For a program that did so much to repair its image in the aftermath of their brawl with rival Xavier in December, Sunday’s news isn’t the best for the Cincinnati Bearcats.
According to Fox 19 in Cincinnati a bouncer at PLAY nightclub filed a police report alleging that he was punched and kicked by members of the basketball team on Saturday night at the club.
Bouncer Brian McLucas said that the problem arose when he asked the players to leave the club’s VIP section after players sat down at another patron’s table and began drinking her alcohol and verbally abusing her.“I’m asking you guys to get up. You’re drinking her alcohol,” said McLucas. “And I said, you guys are making rude racial remarks towards her. And I said you guys need to get up.”
The players apparently refused to move and became rather vocal at that point. “I said you guys need to calm down. And whenever I did that I looked to the right of me and right as I looked to the right of me I seen the dude take three quick steps and punch me in the eye,” said McLucas.
According to McLucas PLAY management knows which players were on the VIP list Saturday night, and the club gave Fox 19 no comment on the situation when approached.
The same can be said for the Cincinnati athletic department, which according to the report was not aware of the alleged altercation.
UPDATE: Per Gary Parrish of CBSSports.com, athletic director Whit Babcock issued the following statement:
h/t to Down the Drive
Raphielle is also the assistant editor at CollegeHoops.net and can be followed on Twitter at @raphiellej.