UC lost 37-9. Basketball actually had its start here in 1896 when Walter Durant Berry, a trainee of basketball s founding father, James Naismith, came to the university and organized the game. It was the Pig Toes and the Dew Drops, two informal UC teams that played the first contest. There were the usual ups and downs of establishing basketball on campus, but by 1901 with the hiring of coach Henry S. Pratt, the varsity program was underway. Now that another century is upon us, we are faced with any number of anniversaries colleges, buildings, departments, and programs.
History has a birthday every day.
The 2000-2001 season has been designated as the centennial of men s varsity basketball at the University of Cincinnati, though it is actually the 99 th season played. We won t quibble close enough to 100. The best way to acknowledge a long, illustrious, sometimes ignoble, always notable century of Bearcat hoops is to present a parade of faces, teams, and events. But hey, it s basketball. It s fun.