Junior center Derek Hollman, who is rehabilitating from shoulder surgery, was in uniform Friday night for the first time this season.

        He is still about six weeks away from being able to play. Team athletic trainer Jayd Grossman said Hollman is participating in some light shooting drills and running on the side.

        “He's probably still three weeks away from really doing anything,” Grossman said. “The biggest thing now is strength.”

        The staff is trying to get Hollman more involved so he can get used to the tempo and feel of practice.

        FIRST WEEK:

        B.J. Grove was dripping sweat. Practice was over Saturday, but he still had more conditioning to do. The junior center who joined the Bearcats on Wednesday, said he weighs about 280 pounds and needs to lose at least 10.

        “YMCA ball and outdoor ball isn't like playing for an organized team,” he said. “I'm just getting my legs back, just getting my wind back. I should be OK.

        “I know pretty much what's going on. They changed a few things to give out different looks. That's what I'm trying to learn.”

        Grove, who left school in October for personal reasons, doesn't know when he might get into a game. He's just happy to be back.

        “I want to contribute the best way I can,” he said. “If I can contribute by being a cheerleader or by scoring 10 points and getting eight rebounds, that's what I'm trying to do.

        “It's been fun. I missed those guys. When I got back on the team I almost cried. I love them; they're like my brothers.”

        TOURNEY TIME:

        UC's game against Richmond is the first round of the Las Vegas Classic, which has a unique format.

        The four opening games are on individual campuses. The next three rounds are at Valley High School in Las Vegas. The eight teams in the tournament are divided into two four-team pools. Cincinnati's pool contains Richmond, Mississippi State and Louisiana-Monroe. The other pool has Purdue, Southwest Missouri State, Texas A&M and Illinois-Chicago. After the first three rounds, teams will be ranked in their pools and matched against corresponding teams from the other pool Saturday.

        The Bearcats play Louisiana-Monroe on Thursday and Mississippi State on Friday.

        NICE HAIR:

        UC junior guard Taron Barker and sophomore Field Williams both sported huge afros for the Xavier game. Barker said the two planned to do that for the Shootout at the beginning of the season.

        “At first, we were like, no. But then we decided, what the (heck)? Let's just go out there and have some fun and make the crowd look at us,” Barker said. “I'll braid it back up (for Monday).”

        ALL A-10, ALL THE TIME:

        Richmond is the fourth team from the Atlantic 10 Conference to face UC. The Bearcats have beaten Dayton, Duquesne and Xavier.

        WHO CAN FORGET?

        Richmond coach John Beilein isn't exactly making his first appearance at Shoemaker Center. Beilein was coach at Canisius when it upset the Bearcats 70-69 in the first round of the 1994 Delta Air Lines Classic.

No time for UC to bask in glory UC notebook Bearcat women improve to 7-0

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