Nov 27, 2004; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Cincinnati guard #13 Jihad Muhammad gets a lecture from coach Bob Huggins during first half action against Purdue at the Wooden Tradition on Saturday at Conseco Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Photo by Joe Robbins-USA TODAY Sports (c) 2004 by Joe Robbins — © Joe Robbins-USA TODAY Sports

Bob Huggins on UC Joining Big 12: 'They Better get Ready Because it is Hard'

The Bearcats all-time winningest coach returned to Cincinnati this week for his charity fundraiser.

Author:
Russ Heltman
Jun 8, 2022 12:14 PM EDT

CINCINNATI — Bob Huggins returned to the 513 this week and opened up about everything from his 2022 Naismith Hall of Fame nod to Cincinnati entering the Big 12. He was here on Monday to host a dinner and charity auction at the Original Montgomery Inn—raising money for the Norma Mae Huggins Cancer Endowment. The memorial fund was named for Huggins's late mother, providing cancer care and research.

The soon-to-be Hall of Famer knows firsthand how difficult the Big 12 is. He discussed what UC has ahead with local TV reporters.

"They better get ready," Huggins said. "Because it is hard, and the travel is hard. When you travel to where we are traveling and now we are going to travel to BYU and travel to Lubbock, you ever been to Lubbock? ... It's hard man, we go there and play a nine o'clock game in Lubbock and you go out and get on a plane at midnight our time, or one o'clock in the morning our time and you get back at four or five in the morning and you know what you're supposed to do? Get your but up and go to class."

Hard is an understatement. Last season the Big 12 was the only conference to land every member in the Top-66 teams on KenPom. Add in Houston (No. 2), BYU (No. 58), plus, UCF (No. 104), and you get arguably the toughest basketball conference in the history of the sport during the 2023-24 season.

Huggins is finally joining the Hall of Fame ranks this fall—becoming the last coach in college basketball's 900-win club to earn the nod. In typical Huggins fashion, he humbly waved away the honor.

"Honestly, I don't know that it feels all that much different," he told Keith Jenkins of the Cincinnati Enquirer about finally being accepted. "Obviously, it's a great honor. But I don't feel any different. They call you and they say, 'Hey, we've got great news for you,' and tell you that you're going into the hall. The things that I didn't realize is you're supposed to be presented by a living member of the Hall of Fame. Guess what? There aren't a lot of those out there. So I've been trying to get ahold of Oscar (Oscar Robertson). I want to get ahold of him. I got ahold of Jerry West. Jerry's going to do it. I got ahold of Rod Thorn. He's going to do it. They're both obviously members of the Hall of Fame. As is Oscar."

That last scenario would be a dream for Bearcats fans to see the greatest player in program history induct the greatest coach in franchise history. Huggins is still atop the all-time UC wins list (526), and will be there awhile as Wes Miller tries to ultimately pass him.

As of now, Huggins has no plans to retire soon after West Virginia finished with a disappointing 16-17 record last season.

"The biggest regret I have with what happened here (Cincinnati) is we never got a chance to get it turned back to where it was," Huggins told The Enquirer. "They never gave us a chance. That bothers me. It bothers me for the people here, not for me but for the people here. We're going to have that opportunity at West Virginia. I'm sure not going to let that get away from me."

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