course of a season. The closest was his first year (1989-90) when the Bearcats finished with just two more rebounds for the season than their opponents.

        The Bearcats outrebounded opponents by almost five a game last season — only the eighth-best margin of difference during the Huggins era.

        “I'm not as concerned about the stats as I am the execution of what we're doing,” Huggins said.

UC needs to get past roadblock to bowl Bearcats put focus on rebounding

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