By Bill Koch
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Dan Peters, the University of Cincinnati's associate head coach, pounded a chair in frustration as Charlotte's players missed shot after shot, only to come up with the offensive rebound each time.

Head coach Bob Huggins crouched a few feet away, staring straight ahead as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing.

His Bearcats, who fashioned a national reputation out of being the toughest, most aggressive players on the block, looked timid against the 49ers, who rank 11th in rebounding margin in Conference USA.

Huggins hadn't seen this before. Never, he said later, has he coached a team that was outrebounded by 16.

But that's what he saw - a whopping 50-34 rebounding advantage by Charlotte, including 24 offensive boards and a slap in the face at UC's tough-guy reputation.

The Bearcats' 74-64 loss at Charlotte on Saturday was bad enough. It placed them once again in an untenable situation in their quest for an eighth straight league championship.

But the loss was even more disturbing since it represented a major setback just six days after the Bearcats' beat then-11th-ranked Oklahoma State.

UC (14-7, 6-4 C-USA), which hosts Saint Louis on Tuesday, now faces the possibility of not receiving a first-round bye in the conference tournament. The Bearcats currently own the league's fourth-best record. The two division winners and the two teams with the next-best records receive first-round byes.

UC returned home Sunday afternoon after a two-hour flight delay out of Charlotte.

If a lack of effort against Marquette a few weeks ago led to the Bearcats' banishment from their locker room, their effort against Charlotte might force them to pitch a tent in the parking lot.

"They don't deserve what they have," Huggins said of his current players. "Those other guys busted their butts."

It used to be that when Huggins received a technical foul, UC's players got fired up. But when officials called Huggins for his first technical of the season Saturday, it was the 49ers who went on a run, outscoring the Bearcats 13-8 before halftime.

Huggins was especially critical of senior Leonard Stokes, who scored just seven points and committed six turnovers.

"Lenny's a four-year guy," Huggins said. "We put a lot of pressure and responsibility on our seniors. He didn't respond."

Stokes declined to answer questions Sunday.

Opposing coaches and players still talk about UC's program with respect. But it's clear the word is out: These are no longer the UC Bearcats the rest of the league feared.

UC assistant coach Keith LeGree talked with Charlotte assistant Kevin Nickelberry after the game Saturday and received further evidence that the Bearcats have lost their swagger.

"He said that's the first time they ever played a Cincinnati team and no one said a word to him," LeGree said.

It's not just a matter of talent. UC has been outrebounded nine times this season.

"I can live with missing shots," Huggins said. "We've had bad shooters. But we don't compete."

E-mail bkoch@enquirer.com