It didn't take Rod Flowers long a year ago to realize he wasn't physically prepared to play Division I major-college basketball. He wasn't strong enough. Practices left him sore and beaten up. After an offseason of work in the weight room, the University of Cincinnati sophomore forward can feel the difference.

        He has gained 10 pounds since last fall and reduced his body fat 2.4 percent. His bench press has increased 20 pounds and his leg press 285. “It gives you more confidence that you're strong enough to play out there,” Flowers said. “I feel stronger. I feel better, like I can compete every day in practice.”

        As soon as last season ended, UC coach Bob Huggins delivered this message to his team: Get stronger, or don't plan on playing.

        Huggins has said repeatedly that last season's team was physically the weakest he's had at UC.

        The Bearcats were outmuscled and outrebounded. They were hit driving to the basket and could not finish plays. They were moved out of the way going for the ball and trying to establish position.

        It defied the physical, biceps-flexing trademark of the program under Huggins.

        “In the four years I've been here, this summer's been the best for the team,” strength and conditioning coach Tim Swanger said. “They were in here at 7 o'clock (a.m.) three days a week. They did a great job. I can tell that they've matured a lot from a mental standpoint. They probably knew going into the season last year they screwed up a little bit.”

        During the summer of 2000, Swanger said, returning players were not as committed to weightlifting.

        Incoming scholarship players Flowers, Field Williams, Antwan Jones, Jamaal Davis and Immanuel McElroy were unable to come to UC on financial aid to take classes and begin working out. In

        1999, UC was prohibited from arranging summer employment for basketball players because of a self-imposed penalty related to the Charles Williams investigation.

        A new NCAA rule, which went into effect this past summer, allows basketball players to attend school with “athletically related financial aid” before full-time enrollment begins. Without it, UC players would not have been able to begin working out until classes started the third week in September.

        “It always has been critical for us to have guys here in the summer so that they can lift, get stronger,” Huggins said. “They don't have a chance without that.

        “Last year, it would've made a difference for guys like (power forwards) Rod and Jamaal. Leonard Stokes came in (in 1999) bench pressing 95 pounds. How do you play major college basketball bench pressing 95 pounds? Now you look at Lenny and he's up to 240. Now he can play.”

        Is Huggins satisfied with the improvement? “They've all made significant gains,” he said. “We'll rebound it better. We're not going to get knocked out of position. We're not going to get knocked off the ball.”

        The strongest Bearcat is junior guard Taron Barker, who broke Michael Horton's team record with a 360-pound bench press.

        “Taron is as strong as any linebacker we have on the football team,” Swanger said.

        Flowers said one reason he chose UC was because he had seen guys such as Kenyon Martin, Pete Mickeal and Ryan Fletcher and knew he would get stronger there.

        “I've learned to like it,” Flowers said of the lifting. “If you play at a big-time college, you're going to have to get strong. You're going to have to do it, so you might as well learn to like it instead of hating it.”

Bearcats put on weight

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