By Bill Koch
The Cincinnati Enquirer

The player UC will turn to

No one is comparing senior forward Leonard Stokes to Steve Logan anymore, but Stokes remains the player the Bearcats count on when they need a basket. He's their leading scorer at 16 points a game and is their most experienced player. He hasn't come through every time, but he has rescued UC this season in wins over DePaul, Tennessee Tech and TCU.

UC by the numbers

8 Consecutive years UC has won at least one game in the NCAA Tournament. Only Kansas (13) and Kentucky (11) have longer streaks. 1 Number of times UC has advanced past the second round since 1996. 3 Games this season in which UC made at least 50 percent of its shots. 12 Games this season in which UC made fewer than 40 percent of its shots. 7 Bearcats who have participated in the NCAA Tournament. 38 UC wins in the NCAA Tournament. 18-11 Bob Huggins' record in the NCAA Tournament. 51-12 UC's record during March over the past 12 years. 1 Previous meetings between Gonzaga and UC, a 75-68 Bearcats victory Dec. 4, 1999. 1,311 Leonard Stokes' career points, five behind Damon Flint for 17th on UC's all-time list.

The guy UC must have playing well

It would be nice to see Jason Maxiell step it up on the front line to give the Bearcats an inside presence, but after 28 games it's obvious he's not going to be a dominant offensive force on this team. That means either Field Williams or Tony Bobbitt has to get hot from the perimeter for the Bearcats to have a chance to advance in this tournament. Bobbitt is the most likely candidate because he's such a streak shooter. If he gets on a roll the way he did against Oregon, the Bearcats could surprise some people - or at least win their first-round game.

The team UC doesn't want to face

Kansas and Arizona are formidable, but both run and press enough that they actually might help UC's struggling offense by pressing the Bearcats into scoring opportunities. But Illinois, with its stifling half-court defense and strong post player in Brian Cook, could cause all sorts of problems for UC.

What gives UC its best hope to get to New Orleans?

The Bearcats are convinced that if they just make shots, they can beat anybody in the country. Trouble is, they rarely make shots, which means their best hope for a trip to New Orleans is probably a group discount on the Mississippi Queen.

What could get UC bounced in the first round?

If UC plays in the first round the way it played in its last 12 games, the trip to Salt Lake City will be a quick one. Basically, that means UC can't keep shooting the ball the way it has been and expect to win a game in the NCAA Tournament. But shooting hasn't been the Bearcats' only problem. They also have played with a distinct lack of intensity in recent weeks, almost as if they wish the season would end.

What was UC's best win?

The 61-50 victory over No. 11 Oklahoma State Feb. 9 at Shoemaker Center. Reeling from three straight losses, the Bearcats put together their best effort of the season over a quality opponent, shooting 47.5 percent from the field and suffocating the Cowboys with their defense. UC's 101-80 win over Louisville on Feb. 22 was a big win but was aided by 58 free throw attempts. And the Bearcats' 77-52 beating of No. 5 Oregon on Dec. 17 was also impressive, but the Ducks faded after that.

What was Gonzaga's best win?

Led by center Ronny Turiaf's 24 points, the Bulldogs knocked off Utah 71-52 in the Maui Invitational.

What was UC's worst loss?

Its most recent loss, 63-61 to Southern Miss in the first round of the Conference USA Tournament. When they thought they needed a win to cement their NCAA Tournament bid, the Bearcats shot 38.2 percent and were outrebounded by a team that was ranked below 150 in the Ratings Percentage Index.

What was Gonzaga's worst loss?

A 72-68 loss at home on Feb. 19 to 9-15 Portland. The Bulldogs shot just 33 percent and got just seven points from guard Blake Stepp, the West Coast Conference player of the year.

Where is UC now, compared to November? What has gotten better or worse?

You can't say a team has gotten better when it finished with eight losses in its last 12 games, so we won't say that. In fact, this is the rare Bob Huggins-coached team that has regressed as the season went on. The Bearcats played much better during their eight-game winning streak in December and January. When the competition improved, UC didn't. Once the word got out that all you had to do to beat UC was double-team Maxiell and make Williams put the ball on the floor, the losses piled up. The Bearcats are no better today at attacking the basket than they were in November, and they still don't rebound very well. It's a good thing they can play defense.

E-mail bkoch@enquirer.com