If you're one of those University of Cincinnati fans who has to turn off the TV during close games because you can't stand the tension, be sure to keep your remote control handy at all times. This could be a rough ride.

        The Bearcats take a 10-3 record into tonight's matchup at Marquette (6-5), their first Conference USA game on the road.

        Even if UC leads by double digits early, that's no indication of a blowout. Several games this season have been up for grabs in the final minutes.

UC at MARQUETTE

• When: 8 p.m. today.   • Where: Bradley Center (19,150), Milwaukee.   • Records: Marquette 6-5 (1-0 C-USA), UC 10-3 (1-0).   • TV: Ch.19.   • Radio: WLW-AM (700).   MARQUETTE   Player-Ht-Yr-Avg  Odartey Blankson-6-6-Fr.-5.4   Oluoma Nnamaka-6-7-Jr.-8.4   John Mueller-6-10-Sr.-2.1   Brian Wardle -6-5>Sr.<18.3   Cordell Henry>5-9-Sr.-10.6   Coach: Tom Crean (21-19, second season; same overall)   CINCINNATI   Player-Ht-Yr-Avg   Leonard Stokes-6-6-So.-13.0   Jamaal Davis -6-9-Jr.-9.5   Donald Little-6-11-So.-7.3   Steve Logan-6-0-Jr.-13.1   Kenny Satterfield-6-2-So.-17.0   Coach: Bob Huggins (286-89, 12th season; 454-161 overall)   BY THE NUMBERS   • 9: Consecutive UC road victories in league play.   • 21: Consecutive UC regular-season victories in league play.

        A look at some of the Bearcats' victories:

        • They led Marshall 21-6, but the Thundering Herd were ahead 74-73 with 38.7 seconds left. UC won 79-75.

        • They led Youngstown State 67-49, but the Penguins were within eight with 2:25 left. UC won 74-65.

        • They led Clemson 38-21, but the Tigers trailed 71-69 with 4:42 left. UC won 88-80.

        • They led Alabama 38-24 but needed overtime to win 77-74.

        • They led Charlotte 35-15, but the 49ers trailed 60-54 with 5:51 left. UC won 76-66.

        That doesn't even include the Skyline Chili Crosstown Shootout. UC led Xavier 32-17 but lost 69-67.

        “We've got to get in our mindframe that we've got to crush teams,” junior Steve Logan said. “We've got to keep attacking. I think it comes with a little bit more time.”

        It works the other way, too. Cincinnati trailed Dayton 56-43 and won by seven. It trailed UNLV 12-1 but won by 18.

        UC also fell behind 44-26 against Toledo, rallied to lead with 44.7 seconds left, then lost 69-66.

        Already nine games have been decided by 10 or fewer points, including the last six; UC is 7-2 in those. Four games have been settled by five or fewer points (UC is

        2-2).

        Past Cincinnati teams were better equipped to put away opponents once UC had a sizable lead. But with less talent, less depth and less experience, that may not happen as often this season.

        The Bearcats are outscoring opponents by an average of 7.5 points a game. The past five seasons, they have outscored opponents by an average of at least 12.7 points (1998-99) and as many as 16.1 (1999-2000).

        “Those teams that I had basically were veteran teams that knew what was coming,” UC coach Bob Huggins said. “We could put five guys out there who could execute, and when we went to the bench, we weren't totally lost like we are now.

        “And then with this group, because we're not near as deep, they get a little bit tired, where before we just ran numbers at people and tried to wear them out. And then when they went to (their) bench, we could really jump on them. That's difficult for us to do with this group.”

        The Bearcats sometimes have a harder time stopping an opponent's rally because they can't just throw the ball to a big man (such as Kenyon Martin, Bobby Brannen or Danny Fortson) for an easy basket that stifles the other team's momentum.

        This UC team is perimeter-oriented and often relies on an outside shot to halt a spurt by the opposing team.

        “We get up 20 (against Charlotte) and they switch defenses and we just didn't execute,” Huggins said. “We worked pretty hard on it. It doesn't take but one guy to be in the wrong place.

        “We're going to get better.”

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