The Cincinnati Enquirer from Cincinnati, Ohio • Page 30

THE CINCINNATI ENQUIRER Flashback to '59 Oscar Robertson heated things up for the Bearcats and the city as the Royals struggled. OS RID) Price isn't right Even low-cost free UC 'broiners' Last play fails, but bond lasts PONTIAC, Mich. Everybody hugged Ray Jackson. Teammates, coaches, a trainer. They slapped his hand, then bumped their shoulders with his, the football player's universal sign of mutual respect Gino Guidugli, the freshman quarterback, leaned over and spoke into his senior running back's ear.

It wasn't the ending either had planned. But you can't script these things. "You'll always be my big brother" is what Guidugli said. The week ahead FN 51 C3 Have a safe New Year's Eve Watch bowl games all day 'IU1WJ1 ifliiliiliiliiiiiirililkiiihi Coverage of OSU in Outback Bowl Coverage of Orange Bowl 9 agents such as Pete Harnisch (right) are out of the Reds' pnce range. Reds insider.

C4 Motor City Bowl Toledo 23 UC 16 iviaxie ceis as UC assistant coach Amos Jones and wide receiver Tye Keith console running back Ray Jackson after Jackson dropped a pass that would have given UC a TD and a chance to draw even Saturday. The Enquirer STEVEN M. HERPPICH ex y. svv" UC cats elide Freshman's sweet 16 helps subdue Akron By Michael Perry The Cincinnati Enquirer CLEVELAND University of Cincinnati senior Steve Logan was the local hero. But it was freshman Jason Maxiell who became the Gund Arena crowd favorite Saturday night at the Rock-N-Roll Shootout.

Maxiell totaled five dunks and a career-high 16 points in the 17th-ranked Bearcats' lethargic 73-57 victory over Akron. The 6-foot-7 forward finished 8-of-9 from the field and also had seven rebounds and two blocks in just 20 minutes. He threw down a one-handed rebound dunk in the first half and a two-handed rebound dunk in the second half. He a shot from Akron's 7-1 center ream fe -aT 3 UNJCK JKT NBA Michael Jordan scores points for the Wizards. dent," quarterback Gino Guidugli said.

This time, there was no miracle. This time, Toledo's Andy Boyd knocked the ball out of Ray Jackson's hands in the end zone to preserve the Rockets' 23-16 victory over UC in the Motor City Bowl before 36,250 at the Silverdome Saturday. "That's a credit to the kids," UC coach Rick Minter said. "We were thoroughly outplayed. Yet, we on It SUNDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2001 Coverage of national championship Rose Bowl College Tipoff Akron 57 Inside: UC notebook C9 11BAL Ml LdSl lCIIUIIlia, 7:30 p.m.

Saturday. Matt Seibert. He grabbed an airball from a UC teammate and slammed it in. He hit a jumper from the foul line. "It was pretty fun," said Maxiell, who was surprised when he was named the team's most valuable player for the game.

"I see it all the time in practice," Logan said. "I'm glad to see him get out there and express himself on the floor. He deserved everything he got tonight." UC (12-1) has won 12 in a row, matching the third-longest winning streak in Conference USA history. It has the league's top four winning' streaks (16, 15, 12, 12). See UC, Page C9 national prominence, but as a traitor to Big Blue Nation.

"He should have gone to Michigan," said Tierney, an unforgiving woman from Winchester. "Anywhere but Louisville. I think he understands that now. You just don't cross the line and he did." Tierney's placard was one of dozens of derogatory signs directed at the former UK coach Saturday. Her voice was one of thousands booing the brief announcement of his name.

Her rancor mirrored an unscientific poll on WildcatFaithful.com, See SULLIVAN, Page C8 out in two of their past five losses, defeats that sandwiched a stretch of three games in which the Bengals lost by a combined eight points. "I think we play hard," LeBeau said. "When I speak of making improvement, that's the first area that I would start. There are other areas. The simple truth is we haven't won enough games." romps i -w IB mm mi, tiv.A tu 1 That's going to stick with me the rest of my life" was how Jackson felt about that.

Paul Toledo Daugherty beatUC 23-16 after Guidugli's pass to Jackson with 56 seconds to play didn't work. It was a fourth-down throw from the Toledo 5-yard line. Jackson had it, men he didn't. His hands clutched the ball; when his arms tried to cradle it, the ball hit the shoulder pad of Toledo free safety Andy Boyd. Or maybe the ball hit Boyd's hand.

In the end zone craziness, Jackson didn't know. Not that it mattered. "It would have been a great catch," someone said to Jackson. "Great players make great plays," he said. Last one got away And that's how it goes.

Ray Jackson's life in the real world began 56 seconds before he'd have liked it to. He played two years at UC after two at Michigan, ran for 1,495 yards and scored 14 touchdowns. Human nature being what it is, though, hell remember the one he missed. "My senior year. My last game," he said.

"Maybe my last play. I should have made it." To which Guidugli replied, "You can't blame the guy for missing one great play after so many he's made." You'd guess Guidugli would say that Big brother taught him well. "He was the first guy to make me feel comfortable atUC, Guidugli said. Jackson met him early last summer. He made it a point to show Guidugli around, take him to eat, tell him to study.

Guidugli might have been a local kid. He might have arrived in Clifton on a magic carpet of hype. But he was still a freshman. He needed to know some things. "Stay focused.

Stay on your books," Jackson told him, right away. Jackson the senior understood Guidugli's physical gifts; he wanted to make sure his head kept pace. And so he did. "He took care of me," Guidugli said. "He led me in the right direction, gave me confidence when I needed it" Nearly 'storybook' And just look how it's turning out.

Guidugli completed 12 of 14 passes on UC's last two drives Satur day. He took the Bearcats to the edge of a win, right to the brink, until the "double out" pass bumped from Ray Jackson's grasp. That TD toss might have cemented Guidugli's local legend almost before it began. UC football has been searching for this guy for years, ever since Sid Gill-man and Greg Cook, someone to turn the local apathy on its so-what ear. Maybe they've found him.

If so, part of who Guidugli is belongs to his big brother. Jackson will be going now. He's a criminal justice major wholl graduate in the spring. Jackson will be fine. But what an ending it would have been.

"Storybook," someone said to Tackson. Fairv tale. Little brother hits big brother with a game-tying TD pass. It would have been perfect "Yes," Jackson agreed. "It would have.

It would have. Contact Paul Daugherty at 768-8454; e-mail: pdaughertyenquirer.com Cf Zf' 1 'l i I A t' The Associated PressED REINKE UK's Tayshaun Prince celebrates during the closing moments of the Wildcats' 82-62 victory over Louisville in Lexington, Ky. Prince led all scorers with 18 points. He also had nine rebounds. Game story, C8 Hell hath no fury like UK faithful Anger at Pitino stems from ardor The Cincinnati EnquirerSTEVEN M.

HERPPICH Cincinnati running back Nathan Wize is hit by Toledo's Corey Morris in the first half of the Motor City Bowl at the Pontiac (Mich.) Silverdome Saturday afternoon. The Bearcats lost 23-16. UC falls just short at goal line LEXINGTON, Ky. Judy Tierney wore a big blue cast on her left arm. With her unfettered right, she hoisted a hand-lettered sign above the hallway leading to the locker rooms.

The sign carried four names: Benedict Arnold, Judas Iscariot, Rick Pitino, John Walker Lindh. To some of the more fanatical Kentucky basketball Tim Sullivan By John Fay The Cincinnati Enquirer PONTIAC, Mich. By all rights, it should have been a blowout. Toledo dominated the line of scrimmage so thoroughly that every time the University of Cincinnati tried to play smash-mouth football, the Bearcats came away with a bloody lip. Rushing yards: 322 for Toledo, 13 for UC.

But, as the game wound down, the fans, the four figures are equally notorious. Pitino returned to Rupp Arena Saturday as the head coach of rival Louisville and was made about as welcome as the plague. He was not received as a favored son, as the coach who rescued the Wildcats from scandal and shame and restored them to came within an eyelash the last play." UC ends the season 7-5. was the Bearcats' second straight loss to a MidAmerican Conference team in the Motor City. They lost 25-14 to Marshall last year.

Toledo, ranked No. 25 nationally, finishes 10-2. Toledo took the lead with 3:23 left to play. Mo- See BOWL, Page C2 winning their season finale next week at Tennessee. And finally, validate Le-Beau's claim that his Bengals are improving, despite their record.

Pittsburgh has won Inside Motor City Bowl notebook; One bright spot tor UC defense. C2 Alamo Bowl: Iowa 19, Texas Tech 16. C2 Insightcom Bowl: No. 18 Syracuse 26, Kansas St 3. C2 Bearcats were still very much alive and believing they would pull it out, just as they had so many times this year.

"We were all confi victory, a single-season high since the 1997 team went 7-9 to close what are considered the halcyon days of recent franchise history. Even the Bengals' home record at 4-4, which would be their first non-losing home mark since Bruce Cos-let's 1997 Bengals were 6-2 at Cinergy Field. Provide coach Dick Le- In Steelers, Bengals get chance to add shine to dull season Steelers at Bengals When: 1 p.m. today TV: Ch. 12,7 Radio: WLW-AM (700), WCW-AM (92.5) Inside: Previews, C6-7 seven games in a row and is widely seen as the best team in the AFC.

A victory also would give Cincinnati a third victory over a playoff team this season, adding Pittsburgh to Baltimore (depending on the results of its Saturday night game with Tampa Bay) and New England. The Bengals have been shut By Mark Curnutte The Cincinnati Enquirer The weighty disappointment of the Bengals' seven-game losing streak could be lightened today with a victory against AFC Central rival Pittsburgh. Defeating the favored Steelers would: Give the Bengals a fifth Beau his first victory in four games against his former employer, Pittsburgh coach Bill Cowher. Increase confidence, and the Bengals' chances of.