CINCINNATI -- Cincinnati men's basketball coach Bob Huggins was released from the hospital Monday morning, nine days after he suffered a heart attack.

Dr. Dean Kereiakes, Huggins' cardiologist, said tests showed that the heart attack caused significant damage to Huggins' heart, but Huggins is improving.

"Bob is making tremendous progress and tests show that he should recover further," Kereiakes said in a statement.

Kereiakes said Huggins, 49, is expected to recover further through rehabilitation and medication that is designed to improve the heart muscle. Doctors have said he could need 4-to-6 weeks to recuperate.

Huggins will attend Saturday's festivities at Shoemaker Center to mark the start of basketball practice, university officials told the Cincinnati Enquirer on Sunday.

Cincinnati athletics director Bob Goin told the Cincinnati Enquirer on Monday that Huggins will be well enough "to observe" and "instruct" the Bearcats on Saturday, the first day Division I teams are permitted to practice.

"I'm hoping he'll find time to sit down and not stand the whole practice," Goin told the newspaper. "It's going to be controlled, but it's going to be controlled by him."

According to the Enquirer, Huggins told the players, when they visited him last Friday, that he planned to be present for the start of practices.

"Of course you notice when Huggs is there," 6-foot-10 junior Derek Hollman told the newspaper. "I love my teammates and I love the coaching staff, but Huggs just brings it to the table and motivates you non-stop. The hair raises on the back of your neck, actually. When Huggs says it's time to go, it's time to go."

Huggins suffered the heart attack Sept. 28 at the Pittsburgh airport while on a recruiting trip. He was the third-youngest coach to get 500 wins in Division I. His career record is 500-172, including a 332-100 record at Cincinnati.

The Bearcats have been ranked No. 1 several times during his tenure but have made the Final Four just once. Cincinnati went 31-4 last season, losing to UCLA 105-101 in double overtime in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.