ESPN Andy Katz Blog

EDITOR'S NOTE: On Sunday, Outside the Lines aired a segment on the Renardo Sidney situation. That can viewed by clicking here.

Mississippi State coach Rick Stansbury is understandably worried this week about Renardo Sidney's capacity to handle the unknown.

Every day, Stansbury said, Sidney comes to practice and asks the same question: Any word? The answer has been no for quite some time. No word on his eligibility -- and even though it was changed recently to being "under review" -- there is no guarantee that a decision about his eligibility is forthcoming.

Earlier this year, the L.A. Times reported that there were questions about how the Sidneys, who moved from Jackson, Miss., to the Los Angeles area, could afford housing in the area for the two years they lived there. The story detailed the connections between sneaker sponsorship and Sidney's odyssey to Southern California.

Sidney's attorney, Montgomery, Ala.-based Don Jackson, said the lack of a decision is in essence a suspension. Mississippi State leaves later in the week for South Padre Island, Texas. Sidney won't be able to attend if he's not cleared to compete.

Sidney's attitude apparently fluctuates. He isn't in great shape yet, because it's hard for him to push himself to the maximum without knowing whether he'll play. The coaching staff has similar feelings since they can't count on using him at this juncture. Through a variety of sources, the school is under the impression that the NCAA hasn't found a violation yet to hang the case on. The school is hoping to hear more early this week, but with the Thanksgiving holiday, this could drag on into December.

Stansbury said it's hard to ignore the cloud that is over the program because no one has an answer. The Bulldogs have been dealing with other issues recently. Stansbury suspended forward Kodi Augustus for two games after Augustus publicly questioned Stansbury's playing-time decisions after the loss to Rider. The schedule also starts to get tougher when the Bulldogs play Richmond in South Padre on Friday.

Meanwhile, from a variety of sources with knowledge of the situation, if no decision occurs then Sidney is essentially ineligible. The NCAA knows that Mississippi State isn't going to run the risk of playing Sidney, even if Jackson were to get a court injunction. Why? Because if he's ultimately ruled ineligible, the Bulldogs would have to vacate games -- and it's not worth doing that.

Sources said that the NCAA legal counsel has been in the loop and it would defy logic from the NCAA's standpoint if the organization purposely used this as a stall tactic to help a legal case that could be forthcoming. If Sidney were to sue to force an injunction, then the NCAA could use that lawsuit as a way to use discovery to get some of the information that it still covets. The case has been completely tossed upside down with it moving from the enforcement wing to the eligibility center, which the head of that operation, Bill Saum, has been removed from his post. This has slowed the case down by forcing others to get involved who haven't worked on the case from the outset. The NCAA won't say anything about Saum's departure except that it was a personnel matter.

As for Jackson, he said he continues to provide information. This is the latest missive of what he has provided (in his own words):

1. NCAA Eligibility Center staffer Alex Hammond personally reviewed deposit records for every family bank account since the family's move to California. Notably, bank deposits matched information previously provided to the NCAA regarding payments from boarders, loans from family members, payments from Reebok and loan proceeds from a FDIC-regulated financial institution. NCAA ELIGIBILITY CENTER STAFF ARE NOW REQUESTING THAT THE SIDNEY FAMILY PROVIDE "RECORDS" TO ESTABLISH THE SOURCE OF EACH OF THESE DEPOSITS. I was advised by an attorney for the NCAA that the family should be able to get information from their bank establishing the source of every check that was deposited into their accounts. For example, if John Doe wrote Patricia Sidney a check in 2007, the NCAA Eligiblity Center staff is under the mistaken belief that the financial insitution should have records containing John Doe's name. This is an intentional effort to seek production of records that are non-existent and is nothing more than an effort to establish a foundational basis to deny his certification. Records of this nature do not exist.

2. Canceled checks for every Reebok payroll check and team sponsorship payment to Renardo Sr. were provided to the NCAA Eligiblity Center staff. These payments totalled in excess of $200K over a three year period. Sidney Sr. had specific duties under the terms of his agreements with Reebok.

3. Deposit records for the Dream Team Foundation and the predecessor foundation (that sponsored the summer league team) were provided to NCAA Eligibility Center Staff.

4. Records documenting team travel expenses, including airline purchases, were provided to the NCAA Eligibility Center.

5. IRS and State of California filings for Dream Team Foundation and predecessor non-profit corporation.

6. Sponsorship and supply agreement between Reebok and the Dream Team Foundation. The Dream Team summer league team was coached by Renardo Sr.

7. Bank records outlining ALL payments for travel expenses for the Dream Team Foundation were provided to the NCAA. This included numerous airline tickets, hotel and restaurant payments for members of the Dream Team. This also included identical information for the predecessor non-profit corporation.

8. Notwithstanding the fact that cellular telephone records were previously produced to NCAA staff, a demand was made that the Sidney family execute a records release allowing the NCAA to access additional cellular telephone records for the Sidney family. This request was made to seek access to EVERY cellular telephone call that was made by the family over a period of several years.

9. Payment history documenting each payment made to Renardo, Sr. under his consultant agreement and the sponsorship and supply agreeement.

10. Checkbook register carbon copies and canceled checks from "boarders who resided in the Sidney home and contributed to monthly rental payments."

Demands have been made that the family provide tax records for Sidney's maternal grandmother, maternal grandfather and maternal step-grandfather. The maternal grandfather is a retired automotive industry employee who made in the mid-six-figure income range. The maternal step-grandfather is a deputy sheriff and retired military serviceman.

Jackson said that the NCAA has put the burden of proof on the Sidney family without giving them a violation to defend. Why does he say that? Because he's convinced there are no violations. It will be interesting to see if the NCAA puts forth a violation or simply doesn't make a decision based on the circumstantial evidence.

The Bulldogs aren't worried about Sidney leaving at the end of the semester to go overseas since he's not that marketable at this juncture without any game competition.

• Kentucky coach John Calipari spent Sunday afternoon in Cancun, Mexico, thinking of ways to tinker with his lineup. The Wildcats have displayed shaky defense in two of their four games. Miami (Ohio) and Sam Houston State combined for 162 points and 33 3-pointers.

"It's the biggest team I've coached, including the New Jersey Nets," Calipari said by phone from Cancun, referring to his Wildcats. "We finally played some defense against Rider, shutting someone down. That's a very good Rider team [that beat Mississippi State]."

Calipari said the recent play of freshman forward Daniel Orton may mean more minutes for him in the lineup. Orton played only 10 minutes against Sam Houston and didn't score. But he played 23 against Rider and he put up 14 points and grabbed six boards.

"I may have to play Orton and DeMarcus Cousins together because Orton is playing so well," Calipari said. "I'm going to have to steal some minutes from somewhere."

The dilemma for Calipari is that he has to keep Patrick Patterson on the floor, so if he also has Cousins and Orton, that's quite a big lineup. Patterson can hit the face-up jumper or 3-pointer, which could mean he would be the more likely of the three players to be off the block.

Meanwhile, Calipari also may need to tweak his backcourt. Freshman John Wall isn't an issue with his 20.3 points and 7.3 assists (and 4.3 turnovers) average in three games. But suddenly fellow freshman Eric Bledsoe has to play sound fundamentally. Bledsoe has a team-high 22 turnovers (and 14 assists) in four games.

"They've been sloppy turnovers," Calipari said. "I told him he's got to raise the bar."

Calipari said he wants him to be aggressive, but without turning the ball over so much.

Kentucky plays Cleveland State in Cancun on Tuesday and then either Virginia or Stanford on Wednesday.

• I completely understand the new format of these tournaments that start on campus and then head to a neutral site. The Gazelle Group has it right by locking in the finalists, regardless of what happens on campus. It's somewhat of a bowl-like scenario for the organizer. The CBE Classic pits Texas and Iowa and Pitt versus Wichita State. Iowa lost to Duquesne and Texas-San Antonio. I'm not sure Iowa will bring a ton of fans to Kansas City, Mo., but it will be more than either of those two teams.

Locking in Syracuse, Cal, North Carolina and Ohio State avoided any kind of Gardner-Webb situation like the event had a few years ago with Kentucky. The NIT Season Tip-Off, run by the NCAA, would've been burned had Hofstra upset Connecticut. If that had happened, the coveted UConn-Duke final and a likely huge fan turnout at Madison Square Garden would not have occurred.

With that said, Gazelle misfired on the Legends Classic matchups. In order to ensure Michigan State played Florida, the game was set up as a semifinal Friday in Atlantic City, N.J. The other matchup is between Massachusetts and Rutgers, two teams that are struggling right now, losing home games to Cornell and Vermont, respectively. That's great to get MSU-Florida. But don't call this a tournament with a championship trophy. Whoever wins the MSU-Florida game should be handed the trophy, not who then goes on to beat UMass or Rutgers. There is no way either of those teams should be playing in a title game. In this instance, it's simply a round-robin tournament that shouldn't have a true champion.

Devin Ebanks' unexplained leave of absence for personal reasons is serious enough that West Virginia coach Bob Huggins won't even drop a hint at what his star sophomore player is going through, when he'll return or what the long-term effects are on the team.

Huggins has to be trusted on this one. He sounds genuine that the issue with Ebanks isn't for public consumption. Not everything is when it comes to deeply personal issues. And if his absence falls under that category, then he must be left alone.

Huggins said Friday afternoon he had no idea when Ebanks would be back. He wouldn't commit to Tuesday's game against The Citadel in Charleston, W.Va. He wouldn't say whether Ebanks would be with the Mountaineers in Anaheim, Calif., next week for the 76 Classic. He wouldn't confirm or deny that Ebanks was in Morgantown or back home in Long Island, N.Y.

The 6-9 Ebanks was one of the two main reasons for West Virginia being picked in the top two in the Big East. (The other was senior forward Da'Sean Butler.) Ebanks is coveted by NBA personnel as a possible first-round pick and would have had plenty of interest had he declared in June.

The Mountaineers have played only one game, a 23-point win over Loyola (Md). Butler scored 26 points, making 11 of 17 shots. Forward Kevin Jones scored 14. Huggins said forward Wellington Smith will certainly help as well. So, too, would John Flowers, who has been hampered by an ankle injury.

Point guard Darryl Bryant scored 15 in the first win and dished out five assists. But it's not the same team without Ebanks, not even close.

Apparently, this will be the norm for the Mountaineers this season. Joe Mazzulla has had to deal with rehab from his shoulder injury. Turkish center Deniz Kilicli was suspended for the first 20 games of the season because of amateurism issues. He'll be eligible to play for the Mountaineers on Feb. 3 against Pitt. Kilicli can't redshirt because the suspension has to be served before he can play. So if he were to sit he would then have to sit 20 next season. So he'll play and Huggins said he'll help quite a bit for those final 10 regular season games and into the postseason.

But how far the Mountaineers go will ultimately depend on Ebanks' availability. He averaged 10.5 points and 7.8 rebounds a game as a freshman. The 6-9 forward would likely do even more if he were playing right now.

But again, why Ebanks is out has to be treated with respect at this juncture. Huggins seems sincere that this is no joke. If that's the case, then Ebanks deserves space to figure out whatever is going on with him. If he can clear up his issues and return, then and only then, will we see the ultimate potential of West Virginia in the Big East and in the NCAA tournament.

NEW YORK -- The Cal we saw Thursday night was not the Cal we picked to win the Pac-10. No way.

No Theo Robertson or Harper Kamp means no chance for California to win the Pac-10, at least until those players are back from a stress reaction (Robertson) and a knee injury (Kamp).

"Those two guys, along with [then-senior] Jordan Wilkes were key guys for us last season," Cal coach Mike Montgomery said. "All of a sudden we're picked with all the hype."

The Golden Bears were the best 3-point-shooting team in the nation last season and did return Robertson, along with senior guards Jerome Randle and Patrick Christopher. Robertson was averaging 18 points in the first two games, but suddenly couldn't practice when the team got to New York because of his bum right foot. Kamp stayed back in Berkeley because he's not ready to consistently practice after offseason knee surgery.

"They're the glue," Montgomery said. "They're the best thinkers and the people that really know what's going on now."

Cal could never catch Syracuse on Thursday night at Madison Square Garden, losing 95-73 in the semifinals of the 2K Sports Classic benefiting Coaches vs. Cancer.

Randle said he assumed Robertson was going to play.

"Then I saw he wasn't going to suit up and saw him in a boot," Randle said. "We had to have a different mindset for the game."

Montgomery said the Bears will know about Robertson's situation when they return to Berkeley on Saturday after Friday's third-place game against Ohio State. He said Robertson was "really, really sore and there was no way we were going to risk it at this stage in the season." Montgomery said Robertson wore a boot to keep his foot from flexing and to isolate where the pain was on his foot.

As for Kamp, Montgomery noted that he'd been practicing well but can't string together a few in row without discomfort.

"He wants to get to the point where he can practice hard and play the next day," Montgomery said. "He doesn't want to play, sit out and then play again."

Against the Orange, Randle had to take on much more of the scoring load with 25 points on 17 shots. Christopher struggled against Syracuse's zone by going 6-of-20 from the field and 0-of-7 from the 3-point line. The Bears were forced to play some big men that haven't had as much time like 7-foot-4 Max Zhang and 6-9 freshman Bak Bak.

"We need Theo, we need Harper, but until we get them back we have to pick up the slack," Randle said. "Missing Theo or missing Harper, we still have to win."

Senior Jamal Boykin got more involved without Robertson and Kamp with 14 points on 12 shots. Foul issues (four) limited the effectiveness of starter Markhuri Sanders-Frison.

The good news for the Bears is that the rest of the Pac-10 is in a state of flux, too. Washington, the other preseason favorite, hasn't been challenged yet. But UCLA fell flat to Cal State-Fullerton, Oregon State dropped two of three at a tournament at Texas Tech, and it's hard to say how good Oregon or Arizona are just yet. The likelihood of Arizona State having staying power is probably unrealistic with such a young team.

"I don't know if Syracuse is a great gauge to say if we're any good," Montgomery said. "They're big and we're not. I knew the zone would be a problem, and they had a lot of run-outs on us."

• Ohio State junior guard Evan Turner started the season with a triple-double against Alcorn State with 17 points, 10 assists and 11 rebounds. He got his second triple-double of the season Thursday night against North Carolina -- although this one wasn't nearly as nice: 23 points, 11 rebounds and 10 turnovers.

"It was a rough night, obviously," Turner said after the 77-73 loss to the Tar Heels. "I just have to come out [Friday]. The game is over and I just have to make sure it never happens again. Sometimes I might have thought about the situation too much, whether I should shoot or pass, so I traveled here and there."

• The tournaments on the ESPN family of networks get plenty of pub. But there is one tourney not on ESPN's air that is flying too far under the radar. The Paradise Jam begins Friday in the Virgin Islands and could provide a stellar final four of its own this weekend.

If the seeds hold, the semifinals in this event could feature four teams that are destined for the NCAA tournament.

Tennessee, which needs to beat East Carolina in the first game, would match up against Northern Iowa in one semifinal, assuming the Missouri Valley Conference preseason favorite beats DePaul.

The Volunteers are coming off an otherworldly 124-49 win over UNC Asheville in which Scotty Hopson came out of his shell and scored 25 points.

The Panthers beat a solid Denver squad 71-65 in their opener with a balanced effort, led by Kwadzo Ahelegbe's 18 points and 13 from Adam Koch.

On the other side, assuming Purdue gets past South Dakota State (which upset Wyoming on the road last week), the Boilermakers could face Boston College. The Eagles have to fly past a Saint Joseph's team that opened up with wins over Drexel and Holy Cross. But BC gets suspended starters Rakim Sanders and Corey Raji back for the opener against the Hawks. Boston College found a new scorer in their absence, as senior Tyler Roche has gone for 30 and 19 in the two games. The Eagles already knew they had a stable set of guards in Reggie Jackson and Biko Paris.

Purdue will enter this tournament minus point guard Lewis Jackson, who is out indefinitely with a foot injury. Coach Matt Painter said he expects Kelsey Barlow to get more minutes in the rotation, even though Barlow doesn't play the same position. The Boilermakers will still lean on Keaton Grant at the point and have veteran leadership up front with Robbie Hummel, JaJuan Johnson and E'Twaun Moore with D.J. Byrd (13 ppg) and Chris Kramer (11 ppg) more than holding their own.

So don't sleep on this weekend's Paradise Jam. A final four in St. Thomas of Tennessee-Northern Iowa and Purdue-BC would probably be one of the better semifinals of any of these early-season events.

You can't stress enough how much John Thompson III has changed the culture of scheduling at Georgetown.

The Hoyas' opener at Tulane, a decent Conference USA team, was better than scheduling some weak 250-plus power-rating puff. Taking on reshuffling Temple, which is always a drain, was next on the schedule. Georgetown won both of those games.

On Saturday, the Hoyas will face a road game at Savannah State. Then it's a supposedly easy stretch of games against Lafayette, Mount St. Mary's and American at home before the brutal part of the schedule hits with Butler in New York at the Jimmy V, Washington at the Wooden Classic in Anaheim and home against CAA favorite Old Dominion. "I put this schedule together because I wanted this team to be tested,'' said JT3. His Hoyas were hot early last year (defeated Maryland in Orlando, Memphis at home and won at Connecticut), but they flamed out in the Big East by finishing with a 7-11 record.

"I wanted to see who we were,'' JT3 said. "It's not the normal opening stretch. What we didn't do at Tulane is better ourselves. The game against Temple was ugly as both teams played good defense. We had to hold on to win. I wanted to see how this team would handle adversity, grow from these situations and how they'd deal with it. This schedule is by design to give us adversity since that's the way our league works.''

What we learned about Georgetown against Temple is that sophomore center Greg Monroe can take over the game when he needs to -- which may be every time out.

Monroe deposited the winning bucket on a drive to the hoop. On the ensuing Temple possession, he snuffed out Luis Guzman's attempt at winning the game with 1.3 seconds left.

Monroe finished with 11 points and nine boards in the 46-45 victory over the Owls. "That's what we can expect,'' JT3 said of Monroe being the guy for the Hoyas on both ends of the court.

The Hoyas had to play defense for 35 seconds and had to be disciplined and patient as points were at a premium.

But that was against Temple. Now, if for some reason the Hoyas can't score more than 50 points when they're not as handcuffed, then there is an issue. Butler could pose that threat, but Washington won't. So, we'll learn more about the Hoyas in the coming weeks. That's something that might not be the case with other contenders in high-major leagues if they're not testing themselves like Georgetown is doing the first month.

• Gonzaga lost five games prior to the NCAA tournament last season. If Robert Sacre was healthy, the Zags may have lost only three.

That's Mark Few's opinion. The Gonzaga coach said Sacre's impact on last season's team, as a complimentary player to Josh Heytvelt, was understated. "People have selective memories,'' Few said Wednesday, following the Zags' near miss at Michigan State the previous night. "We rolled through Orlando last year with him when he was healthy. I really think there were a few games we wouldn't have lost with him last year. We had the counter punch to Heytvelt with him.''

Heytvelt is gone, but Sacre has returned and has more than held his own as the next Zag big man who can handle any assignment. Sacre scored 17 points, made 7 of 12 shots,and grabbed four boards in competing against the rotation of bigs for the Spartans. "He's always been a physical entity who has worked really hard,'' Few said. "The post moves come natural to him. He's a physical entity who we didn't have last year.''

Sacre is a third-year sophomore. German national Elias Harris is a 20-year old freshman. The two "experienced" and new fulltime players in the rotation are making this team seem less green next to senior guard Matt Bouldin. Harris was smooth in scoring 17 points, grabbing nine boards and making 6 of 16 shots against Michigan State. "He's as good as we have had,'' Few said of Harris. "He's a good, tough, hard-nosed competitive dude.''

This Gonzaga team isn't in the Top 25 and is not nearly as hyped as previous teams.

Yet, this one looked like it played harder and smarter than previous ones. I was down in Orlando last year, and that Zag team was more physical than Tennessee (which wasn't as great a claim to fame since last season's Vols team faded).

But the Zags' physicality at the Breslin Center was at another pitch. We'll see if they can sustain that next week in Maui, where they will be, along with Maryland and Vanderbilt, one of the favorites to win the Maui Invitational championship (I wouldn't count out Arizona or Cincinnati, either).

• After watching Butler's 67-54 win at depleted Northwestern, it's hard not seeing the Bulldogs as a legit Final Four contender. They don't get rattled, have veteran leadership and simply make shots. For the Wildcats, scoring is going to be a strain at times without Kevin Coble (out for the year with a foot injury).

• Yet another reason why I don't buy that NC State coach Sidney Lowe is in trouble: His recruiting class is No. 12.

• It's impressive that Cornell won at UMass with Ryan Wittman going 1-for-8 from the floor. The Big Red got a big night from Louis Dale (24 points) in the 74-61 win. Cornell has now won at Alabama and at UMass.

• Memphis coach Josh Pastner couldn't have been happier on Wednesday after his team's near miss against Kansas on Tuesday. Pastner said Elliot Williams has been a solid leader. That was clear in his performance against the Jayhawks. He led the Tigers by making -- and taking -- the big shots. Pastner said Williams' game-winning attempt was a great look. But the coach couldn't get over how much of a load Cole Aldrich was in the middle. If the Tigers are to be successful this season, they must use their speed and quickness to survive because they are depleted up front. It worked for all but one shot on Tuesday night.

• Rough start for Holy Cross' Sean Kearney. The Crusaders' two losses are against Harvard and Saint Joseph's, two teams that might be better than advertised.

• Some new stars emerged Tuesday:

• Michigan State's Durrell Summers: 21 points and 11 boards in win over Gonzaga.

• Elliot Williams as a dominant player, now with the Tigers instead of Blue Devils (21 points against Kansas).

• Louisville guard, and former Mississippi State transfer, Reginald Delk (20 points vs. Arkansas).

• Freshman Brandon Paul continues to lead Illinois (20 points vs. Northern Illinois).

• Boston College's Tyler Roche, who scored 30 in one game and 19 in the next, as the Eagles played the first two without three suspended players.

• Pitt's Ashton Gibbs (22 points vs. Binghamton), who led the Jamie Dixon-coached Under 19 team to Olympic gold in New Zealand.

• Iowa State's Lucca Staiger goes for 32 (including 10 3s) in a win over Drake. If Staiger is a scorer, then the Cyclones have three legit options on offense (including Craig Brackins and Marquis Gilstrap.

• Arizona State's Eric Boateng (21 points and 12 boards in a win over TCU).

• Xavier's Jordan Crawford, the former Indiana guard, scored 24 in a blowout win over Bowling Green.

• New Mexico's Phillip McDonald scored 27 in the win at New Mexico State.

• Iowa lost at home to Duquesne to fall to 0-2 in the CBE Classic (the Hawkeyes also lost to UT-San Antonio). It doesn't matter. Iowa is going to Kansas City next week to play Texas, while Wichita State plays Pitt in the semifinals.

Editor's note: Andy Katz doesn't sleep. And neither should you. In an attempt to keep college basketball's most dedicated reporter awake and active during our 24-hour Tip-Off Marathon, he (and some of his colleagues) will provide periodic updates from some of the action that you might have missed. All times are ET.

Updated: 1:12 a.m.

By Doug Gottlieb

Here are some final thoughts at the end of this wild marathon:

• Is it me, or is the whole setup at the Hall of Fame Classic strange? First, the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame is in Kansas City, Mo., not St. Louis. Anyone care to answer why the tournament was in the Lou? Secondly, how many sponsorships can be placed on one basketball floor? Reese's owned the paint, PNY had the coaching box, Bud Light, Spider Tech and O'Reilly Auto Parts all over the floor … wow.

• I am not sure what, if anything, Memphis was running on offense, but the Tigers spread you out, use their speed and quickness, and attack you. I also think Memphis is in great shape, whereas KU's point guard cramped up early and often by the second half.

• I was really impressed with the last offensive possession by Georgetown's Greg Monroe. He got outplayed by Lavoy Allen of Temple. Monroe could not even get a clear post-up position against the Temple guards on a switch on the next-to-last possession. But on the final possession, Monroe demanded the ball, pump-faked and drove to his right for the game-winning layup. Chad Ford wrote that Craig Brackins might have hurt his draft stock by coming back, but I would contend Monroe is the guy whose stock has fallen hardest since he destroyed Hasheem Thabeet last December in Storrs, Conn.

• I do not believe all is lost for the Bruins, but UCLA has not evaluated talent well enough in recent years. Granted, top recruit Tyler Honeycutt wasn't available during the double-overtime loss to Cal State Fullerton. But the Bruins shot 5-of-29 from the 3 against the Titans. That's not good. After three straight Final Fours, the drop-off is due to Jrue Holiday's leaving early and the staff's misjudgment of the West Coast talent it has missed on -- the Wear twins, Klay Thompson, Deon Thompson and Larry Drew II among others.

• In case you are wondering where Saint Mary's got another great guard, the answer is not Australia. Mickey McConnell is from Mesa, Ariz., by way of New Mexico. McConnell and ASU guard Ty Abbott were all set to play for the Lobos before UNM fired Ritchie McKay. Credit Randy Bennett and his staff yet again for finding a diamond in the rough. Oh, and how good was McConnell off the ball screen against the Aztecs? Wow. San Diego State has some talented parts, but that team was just crushed by the Gaels, who look like they will challenge Gonzaga and Portland in the WCC.

• Speaking of the Zags, was it me, or were they tougher and more physical than Michigan State for much of the game? Robert Sacre had a field day against the young bigs of Sparty. Kalin Lucas had great body control off the ball screens, and Durrell Summers took his game to another level. Still, I walked away impressed by the new-look Zags.

• Lucca Staiger hit 10 3s as Iowa State pummeled Drake by 20 on Tuesday night. I know it was not a Tip-Off Marathon game, but with Iowa a complete disaster (a home loss to Texas-San Antonio followed by another to a Duquesne team without its best player), it looks like ISU and Northern Iowa are set to clash as undefeated teams Dec. 2 at the Hilton Coliseum. Staiger played with both the A and B teams of the German national team, and Iowa State coach Greg McDermott told me that the junior guard looks lighter on his feet and much sharper due to all the hoops he played this summer.

Updated: 10:29 p.m.

By Dana O'Neil

ST. LOUIS -- Finally the ball went up.

That, perhaps, was the best news for Rick Pitino and John Pelphrey.

Both welcomed the tweet of the whistle to start a new season, hoping basketball would be the elixir to erase a troubling offseason. The balm worked better for Pitino, to the tune of a 96-66 drubbing, but there is surely something reassuring in just coaching the game.

Pitino and Pelphrey are digging out from under the rubble of shame, although for completely different reasons: Pitino's wound is self-inflicted, the result of a ridiculously foolish dalliance in a Louisville restaurant. Pelphrey, too, made a choice, opting to suspend five players just before the season started. But he did it because he is trying to build a culture in Arkansas not just a team. To do that, he knows, sometimes baskets and winning have to take a backseat to principle and discipline.

"I've been very fortunate to have been around great coaches and to have two great parents," Pelphrey said. "Those people believe some of the greatest acts of caring for somebody else is to discipline them. I want all of our fans and our recruits to understand, if you come to Arkansas, you're going to get coached, you're going to get mentored, all that looking after, but you're also going to get people who care enough to tell you when you're doing wrong. That's our job."

Technically, coaching is their job, and in that there is relief. Pitino still has a pending appearance on the witness stand as part of a federal trial against Karen Sypher, the woman accused of extorting him, and visits to opposing gyms where hostile and nasty crowds surely await.

But at least between the lines Pitino can find the cure. The Cardinals are the sort of team the coach loves. They aren't great yet, but the potential is there. It showed up and disappeared in frustrating flashes against the Razorbacks, but it's there. Louisville hit nine of 20 3s over Arkansas' zone in the first half, then went stone cold to start the second, letting the Hogs back in with a 14-0 run. But there was no panic, a big sign for a fairly young team.

If Louisville learns to play defense, it could become the quintessential Pitino team: ugly in December, terrifying come March.

"We're going to be a team of runs," Pitino said. "The passing, the pressing and the shooting are terrific. The defense is going to catch up."

Unfortunately for Pelphrey, the same salve probably won't come anytime soon for him. He is down to eight players, including Brandon Mitchell, a backup QB on loan from the football team, and Stephen Cox, a golfer turned hoopster.

Help comes back in the way of freshman Glenn Bryant in the next game and Marcus Britt after four more. But Courtney Fortson and Stefan Welsh, the two best returning players, are gone indefinitely.

But if Pelphrey knows anything, it's that hard times don't last forever. He started his playing career on a Kentucky team mired in embarrassment, arriving in Lexington on the heels of NCAA probation.

Today, his jersey hangs in the Rupp Arena rafters, where he is one of the "Unforgettables," the players who launched Kentucky back into national prominence.

"We know exactly what we're up against," Pelphrey said. "My whole thing has always been, both as a player and a coach, that who shows up to the ballpark with their uniform on, that's who we're going with. We're not making excuses. We're not worried about what we don't have. This is our opportunity."

Updated: 3:55 p.m.

Rider struck first for the MAAC, beating Mississippi State.

Saint Peter's and Niagara had near misses against Seton Hall and Auburn, respectively. Both won, as expected, earlier Tuesday at home against Monmouth and Drexel.

But if the MAAC is to be the multiple-bid league that the rest of the members anticipate then the top-rated team in Siena had to deliver.

The Saints were down 20-6 early to Northeastern and it looked like they were destined for an early-season flame out like a year ago when they whiffed on three chances in Orlando at the Old Spice Classic. Siena recovered to win an NCAA tournament first-round game for the second consecutive season, but they had to re-earn the trust of the college basketball populous.

"It is important to keep our name out there to show that you deserve what everybody is saying about you," Siena coach Fran McCaffery said after the Saints came back to beat Northeastern, 59-53, Tuesday in Albany, N.Y. "We're getting votes in the 25-26 range for the Top 25. We have to win to prove we belong, but we can't become obsessed with that."

McCaffery said the Saints still need to develop a bench that is inexperienced if they're going to make another March run.

"It's a long season and we have to win games like this," McCaffery said.

The Saints play at Temple, St. John's and Georgia Tech in the next three weeks and go to Northern Iowa on Dec. 12.

Having Rider, Saint Peter's and Niagara playing well early is only going to benefit Siena if the power-rating is up.

"I know how good the players in this league are," McCaffery said. "I know how difficult it was to go 16-2 [in conference play last season]. We're going to have to rev it up every night in this league. Our conference RPI is going to go way up and it will take the pressure off."

Updated: 3:30 p.m.

Memphis coach Josh Pastner is feeling no pressure going into a matchup against top-ranked Kansas on Tuesday night in St. Louis.

Why? Pastner is giddy over the conclusion of what might turn out to be the top recruiting class in the country. Ames, Iowa, forward Harrison Barnes, who chose North Carolina, is the top player but the deepest class might go to the Tigers with seven newcomers all in the top 62 in the ESPNU top 100:

Will Barton (No. 1 SG), Brewster Academy (N.H.)

Joe Jackson (No. 5 PG), White Station HS (Tenn)

Jelan Kendrick (No. 4 SG), Wheeler High (Ga.)

Tarik Black (No. 14 PF), Ridgeway HS (Tenn.)

Chris Crawford (No. 34 SG), Sheffield HS (Tenn.)

Hippolyte Tsafack (No. 41 PF), The Miller School (Va.)

Antonio Barton (No. 62 PG), Notre Dame Prep (Mass.)

"All the credit goes to the assistant coaches," Pastner said hours before Tuesday's tipoff. "The current players and the fans did a great job. They all made them feel comfortable."

While Pastner doesn't have even close to the same team that John Calipari had the past few seasons, the Memphis coach needs the Tigers to play just as hard as past teams to have a chance. Duke transfer Elliot Williams must be large for the Tigers to be in the game.

"We know Kansas is really good and they've got pros at a lot of positions. It's going to be a tough matchup for anyone."

Pastner said he is humbled by the opportunity to coach Memphis and is appreciative of the opportunity. And he knows everyone will be watching him Tuesday night.

"I can only be me," Pastner said. "I learned from the best in Hall of Famers Lute Olson and [possible future HOFer] John Calipari and spent a year with Kevin O'Neill [during an interim season Arizona]. I've taken all this stuff and I'll be Josh Pastner. All of this happened so fast since I got the job that I've just been in survival mode. I've just tried to keep the unit together."

How much he has will be on display against the Jayhawks.

Updated: 3:25 p.m.

How much can you read into Clemson's dominating performances against Presbyterian and Liberty?

What you can tell is that Clemson is willing to test itself with a road game at a Big South school, and there will be more like that to come when the Tigers play at UNC Greensboro before three games in Anaheim, Calif., at the 76 Classic next week.

Awaiting Clemson on the return is Illinois and South Carolina.

Criticizing this Clemson team for a soft slate isn't applicable. Not with the Tigers playing Texas A&M in Anaheim and the possibility of a game against West Virginia in the semifinals.

"I just think it helps us," Tigers coach Oliver Purnell said. "We're going to have to play on the road and go through adversity and in hostile environments. Our freshmen needed to see what it was like and have to settle down a bit ... so that the next time the type of situation won't be a big deal."

Clemson forced Liberty into 28 turnovers, a stable of previous Tigers' teams that Purnell said should continue.

"There's no question that we can be a better pressing team and create more pressure and defend the drive better," Purnell said.

The Tigers also needed to get freshman Noel Johnson into positions of duress to see how he responded. Johnson went 2-of-7 against the Flames.

"He's learning that on certain nights the shots won't go in," Purnell said. "We've got to be tough defensively, whether you make shots or not."

Clemson will learn a lot about how much of an ACC contender it will be over the next two weeks. Taking a road game to a Big South school was the first step.

Updated: 11:55 a.m.

Niagara coach Joe Mihalich is still a bit flustered by the Purple Eagles' letting a true SEC road win slip away at Auburn on Friday night.

Beating Drexel early Tuesday morning took away some of the sting, but Friday's missed opportunity will linger. The Purple Eagles will have to find a different way to stand out come March if they're in the mix. They're expected to contend with Siena and Rider (and who knows, maybe Saint Peter's) for the MAAC title.

Niagara won't play another game against a power-six school this season.

"We're going to have to win a lot of road games," Mihalich said after Niagara's 76-69 victory over Drexel in a game that tipped off at 8 a.m. in upstate New York.

"We led the country in road wins last season," Mihalich said. "We can't get teams to come up here and play us. If we take care of business, we could have a good RPI."

Niagara plays 16 games away from home, including MAAC games. So far, the Purple Eagles' road record is 0-1.

"Last year we finished with an RPI of 49, and we tried to do the same thing," said Mihalich, whose Purple Eagles lost to Siena in the MAAC tournament title game in Albany last season. "Shame on us for not taking care of business against Auburn, because that would have been two wins against SEC teams on the road [after Rider beat Mississippi State] for our league. We have a good league. We don't have to apologize to anyone."

Updated: 9:25 a.m.

Saint Peter's coach John Dunne walked into the locker room at Yanitelli Center at 4:15 a.m. with trepidation.

He had no idea if he would find his players there, let alone if they would be awake and not slumped over in their chairs, dozing off.

Instead, the Peacocks were dancing to music.

"I was like, 'Oh my god, if they're this hyped at 4:30 a.m., what are they going to be like at 7:30 a.m.? They'll be wiped,'" Dunne said. "I was actually concerned about it. But the home game helped and having our crowd there. It just kept our guys energy home. We don't get on ESPN a lot."

Saint Peter's thrived in the 6 a.m. start, dominating Monmouth from the outset and blistering the Hawks 58-34 early Tuesday.

The Peacocks were coming off a buzzer-beating loss at Seton Hall.

"That's two games in a row where we've been pretty locked in defensively and on the glass," Dunne said. "But we're turning the ball over too much."

Dunne already had a full day before 9 a.m. He said he was going to stick out watching fellow MAAC schools Niagara (against Drexel) and Siena (against Northeastern at noon) and then head home.

But the recent run by the MAAC -- the near miss by St. Pete's, Rider's win over Mississippi State, Niagara's late loss to Auburn -- should prove the depth of the conference. Siena hasn't been tested yet, and the Saints are the favorite.

"The Rider win was no fluke," Dunne said. "They're really good. I'm feeling really good about our league right now."

Updated: 6:32 a.m.

• Let's play a November game of "what if?"

What if Saint Mary's knocks off Vanderbilt on Friday night?

What would you think of the Gaels then?

Well, Saint Mary's coach Randy Bennett doesn't necessarily need a win over the Commodores on their way to the Maui Invitational to believe in his squad. Beating New Mexico State by 32 in the season opener and then dominating San Diego State 80-58 early Tuesday morning has served notice that the Gaels aren't going anywhere in the WCC.

Saint Mary's is a potential threat to Gonzaga and Portland, even though the Gaels were overlooked as a WCC title contender after the departures of Patty Mills to the NBA and senior forward Diamon Simpson.

"You never know what's going to happen, and so far we're doing a good job," Bennett said by phone as he was about to get into a postgame hot tub to relax in the wee hours early Tuesday morning.

"I thought the first three games were risky, but they were also great opportunities for us," Bennett said. "New Mexico State is going to be good once it has its full team. They'll compete in the WAC. San Diego State will compete in the Mountain West once they figure out how to play together. Vanderbilt returns 14 players from last year. They're real good, a great test for us. But these wins [so far] will have shelf life for us at the end of the season when they look at our résumé. They'll see we're trying to play some teams."

What's even more unique is that Saint Mary's is getting quality home games in Moraga. The Gaels will also get a shot to win two quality road games when they play at Utah State on Dec. 5 and at Oregon on Dec. 12 in consecutive games.

"I've been impressed with what we've done so far," Bennett said. "We've got pride here. These players think they're good and want to be a part of a good program, not just what Patty and Diamon did."

The key for the Gaels may be point guard Mickey McConnell and big man Omar Samhan. McConnell, who is replacing Mills, made six 3s against the Aztecs. He keyed a 22-4 run. Australian newcomer Matthew Dellavedova is only going to become more important to the Gaels as the season continues, but if McConnell is the leader then this team has a shot.

Bennett said McConnell played well on a summer tour of Australia and gained confidence and respect.

"As long as Patty was here and ahead of him, Mickey wasn't going to feel like he was the starting point guard or that this was his team," Bennett said. "He was playing a smaller role and he was OK with that and never complained. But he knew he had to step up and be a leader. He knew this was his deal."

Samhan is a load inside, and while it seemed like he needed Simpson to flourish, Samhan held his own against the Aztecs' active frontcourt with 12 boards in the first half. Samhan finished with 16 boards and 17 points while McConnell scored 24 and Dellavedova scored 17. The Gaels outrebounded the Aztecs 40-36, too.

"Last year, there were times when Omar was our most important player because he's such a low-post presence," Bennett said. "He's turned into a good defender and can do a lot of things for us."

Samhan is now playing off Ben Allen instead of Simpson. The Gaels' frontcourt might be better overall facing the basket this season.

The diversity in scoring is in place, and if the Gaels can board and defend, they will be a player in the WCC race. And yes, if they can beat the Dores, they can be a possible NCAA at-large team in a season when they weren't supposed to be in the conversation. They were a game or two short last year after Mills broke his hand. How upside-down would it be if the Gaels made it in 2010 and not 2009?

Updated: 4:25 a.m.

Monmouth coach Dave Calloway got up at 2 a.m., roughly four-plus hours after he finally got to sleep.

"I can honestly say I've gotten home more times in my life at that hour than gotten up at that time," Calloway said as the Monmouth bus was getting closer to St. Peter's Jersey City campus for this morning's 6 a.m. tipoff.

Calloway tried to ensure that his players stayed busy Monday with a morning practice, an appearance at a men's soccer selection show for the NCAA tournament and a women's basketball game.

"I didn't want them sleeping all day," Calloway said.

It must have worked. Calloway said the team was all smiles as they boarded the bus this morning. He said the players ate some bagels and fruit and have been hanging out on the bus, some taking a cat nap and others listening to music.

How much sleep did they get? Calloway is guessing no more than four to five hours.

"I think this will be a lot more fun than running sprints at 6 a.m.," Calloway said.

That seemed to be the prevailing theme at St. Peter's, too. Coach John Dunne pulled into the parking garage at 4 a.m. after getting up at 3:30 a.m. He said he went to bed at 10 p.m.

A light continental breakfast of bagels and fruit awaited the players in the locker room. The team practiced at 8:30 a.m. Monday to get them ready for the early tipoff.

"I figured that would be early enough," Dunne said. "I didn't want to crush them too much."

St. Peter's has embraced the early tip time by offering up free tuition to someone who can make a half-court shot at halftime. Dunne said he anticipates a strong student turnout.

St. Pete's lost to Seton Hall in its opener on a buzzer-beater. Monmouth lost to the Pirates by 15.

"I feel good about us being extremely competitive this season," Dunne said. "I feel good about our potential and what we can become."

Updated: 4:01 a.m.

• Cal State Fullerton coach Bob Burton said he is indebted to Ben Howland for giving the Titans a game to tip off the hoops marathon.

The Titans wanted to play on ESPN. Howland made it happen.

"I know the only reason we were on ESPN was to play UCLA," Burton said by phone as he was heading back to campus on the team bus after the Titans' double-overtime 68-65 victory early Tuesday morning at Pauley Pavilion.

"I feel bad for Ben," Burton said. "We've been talking about four times a week. I don't think I'll talk to him for a few days."

Burton knew this was the perfect time to play UCLA since the Bruins were hit hard by injuries during practice, and given the inexperience on the roster due to the departure of three key seniors as well as freshman Jrue Holiday to the NBA.

"I didn't know how this would play out," Burton said.

Burton said he knew the Titans couldn't play UCLA man-to-man. So he went zone and the Bruins shot just 5-of-29 on 3s.

"I was hoping they wouldn't make shots and they didn't," Burton said. "I think our zone defense will be pretty good. It's an advantage to play zone because not many teams are ready for it at this point."

Still, Fullerton was picked seventh in the Big West -- a league that may be undervalued if Fullerton is legit.

"There's so much balance in the Big West," Burton said. "We feel we've got a chance to be real competitive. I didn't know where our team was. But I think people will pay attention to us now. This is a great win for us. Maybe we are better than seventh."

A lot of that has to do with the combination of guard Jacques Streeter and big man Bryce Webster, who grabbed 14 boards. Streeter was 2-of-10, but he made a huge 3-pointer. He also drew a critical foul late.

"He's got a chance to be really good," Burton said. "Once he figures out how to play at a fast speed, he's got a chance to be really good. We cleared it out for him on that drive late and he got fouled and knocked down free throws."

Webster was a find for Fullerton. He originally signed with Dan Monson at Minnesota, but once Monson was out, so too was Webster. Burton said Webster was slated to go to Utah State but something fell through there, too.

"He hasn't played in a year, but I was amazed how well he played," Burton said. "He'll be a dominant guy for us on the boards. He made a big difference for us."

Fullerton isn't going to recruit against UCLA, but there is a pride factor in SoCal that now rests with the Titans after knocking off UCLA for the first time in nine tries in the history of the meetings between the two schools.

"It's going to be huge for us on all stages," Burton said. "Ben [Howland] knew this could happen. I'm happy we won, but I feel for him. I hope the publicity we get out of this is great. Kicking off this whole thing and being able to do this is really exciting for us."

Let's assume Mississippi State will be fine and win the SEC West and earn at the very least an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament.

If that happens, come March, Rider will have a true road win at an NCAA-bound SEC team.

Remember that. Rider's 88-74 win Friday in Starkville, despite being so early in the season, will have shelf life for the next four months.

The Broncs aren't done, either. If they don't slip where they're not supposed to (like, say, against Lehigh on Monday night) and possibly steal a road game Thursday at Virginia, even if they lose Saturday at Kentucky, they already will have done a lot to keep them in the at-large discussion come March. All this might sound a bit premature in November, but it's not that far fetched, especially if the MAAC continues to be as strong as it is showing so far.

Siena should be in the top 25 or 30 this season, and splitting with the Saints during the conference slate would do wonders for Rider's profile. Auburn, a lower-level SEC West team, needed an 11-0 run to beat fellow MAAC favorite Niagara on Friday. Siena and Niagara will have to be outstanding this season for the league's power rating to be high enough for Rider to look good in comparison if it were to split the games with them.

Rider coach Tommy Dempsey is well aware the MAAC tournament is in Albany, N.Y., giving Siena a decided advantage. Getting to that game is a long way away, though. But being in that game with quality wins would put Rider in a better position with easily the best nonconference road schedule of any of the MAAC contenders (Siena plays at Georgia Tech, but Niagara doesn't have another power-six road game).

"If you get to that championship Monday, you could be in a position to talk about two teams from the MAAC as the profile of the league continues to get better," Dempsey said. "I know it's early talking about this, but we knew that we had a chance this year to have a special year. We don't want this to come down to just one weekend in March."

Dempsey made it clear that Friday night's win at Mississippi State wasn't close.

"We didn't only win the game; at the last media timeout, we emptied the place out," Dempsey said. "We controlled the game. Now, when you see that -- and you don't want to get ahead of yourself -- but you start to think that maybe this team is special. We have a special player, and we're a good, big, physical, athletic team that can shoot the ball well. We have a lot of ingredients."

Rider isn't just Ryan Thompson, either. The younger brother of current Sacramento Kings center and former Rider star Jason Thompson scored 16 points in the win over the Bulldogs. Dempsey said Thompson had a lot of "hockey" assists -- the type of play that helps set up the pass that leads to the basket. Having both Mike Ringgold and Novar Gadson go for 21 points with Justin Robinson adding 15 was significant for the Broncs. The Broncs made 10 of 16 3s and committed just six turnovers. More importantly, they were not intimidated by Bulldogs center Jarvis Varnado (seven blocks) and limited the Bulldogs to 37 percent shooting on 3s (10-of-27) while beating them on the boards (36-34). All were major reasons for joy in Lawrenceville, N.J.

"[Thompson's] still the guy, and he's the one that takes pressure off everybody else," Dempsey said. "We do have that special player. Having him out there changes everybody else's space. He's drawing two or more when he has the ball."

Rider does have a brutal slate with games that won't be easy against Saint Joseph's at home and surging La Salle in the next few weeks before a six-game road trip from Dec. 12 to Jan. 4 that includes a rivalry game against Big East neighbor Rutgers.

"We'll need Mississippi State to go and have a great year," Dempsey said. "When [Renardo] Sidney and [John] Riek get eligible, they're only going to get better. Kentucky will be a great RPI game no matter what happens. La Salle is going to have a good year. We need a lot of things to fall into place."

Rider hasn't made the NCAA tournament since 1994.

"You've got to start somewhere," Dempsey said. "We sit here at 1-0 with an SEC-ranked road win on our résumé. That's as good a place to start as you can have."

• Seton Hall coach Bobby Gonzalez froze as Eugene Harvey's buzzer-beating shot was leaving his hand.

"Time stopped," Gonzalez said. "I looked at the ball and said, 'Oh my God, there's a chance it will go in,' and it went in. It was one of those things that may help carry us this season."

Harvey's 28-footer allowed the Pirates to beat St. Peter's 53-51 on Friday night in their season opener. Had Harvey's shot not gone in and the result went the other way, it could have had disastrous consequences. The Pirates already were reeling a bit from Keon Lawrence's being suspended after he was charged with driving under the influence and driving with a suspended license. Losing to St. Peter's at home would have dented the Pirates' preseason good vibes with their fan base.

Seton Hall still has a tough nonconference matchup this coming Friday at Cornell in a game that looks more dangerous after the Big Red won at Alabama.

"We got lucky," Gonzalez said. "I told Eugene to drive, and then he pumps and launches up that shot. If you lose, then everybody brings that back up in your face. You lose that game, and you might not recover from it. People don't understand how tough our next game is with Cornell. They're a top-25 team. They're really good."

Gonzalez said the Pirates' confidence and momentum would have been stifled with a loss to St. Peter's. He said New Mexico State transfer Herb Pope showed serious signs of rust in the first game, scoring just six points, but showed progress in a win over Monmouth on Sunday with 15 points and 17 boards. Jeremy Hazell's breakthrough game in the Monmouth win with 26 points also was a major plus.

Still, the Pirates won't be the same until a decision is made on Lawrence. He was scheduled to get 18 to 20 stitches removed from the inside of his lip after he drove the wrong way on the Garden State Parkway in New Jersey in the early hours of Nov. 9 and his car collided with another. Luckily, no one in the crash suffered life-threatening injuries. Lawrence's legal issues have to be sorted through before a decision can be made on his reinstatement.

Gonzales said Memphis transfer Jeff Robinson will be eligible in a few weeks.

• The Illinois coaches aren't hiding their glee now that they have returned to the talent level they had in 2005. It's still early, and no one is ready to predict that Brandon Paul and D.J. Richardson can duplicate what Dee Brown and Deron Williams did for the Illini. But to see the freshmen race up the court has brought some flashbacks for the staff.

"Paul is so athletic, and if we can get him to go hard, he'll be really good," Illinois coach Bruce Weber said. "He's like Dwyane Wade; he's so athletic and has that shot fake. He can go from the 3-point line with one dribble and lay it in. D.J. goes hard all the time."

Weber said the Illini need guard Demetri McCamey (who Weber said is the true point guard on the team) to play well for the Illini to win. And having Mike Tisdale and Mike Davis complement the guards is a must. The latter two were the key players last season, and after one game, the Illini already leaned heavily on the freshmen. Paul scored 22 and Richardson 14 in the Illini's season-opening win over Southern Illinois-Edwardsville.

"Our coaches were saying that's the best we've played," Weber said. "I know it was SIU-Edwardsville, but that was the best we've played in a long time both physically and athletically. Our juniors have to play well for us. McCamey has to be the consistent guy for us."

The Illini remain my Big Ten sleeper to cause fits near the top of the conference.

• A few quick hitters from the weekend:

• Washington's Isaiah Thomas might lead the Pac-10 in scoring. He was averaging 24.6 points after three games.

• Iowa State beat Chicago State by 22 points Sunday with Marquis Gilstrap and Craig Brackins going a combined 4-of-23. That's a good sign.

• West Virginia better get Devin Ebanks back from his personal leave, or the Mountaineers won't win the 76 Classic in Anaheim, Calif.

• Wake Forest's Ishmael Smith is a more than capable point for the Demon Deacons with his solid 14-point, four-assist and one-turnover performance in a win over East Carolina.

• Tulsa isn't about just Jerome Jordan. Wing Ben Uzoh was stellar with 20 points, making 13 of 14 free throws in a win over Florida International.

• Hartford is a better team this season than the one that won just two games in the America East last season after the Hawks lost to Baylor at the buzzer. But I'm not sure what that says about the Bears. (I know Tweety Carter didn't play due to a suspension.)

• Love it when the first weekend produces studs who weren't discussed in the preseason like Eastern Michigan's Brandon Bowdry, who scored 26 points and grabbed 13 boards in the Eagles' season-opening win over Oakland.

• La Salle has a rookie stud in Aaric Murray, who started his career with 16 points and 11 boards in a win over Hampton.

• There already have been two triple-doubles in the Big Ten. Ohio State's Evan Turner had the first, and Michigan's Manny Harris had the second.

• Cornell will win a first-round NCAA tournament game. Did I just write that? That's just my feeling after one game, with the Big Red's road win at Alabama and Ryan Wittman's making five 3s.

• Dayton has the Atlantic 10 player of the year in Chris Wright (25 in the Flyers' win over Creighton). That shouldn't come as a shock.

• Rotnei Clarke. Can he keep up this pace? No way. But scoring 51 points and making 13 3s will be hard to beat this season.

• Idaho won at Utah for the first time since 1938.

• How important was Elliot Williams' transfer from Duke to Memphis? He led the Tigers in scoring in their opening win with 19 points.

• Eric Bledsoe will be a star for Kentucky this season. That means the Wildcats will have three of them: John Wall, Patrick Patterson and Bledsoe.

• OK, can everyone now see why Kansas is even better with Xavier Henry? He scored 27 in his first game.

• Michigan State coach Tom Izzo kept saying how much he needed a post player to rebound this season. He found one in Derrick Nix, who proudly shed 50 pounds to get down to 280 and grabbed 14 boards.

• Boston College's Tyler Roche scored 30 after the Eagles suspended three players -- Rakim Sanders, Cortney Dunn and Corey Raji -- for the first two games. Roche has never been more than a role player for the Eagles but finally let the game come to him.

• Bradley lost to BYU and then beat Idaho State. But the Braves found out that senior guard Dodie Dunson, who was the third-leading scorer last season with 10.1 points a game, is out for the season with two broken bones in his left forearm.

• Wichita State already is 1-0 without leading scorer senior guard Clevin Hannah, who was suspended for the first three games because he wasn't properly certified last season. The error was deemed to be administrative. That's too bad for the Shockers. Hannah misses the Arkansas-Moticello game and will have to sit out the CBE semifinal against Pitt in Kansas City, a game the Shockers would (and maybe still can) have a shot at winning.

• The word of the weekend? Jackrabbits. Love the nickname. South Dakota State won at Wyoming for a significant Summit League victory over the Mountain West.

LEXINGTON, Ky. -- As John Wall ran up court during Friday's shootaround at the University of Kentucky's Craft Center, an NBA scout turned to me and said he wasn't going to write up a report.

There is no need, the scout said, since all Wall needs to work on is his shooting. That's it.

Eric Bledsoe, who showed no signs of an ankle injury that kept him out of an exhibition game last week, took the next drill and raced upcourt to finish a play.

A scout to my left turned, rolled his eyes and smirked about Bledsoe's speed, as well.

Fast-forward to Friday night at Rupp Arena. Wall was in a blue sweat suit, sitting out the final game of his two-game NCAA suspension for extra benefits totaling nearly $800 (unrelated to his Kentucky enrollment), and Bledsoe was running the point for 37 minutes in Kentucky's 75-59 season-opening win over Morehead State.

What the Big Blue Nation saw with Bledsoe was only half as good as it'll get once Wall is cleared to play for Monday's second game, against Miami (Ohio). What they'll see is a lightning-quick guard tandem that will be extremely difficult to catch.

Bledsoe finished with 24 points against the Eagles, making 7 of 14 shots from the field and 9 of 10 from the free throw line. He dished out four assists and had seven of UK's 24 turnovers.

"It will be people just running back and forth, back and forth," said Kentucky junior forward Patrick Patterson of what it will be like to play with the freshman backcourt of Wall and Bledsoe. "People will get winded from trying to chase them down. We'll get layups and dunks. It's going to be pretty much a show."

John Calipari, coaching in his first regular-season game for Big Blue, didn't mince words about who will start once Wall is back.

"Eric Bledsoe will start, duh," Calipari said. "John Wall will start, and Patrick Patterson will start."

Calipari said the other two spots are still open for competition, but those three shoo-ins he rattled off are three players who will garner national attention all season. The backcourt alone is going to be a heck of a lot to fun to watch. There are plenty of great guards in the SEC, including Ole Miss' Terrico White and Chris Warren and South Carolina's Devan Downey, but it might be hard to put together a quicker backcourt than Bledsoe and Wall.

Bledsoe said Friday that he felt some pressure to play, score and stay on the court without Wall available. He was fretting about his ankle, too. That didn't seem to be an issue when he had an athletic block on a shot from behind or when he made an acrobatic layup as he was falling down that surely will be the top highlight of the first full night of college hoops. Bledsoe is, as one scout described, a Kyle Lowry type of player, a piston of a man who powered his way to the basket Friday, taking the contact and finishing.

"Nobody can stop me from playing," Bledsoe said. "Coach told me to push it. I could see they were getting tired and fatigued so I pushed it."

When Wall is on the court Monday and beyond, Bledsoe said that whoever has the ball will push it and that he and Wall will be in attack mode at all times.

Calipari said he's hoping the rest of the players start to fully understand the commitment they'll need, especially on the boards and rebounding. He didn't hesitate to call out those who didn't play well. But it was easy to praise Bledsoe.

"I love him. I love his courage on the floor," Calipari said. "I think he's a very intelligent player, even though he had seven turnovers without John Wall on the floor and I tried to play him every minute. What I expect from him is six and two, that is six assists and two turnovers and 10, 12 or 15 points a game. What about the blocked shots he made with one ankle? He blocked guys with one ankle."

Yes, it was quite something. Morehead State zoned, and Calipari said he expects more teams to do that. He said there will be plenty of sagging defenses, too, to force the Cats to shoot. Kentucky made just 4 of 19 3s; that could be an ongoing problem. But scoring won't be the issue if Bledsoe and Wall push the ball and find Patterson (20 points and 12 boards) in the post. The issue will be defending and rebounding.

But if there was any uncertainty about what Bledsoe's role would be once Wall signed, that should be erased from the memory. Bledsoe is here to stay in the starting lineup and will be a major player in this team's future.

"He's just a gamer," Calipari said. "I said to the team, 'Who on this team takes the game winner and knows it's going in?' and I pointed to Eric. Some guys hope it goes in, and he knows it's going to go in. One of the guys said to me, 'He's tired' and I said, 'I know, but he's better than most guys that are fresh, so I'll leave him in.'"

A few teams have gotten a head start on the action, but for most of the country, this weekend marks the official beginning of the new season. The slate of games doesn't move the meter much, but there is significance with a number of tipoffs this weekend.

Friday

Morehead State at Kentucky (ESPNU, 6:30 ET): UK won't have star freshman John Wall (serving the second of his two-game NCAA suspension) during the debut of of the John Calipari era in Lexington. But the rest of the Wildcats' heralded freshmen class will be on display, including DeMarcus Cousins, Daniel Orton, Darnell Dodson, Eric Bledsoe and Jon Hood. Perhaps more important for Kentucky will be whether potential SEC Player of the Year Patrick Patterson can prove himself to be a leader of this crew. Expect the atmosphere to be rocking from the opening tip.

Wright State at Washington: Coaches in the Horizon League expect Wright State to challenge Butler for the league title. The Raiders have experienced guards in Vaughn Duggins and Todd Brown to mess with Washington's backcourt, which includes heralded newcomer Abdul Gaddy, Isaiah Thomas and Venoy Overton. With Jon Brockman gone, how well Quincy Pondexter rebounds in this first game could determine not just this outcome but the Huskies' season going forward.

Rider at Mississippi State: Renardo Sidney won't play since he hasn't been cleared to compete for Mississippi State. But that shouldn't slow down the best shot-blocker in the country, Jarvis Varnado. How well the Bulldogs contain Rider's Ryan Thompson, perhaps the best player in the MAAC, could determine this outcome. And while the Bulldogs' frontcourt gets a lot of play, this is a huge test for guards Dee Bost, Barry Stewart and Ravern Johnson.

Harvard at Holy Cross: The Crusaders have their best team in years under new coach Sean Kearney. Harvard has one of the more underrated guards in Jeremy Lin. This is a game the Crusaders should win but one that Harvard could make quite interesting. If the Crimson hope to do something in the Ivy this season, a win in Worcester would be a telling sign.

Drexel at Saint Joseph's: Former Saint Joseph's guard Bruiser Flint, now the head coach at Drexel, agreed to be the first opponent at the Hawks' new digs at Hagan Arena. This is a long time coming for one of the more storied programs on the East Coast. Saint Joseph's coach Phil Martelli has worked tirelessly under what would be deemed squatter-like conditions in the higher-major Division I college basketball world.

Bradley at BYU: This is the first game in the new Missouri Valley/Mountain West Conference challenge to get the two conferences some early-season buzz as well as help out in scheduling. But the most significant aspect of this game is that BYU coach Dave Rose will be on the sidelines. Rose got a second shot at life when his rare form of a pancreatic tumor was surgically removed and he received a clear cancer scan in September. Everyone should celebrate Rose standing along the sideline at the Marriott Center. His presence and the Cougars' core returning talent make BYU the MWC favorite again.

Northern Illinois at Northwestern: The Wildcats open the season after the disappointing news that senior forward Kevin Coble is out for possibly a month with a sprained left foot. Northwestern still has the talent to survive this hit in many of its early-season games. This is one they can't afford to lose.

Saturday

Davidson at Butler: This is a return of a BracketBusters game for the Wildcats, who are playing their first game without Stephen Curry in four seasons. It's a new era for coach Bob McKillop but one that should still see Davidson among the elite teams in the Southern Conference, even if the Wildcats aren't picked to win it in the preseason. Butler, meanwhile, starts the season as a top-10 team. Winning home games like this will be expected of the Bulldogs from this point forward.

Creighton at Dayton: This is a classic case of a game that could get lost in the shuffle over a packed weekend, but it might be one of the more significant games for each team this season. Creighton fancies itself as a Missouri Valley Conference title contender, along with Northern Iowa. Dayton is the clear favorite of the Atlantic 10 and should be a Top 25 team throughout the season. If Creighton were to win a road game like this, it would have shelf life throughout the season. Conversely, if the Flyers are who they are projected to be, then they need to win a game like this at home for credibility and their season-long power-rating standing.

Sunday

Oregon State at Texas Tech: The Beavers conclude a round-robin exempted event against the Red Raiders. A year ago, Oregon State lost games early in the season because it didn't know how to win. The Beavers figured it out once they got into the Pac-10 and won seven games (up from zero the season before). Texas Tech is picked to finish in the bottom four in the Big 12. If the Beavers are an NCAA tournament team, they should win games like this.

• Three Big 12 coaches made their way to the Bristol car wash at ESPN earlier this week and shared some interesting tidbits on their teams.

Missouri's Mike Anderson said sophomore forward Laurence Bowers has been a highlight. He's rebounded well and will likely be the guy who replaces DeMarre Carroll inside. Don't dismiss Keith Ramsey from contributing quite a bit inside, either. The Tigers lost their "junkyard dog" in Carroll but return the backcourt's "heart and soul" in J.T. Tiller. Tiller returns as part of a loaded and frenetic backcourt, along with Zaire Taylor, Kim English and freshman Michael Dixon. They will be hard to contain in the Big 12.

"They are underrated," Anderson said of his backcourt. "It's a helluva backcourt that led the nation in assists [138 for Tiller and 128 for Taylor] and was second in steals [123]. We're going to beat some people."

• Oklahoma State coach Travis Ford had high praise for Kentucky transfer Matt Pilgrim, who was jettisoned from the Wildcats but was granted immediate eligibility without having to sit out a year. Pilgrim scored 18 points and 12 rebounds in an exhibition game earlier in the week. "He's the most athletic and quickest player I've ever coached," Ford said of the forward. "Pro scouts come to watch James [Anderson] and say, 'Wow, this kid is unbelievably raw offensively but has extremely high energy.'"

The big question for the Cowboys will be if Ford can find a point guard to replace Byron Eaton to help feed players like Pilgrim and take a bit of pressure off All-Big 12 wing Anderson. Ford said he'll play Keiton Page at the point but anticipates freshman Ray Penn will gravitate to major minutes. "He's a helluva talent and he'll be one of the best in the Big 12 in two years." Ford said of his team, "We've got a chance. I'll put our first group against anyone."

• Baylor coach Scott Drew isn't packing in on this season, not with the return of guards LaceDarius Dunn and Tweety Carter. Drew is one of the most optimistic coaches and only he could spin the Bears' Top 25 ranking at the start of last season and its NIT final appearance after a disastrous 5-11 Big 12 season. Still, the reason for his giddiness on Wednesday was the signing of ESPNU No. 3 player Perry Jones out of Duncanville High (Texas). The 6-11 center could be a one-and-done and will make Baylor a stopping point for NBA scouts next season.

"When you bring in a person like that, it opens doors," Drew said. "He's going to be a great player. We've recruited top-20 classes but haven't been able to sign that consensus top-five pick in the country. Most NBA drafts have him as a lottery pick. We'll be viewed in a whole new light because kids will say, 'I want to play with that guy' or, 'He went there so I can play there.'" Drew has gone after high-profile talents with NBA potential like C.J. Miles (who opted for the NBA draft out of high school after turning down Texas), Darrell Arthur (who chose Kansas over Baylor and LSU) and most recently John Wall (who chose Kentucky even after Drew hired Dwon Clifton, a coach with ties to Wall, as a summer-league coach).

"We go after the best and we feel like if we get them on campus, and they see the academics and they see the facilities, we've got a chance," Drew said.

Drew said that with the return of Dunn, Nolan Dennis (who will be a sophomore) and Michigan transfer Ekpe Udoh, the Bears will have the right pieces around Jones in 2010-11 to make a significant run.

"We'll have have talent around him and it will be great to have somebody that, night in and night out, everyone out there knows who that guy is," Drew said.

Here are 10 programs that will jump within their respective conferences after a disappointing 2008-09 season:

Georgia Tech
2008-09 record: 2-14 ACC, 12-19 overall

Reason for optimism: The Yellow Jackets brought in arguably the best freshman center in Derrick Favors. He'll team with Gani Lawal to form a formidable frontcourt. Georgia Tech is healthy on the perimeter and deeper than it was a year ago. The Yellow Jackets also should finally know how to close out games. (Yes, I know they needed overtime to hold off Indiana of Pennsylvania in an exhibition game.) They're the only team in the ACC that will play North Carolina and Duke twice, so they should have the best power rating of any of the 12 ACC teams.

What could happen: Georgia Tech could win the ACC. Yes, the talent is in place for the team to go from two wins to the league title.

What's likely to happen: The Yellow Jackets should win nine to 11 games in conference play. That would be at least a seven-win swing, good enough to get them into the NCAA tournament.

Iowa State
2008-09 record: 4-12 Big 12, 15-17 overall

Reason for optimism: Craig Brackins returns to the Cyclones, and he has the potential to be a Big 12 Player of the Year candidate and All-American. Add junior college transfer Marquis Gilstrap, and the Cyclones could have one of the best one-two scoring punches besides Kansas and Texas in the Big 12. Iowa State's Hilton Coliseum also is one of the best home courts in the country. Don't be surprised if the Cyclones knock off one of the big boys at home this season.

What could happen: The Cyclones could pluck off a few key wins -- perhaps winning at least one game among Duke, Kansas (twice) and Texas to earn an NCAA tournament berth.

What's likely to happen: Iowa State should improve to at least a nine-win team in the Big 12 and be squarely on the tourney bubble in March.

Oregon
2008-09 record: 2-16 in the Pac-10, 8-23 overall

Reason for optimism: Coach Ernie Kent is billing Jamil Wilson as one of the top freshmen he has coached. If Wilson is as good as advertised, the Ducks have a real shot to climb in what should be a shaky Pac-10. The return of senior point guard Tajuan Porter and the likely improvement of a sophomore class that underachieved last season should give this team hope. Adding assistant Mike Dunlap should help in game management, too.

What could happen: The Ducks have enough talent to finish third in the Pac-10, jumping from two wins to 10 or 11.

What's likely to happen: Oregon probably will be in a tussle with Oregon State, UCLA and Arizona to finish in some order of 3 through 6 in the conference and be on the NCAA tournament bubble. The problem is the Ducks' nonconference slate might not be ranked high enough to earn a bid.

St. John's
2008-09 record: 6-12 Big East, 16-18 overall

Reason for optimism: The Red Storm are the only Big East team that returns all five starters. Coach Norm Roberts has focused on this season to be his best. Losing Anthony Mason Jr. for the start of the season hasn't hurt as much because Mason didn't play last season or on the team's trip to Canada during Labor Day weekend. This team already has learned how to play without him. The other thing going for St. John's -- if the Red Storm are ready to handle the pressure -- is the Big East is open to change this season. Plenty of moves could happen, with teams such as Marquette and Providence sliding to the bottom of the league, and that should allow the Red Storm to climb. That challenge will be daunting but nowhere near as imposing as it was a year ago.

What could happen: This is still the same group of players who finished 6-12 in the Big East, albeit in a stronger conference. Moving ahead of Seton Hall, Cincinnati, Pitt, Notre Dame and Syracuse would be quite a feat.

What's likely to happen: The Red Storm will be in the mix for a top-10 finish in the Big East and could move into the eight- or nine-win range in the league. But even that is likely to mean more of an NIT berth than an NCAA one.

Indiana
2008-09 record: 1-17 in the Big Ten, 6-25 overall

Reason for optimism: The carnage of the Kelvin Sampson era has finally subsided, and under the leadership of coach Tom Crean, the Hoosiers finally can begin to rebuild. Indiana adds an experienced transfer in former Georgetown guard Jeremiah Rivers, who will team with sophomore Verdell Jones III. The Hoosiers still will be one of the youngest teams in the Big Ten, but there is plenty of fight in this group.

What could happen: The Hoosiers could move past Iowa and Penn State to finish at least ninth in the Big Ten with possibly five wins in the league.

What's likely to happen: The problem is the league may be the best it has been this decade. The Hoosiers draw tough road games at Illinois, Michigan, Ohio State, Purdue and Minnesota. The only break is that Michigan State will visit Indiana, but the Hoosiers won't make a return trip to East Lansing. Indiana probably won't make the postseason, but it will show an improvement in the win-loss record in the league and be a peskier putout.

Charlotte
2008-09 record: 5-11 Atlantic 10, 11-20 overall

Reason for optimism: The 49ers are banking on Boston College transfer Shamari Spears to be their go-to inside scorer. He already proved to have soft hands during exhibition play. Finishing in practice was never an issue for Spears at BC, but when the lights were on, his fingers became butter at times. If he can be a lock for the 49ers inside, he'll prove to be the perfect balance to guards Ian Andersen and DiJuan Harris. Losing Lamont Mack hurts the scoring pop, but this team may be better-balanced.

What could happen: The Atlantic 10 will be dominated by Dayton, with Xavier and Richmond on the Flyers' heels. But don't dismiss the 49ers. They have the potential to make a significant jump into the nine- or 10-win mark. Charlotte will play Xavier twice and get two shots at Richmond. Playing at Dayton won't help, but the 49ers will have a chance to compete with the others for second.

What's likely to happen: Charlotte still should finish no higher than fourth, but it will earn enough good will through its record and ranking (playing at Louisville, at Old Dominion, home against Georgia Tech and at Tennessee) to earn a postseason berth of some kind.

Fresno State
2008-09 season: 3-13 WAC, 13-21 overall

Reason for optimism: Paul George. Can I say it again? Paul George. He is a star and one of the NEXT athletes ESPN has been pushing. The Bulldogs under Steve Cleveland have been all over the place, but there is a sense that things should settle down in a league that doesn't have an intimidating team. Sure, Utah State is the favorite in the WAC, and Nevada has Luke Babbitt, but it's not as if Fresno State can't climb from three wins to at least eight in the league.

What could happen: The Bulldogs should be in the mix, at least in the middle of the pack.

What's likely to happen: Expect Fresno State to affect the WAC race but fall short of a postseason berth.

Rice
2008-09 season: 4-12 in CUSA, 10-22 overall

Reason for optimism: The Owls recruited well under Ben Braun. The freshman class should increase the talent quickly in Houston.

What could happen: If the freshmen can produce quickly, a four-win improvement isn't totally out of the question.

What's likely to happen: The problem with moving up to eight wins is that the league is even more balanced this season with Memphis, UTEP, Tulsa and Houston capable of winning the conference.

Florida Atlantic
2008-09 season: 2-16 in the Sun Belt, 6-26 overall

Reason for optimism: Owls coach Mike Jarvis is talking up freshman point guard Raymond Taylor as the next Shawnta Rogers, his former diminutive but highly productive scorer at George Washington. The Owls will be one of the youngest teams in the league, but they should be more talented and productive.

What could happen: The Sun Belt will be led by Western Kentucky, North Texas and Denver, but it's not as if any of those teams is intimidating. There is room for FAU to climb significantly in the league standings from two wins into the seven or eight range.

What's likely to happen: FAU will climb, but it won't be enough to yield a postseason berth. If there is improvement this season, then postseason could be in the discussion in 2011.

Hartford
2008-09 season: 2-14 in the America East, 7-26 overall

Reason for optimism: Let's start with Binghamton's implosion. That should send last season's champ down to the bottom of the league, pushing up a team like Hartford. The rest of the conference is solid and has some noteworthy players, including Vermont's Maurice Joseph and Marqus Blakely. New Hampshire and Boston University should be in the mix for the title, too. But there is room for advancement for the Hawks. Newly named assistant Rick Brunson, a longtime NBA player, was added to Dan Leibovitz's staff and has raved about junior college transfer Milton Burton. Having a healthy Joe Zeglinski on the perimeter will help the balance. If this team can defend and rebound, it will have a shot to move into the eight-win range in the America East.

What could happen: Remember, the Hawks played for the America East automatic berth in 2008, and they'll host the first two rounds of the conference tournament this season. So a run to the title game isn't out of the question if they can make the Chase Arena at Reich Family Pavilion rock.

What's likely to happen: The Hawks will improve their win total but won't reach the postseason.

Xavier Henry, a bit nervous, anxious and overall uncomfortable, sat in front of an ESPNU camera at this time last year and put on a Memphis hat, choosing the Tigers over Kansas.

KU coach Bill Self wasn't thrilled to lose Henry. He had envisioned him as the missing piece for the Jayhawks' potential title run in 2010 if everything went as scripted in 2009 (and it did with the development of last season's Sweet 16 team behind Sherron Collins and Cole Aldrich).

But a year later -- as the 2009 early signing period begins -- Henry is nowhere near Memphis. He's at Kansas, ready to do what was planned for the Jayhawks: help them to the national title in Indianapolis this April.

The class Henry would have joined at Memphis had everyone signed on as expected -- Darnell Dodson, DeMarcus Cousins and likely John Wall -- ended up at Kentucky.

"I'm of the belief that if you lose a guy, he's gone,'' Self said. "I don't want guys to lose jobs, but yes we have benefited from coaching changes. Tyshawn Taylor was another one when Tom Crean left Marquette.''

So how important is that early signing period again?

Well, a year ago, there were stipulations in national letters of intent. For example, the one that Henry signed stated that if John Calipari wasn't the head coach, then Henry didn't have to go to Memphis. That's gone now. The NLIs with stipulations tied to a coach have been eliminated by the NCAA.

If that rule had been in place last year, Henry would have had to go through the process of getting out of his NLI.

"In our case, all the kids that we were recruiting for 10 months were for Coach Calipari,'' said new Memphis coach Josh Pastner, an assistant to Calipari the previous year. "They wanted to play for him and they should.''

Ohio State standout Evan Turner agrees with that assessment.

"I think the NCAA should put some type of rule in there where if there is a different coach then you can get out of the letter,'' said Turner, a junior guard. "It's a different coach. That's a serious different game plan. You fall in love with one thing and then what's the point of going there if he's not there?"

Yet, Turner would still not change a thing about the early signing period, even if it locks in a player without knowing what will happen with the head coach.

"I was excited to go to college and if a kid is comfortable with his decision then he should go ahead and sign,'' Turner said.

Several already have. Several more will during this week-long signing period.

Duke will get (based on ESPNU rankings) No. 6 point guard Kyrie Irving and could land No. 1 small forward Harrison Barnes if he chooses Duke from a list that includes North Carolina, Kansas, Oklahoma, UCLA and Iowa State when he makes his announcement on ESPNU on Friday afternoon. With a major haul, Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski would be able to concentrate on the season at hand and prepare for the World Championships in Turkey this summer.

As for Pastner, he locked up No. 1 shooting guard Will Barton (along with his point guard brother, Antonio) without ever coaching a game. On Tuesday, UCLA got a commitment from No. 1 center Josh Smith. Ohio State and Baylor got the top two power forwards and No. 2 and 3 overall in the class of 2010 in Jared Sullinger and Perry Jones, respectively.

But there are others who will likely wait until the month-long spring signing period. That could be the case for No. 4 Brandon Knight and No. 8 Josh Selby, two of the top three point guards in the class.

And it's hard not to blame them as they try to deal with a position of strength to see who needs them, what happens at each school in terms of coaching stability, NCAA tournament performance and whether or not a player at their position leaves for the NBA draft.

The NCAA's new NBA draft withdrawal date that makes players decide on returning to school by May 8 will actually play into some late signing decisions since it falls in the month-long spring signing period. In the past, when the date for NCAA players wasn't until mid-June (it still is as far as the NBA is concerned), a player would have to sign before knowing if someone at his position was returning to that school. Now the decisions will have been made.

Still, the consensus among the coaches is for players to sign early for their benefit and the university's.

"If there is a coaching change, they can get out of it,'' Ohio State's Thad Matta said. "They always do anyway. I think the early signing period is good. One thing I always tell the kids is to enjoy your senior year. With the Internet and the media and all that stuff, it's taxing on the kids. Put it behind them and just go out and play your best basketball. Your senior year of high school is one of the great years of your life.''

Pastner said that signing early allows the high school senior to concentrate on his academics (i.e. getting eligible for some) and ensure they're doing everything to be ready to make that adjustment to college life.

"This can put the pressure aside for the players,'' Pastner said of signing early.

For Pastner, the momentum he'll get this signing day, before he ever coaches a regular-season game, is important for his own credibility in the Memphis market. In addition to the Barton brothers of Baltimore, the Tigers also plan on signing No. 5 point guard Joe Jackson and quickly rising Chris Crawford, both from Memphis high schools.

Syracuse will also pull in quite a slew of talent this week, with three top-100 players in No. 3 shooting guard Dion Waiters, No. 2 center Fab Melo and No. 12 small forward C.J. Fair.

"It's good to get it out of the way,'' Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim said of the early signing period. "You can concentrate on your high school career. It's absolutely better.''

But to ensure the early signing period is maximized more efficiently, Self would like to see a tweaking in the rules regarding official visits. He said it's difficult for a school like Kansas that isn't near a lot of players to get them into Lawrence earlier for unofficial visits, since official visits cannot occur until a player's senior year. That hasn't hampered KU from landing top classes, though. Some feel official visits are overrated, since so many players are committing without seeing the campus -- or at least only seeing it during a summer camp.

The key is to make September the evaluation period for sophomores and juniors. Self said if you were to have September be about recruiting players for the November signing period, you would be out on the road nearly every day possible.

And that's why it's imperative for a coach to lock up as many top players in the fall as possible. That way he can just concentrate on coaching his team during the season and then possibly find time to see underclassmen during the year.

"I don't want to be on planes flying all over the place as the head coach during the season,'' Self said. "You want November recruiting to be done so you can have a leg up on the next year during the year.''

There will be plenty of hype around who signs this week. And there will likely be some destination changes for some of these players if there is a coaching change in the spring, even with the new tweak of the NLI. Rarely will a school hold back a player from leaving if the new coach had nothing to do with him.

So the early signing period is here to stay. Just like always, the spring signing period will have a few significant holdouts -- like Patrick Patterson three years ago choosing Kentucky over Florida and Duke or Wall's decision last spring -- that will greatly affect the following season. But the major headlines are done this week to allow everyone to take a deep breath and focus on the now in high school and in college instead of perpetuating the interest on the future commitments during the season.

Ranking the conferences is always going to be a debate without a real winner.

What matters most to someone is open for discussion. For me, I look at the possible No. 1 seeds and the number of potential NCAA tournament teams. It's still a prediction at this point, but I'll give it a shot …

1. Big Ten: Michigan State and Purdue start the season as potential No. 1 seeds. Ohio State, Illinois and Michigan should be nipping at their heels with Northwestern not that far behind. Minnesota, Wisconsin and Penn State are possible NCAA tournament teams as well. That brings the count to nine teams that enter the season thinking they can make the field. That's nine of 11 members.

2. Big 12: The race between Kansas and Texas should be one of the best in the country. Both teams can win the Big 12 and national titles. The Jayhawks and Longhorns may be the deepest teams in the country, too. Oklahoma and Kansas State seem like locks to make the field. Oklahoma State, Iowa State, Texas A&M and Missouri should all be in the mix to challenge for bids, putting eight of 12 in play for an NCAA berth.

3. ACC: This shouldn't come as a shock, but North Carolina and Duke are likely going to be 1-2 in the league -- and with the nonconference schedules they play, will be in position to challenge for a top-two seed. Then there is a drop-off, with the rest of the league wide open. Georgia Tech has the talent to challenge for the title, and being the only team in the league to play Duke and Carolina twice means the Yellow Jackets will have a chance to affect the race in their favor. Maryland, Boston College, Clemson, Wake Forest, Florida State, Miami and Virginia Tech are all starting the season believing they can make the NCAA tournament. That's 10 of the 12 teams in the league that are in play for bids. That could be a generous number, and it probably won't be more than seven, but the competitiveness from 1-12 has greatly improved.

4. Big East: The league may not have a top-seeded team in 2010 after getting three last season (Louisville, UConn, Pitt), but the strength of the league from 1-16 has gotten better. The bottom of the league has risen up with Seton Hall and St. John's having a real shot at an NCAA bid. West Virginia should be the favorite, despite Villanova's high ranking. But the Wildcats, Connecticut, Georgetown, Syracuse and possibly Louisville will be in play for bids. So, too, should Notre Dame, with the possible player of the year in Luke Harangody. Cincinnati, with maybe the freshman of the year in Lance Stephenson, and Seton Hall are sleeper teams that could also rise up into the top four in the league. And never discount Pitt under Jamie Dixon. Toss in the Red Storm as the only team that returns all five starters, and the Big East has 11 of its 16 teams thinking NCAAs.

5. SEC: If the SEC was putting forward just the East division, the league would be higher on this list. Remember, the SEC had just three teams that made the field last season and would have had only two if Mississippi State didn't win the conference tournament. Kentucky is a candidate for a No. 1 seed. Tennessee, Vanderbilt and South Carolina should all make the field if each team lives up to its potential. Florida is the dark horse, as the Gators are still an unknown because of all the newcomers. Mississippi State and Ole Miss are likely the only two NCAA contenders in the West. That gives the SEC a strong five to seven candidates for bids, but probably only one for a top seed.

6. Pac-10: The Pac-10 is in a reshuffle mode. Cal and Washington are more than capable of making deep NCAA runs if their respective guard play is exceptional. But holes up front could make them vulnerable. These two are likely the only sure things. UCLA will make its usual run for an NCAA bid once it matures. Oregon State, Oregon and Arizona are call capable of earning a berth based on their personnel. But it's still a big if, meaning the Pac-10 could be this season's 2009 SEC if it doesn't stand out enough in the nonconference.

7. Mountain West: This is the beginning of what could be one-bid territory. BYU should be the repeat champ, winning a fourth straight MWC title. San Diego State and UNLV are more than capable of challenging for the league title. But all three better differentiate themselves in the nonconference slate in order for the league to get multiple bids.

8. Conference USA: The top of C-USA should be stronger than the MWC, with Memphis, UTEP, Tulsa and Houston all capable of winning the league and earning a berth. But the problem is the overall depth of the conference. The bottom of the league continues to drag down the top. Southern Miss should be improved and so, too, should Rice. But how will C-USA, without an elite Memphis, be viewed nationally?

9. Atlantic 10: The A-10 has a star team in Dayton, but just how much the Flyers can ascend is still a question. UD should be a very good team, but can the Flyers separate themselves to carry the league higher? Xavier, Richmond, Charlotte and La Salle are all possible NCAA teams if they win in the nonconference and create a division within the conference.

10. Missouri Valley: The Valley will be extremely competitive again with great balance, but will Northern Iowa and Creighton be able to put themselves clearly ahead of the rest? Illinois State, Wichita State, Southern Illinois and Bradley could all be players in the league race, which is great for the competition but not so much for multiple bids. If it's too competitive, then it might be hard to differentiate.

11. West Coast: Gonzaga is still the cream of the crop. The Zags have a top-30 team this season and should be in the mix to win a game or two in the NCAAs. Portland is second best and could pull off an upset in the 76 Classic later this month. Saint Mary's will still be decent, but it's more than likely CBI/NIT potential.

12. Horizon: Butler might carry this conference even higher in the rankings. The Bulldogs play a national schedule and should be a top 15-20 team throughout the season. Wright State has a real shot to split with Butler and earn a bid with a conference tournament title. The strength of this league goes beyond these two with a new pesky team in Cleveland State (just ask Wake Forest).

13. WAC: Utah State is likely the one team that will represent the conference. The Aggies have a shot to win a game in March again after nearly clipping Marquette in the first round last season. Nevada has Luke Babbitt and Fresno State has Paul George, two potential honorable mention-type All-Americans. But neither probably has enough to earn an NCAA at-large berth.

14. MAAC: Siena is the class of the league and has a shot to win another first-round NCAA tournament game. The Saints also will sniff the Top 25 at some point during the season. Niagara can push the Saints, but the lack of possible postseason teams in this league pushes it down to the mid-teens.

15. Colonial: Old Dominion gets very little pub, and maybe that's our fault. The Monarchs return the core of their team and Blaine Taylor is once again primed to pull off a few upsets. Don't sleep on this squad. But Northeastern, VCU and Drexel (and I'd never count out George Mason) are likely to give ODU fits and could prevent it from winning the league. The conference should be top-heavy and the winner will likely earn a decent seed in the NCAAs.

16. Sun Belt: Western Kentucky is still the team to beat. The Hilltoppers have one of the most consistent programs in the country, regardless of who is the coach. Expect Ken McDonald to keep the good vibes going with this crew. The Hilltoppers' schedule should give them a solid power rating. But WKU will be pushed by North Texas and Denver for the tournament title.

17. Southern: It's strange seeing Davidson picked third, but the Wildcats are in rebuilding mode. Still, don't be surprised to see Bob McKillop's team find a way into the title race with the College of Charleston and Appalachian State. Bobby Cremins' Cougars are the best team in the league, but that might not be enough to win a first-round NCAA tournament game.

18. Big West: Long Beach State will play an elite nonconference schedule and the 49ers will know early if they can be a player in March. Cal State Northridge's near-miss with Memphis in the NCAA first round last season should serve notice that the Big West is no longer a pushover. The race should be tight with Northridge, UC Riverside, UC Santa Barbara and Pacific all challenging Long Beach.

19. Mid-American: The MAC simply can't get itself in a position where it can earn multiple bids. The drought since 1999 will continue. Akron coach Keith Dambrot has the good karma with Akron native LeBron James helping out the program. The Zips are once again the team to beat.

20. Summit: North Dakota State was the darling of the Dance last season because it was the first time the Bison were eligible for a bid. NDSU is in a rebuilding mode this season, though. Oakland is the pick here and the Grizzlies' daunting nonconference slate will give them a high strength of schedule and prepare them for a possible first-round upset if they can get a 13- or 14-seed.

21. Patriot: Ralph Willard left what might've been his best Holy Cross team to become Rick Pitino's top assistant at Louisville. New coach Sean Kearney should take the Crusaders into the NCAA tournament and be a potential thorn for a first-round opponent.

22. Big Sky: Montana, Eastern Washington, Weber State and two-time defending tourney champ Portland State have taken turns of late becoming the "it" team in the conference. But the pendulum has swung back to Weber, where Randy Rahe went 15-1 last season and could produce another fine run. This time the Wildcats should be able to close out the league tournament, where they lost to Montana State last season.

23. Ivy: Cornell is the class of the league and might be able to pull off an upset in the first round of the NCAAs if it can get the right matchup. Princeton has improved and so, too, has Harvard. Never dismiss Penn, either.

24. America East: Binghamton would have been the pick to win the league and possibly challenge for a first-round win, but that program's offseason implosion has opened things up for a competitive, balanced race among Vermont, Boston University and New Hampshire among the contenders.

25. Atlantic Sun: James Florence's return to Mercer should keep the Bears in the race throughout the season. Florence averaged 20.8 points a game last season. Mercer has knocked off quality teams recently and the A-Sun has been a prickly early nonconference opponent for high-major leagues, especially the SEC.

26. Northeast: Quinnipiac, Mount Saint Mary's, Robert Morris and Long Island University should make this an interesting race down to the final weekend. But the top of the league will carry it and that means a possible 15- or 16-seed.

27. MEAC: Todd Bozeman has made Morgan State into a regular contender in the MEAC. He took the Bears to the NCAA tournament last season and could have them back again. The depth of the league isn't outstanding and pushes it down a few pegs. But Morgan State has the potential to be trouble again in March.

28. Big South: Brad Greenberg's Radford squad should be in the mix yet again for the automatic berth. The Highlanders can score and that shouldn't change this season. If it returns to the NCAA tournament, expect Radford to be a tough out in the first round.

29. Southland: The Southland has had its moments, notably when Northwestern State beat third-seeded Iowa in the 2005 NCAA tournament. Stephen F. Austin, Sam Houston State and Northwestern State have all had their share of success. The league is balanced, but doesn't have the standout team this season that might be able to win a first-round NCAA tournament game.

30. Ohio Valley: Maybe this is too low for the OVC, especially after watching No. 12 Cal escape with a 75-70 win over Murray State on Monday night. Murray is playing with four returning starters and the return of Jewuan Long and Donte Poole from season-ending injuries. If the Racers pull off a few in-season upsets, then this ranking needs to be revisited.

31. SWAC: Jackson State should be the class of the league. Tevester Anderson has a team that can defend with solid size for a low-major. This ranking might be too low for the SWAC and Jackson State may prove to be a tough out.

32. Great West: The newly formed Great West Conference doesn't get an automatic berth to the NCAA, NIT or CBI. But the winner will get to play in the postseason in the CollegeInsider.com Tournament. Utah Valley might prove to be the best of this bunch.

The NCAA has cracked down on scrimmage information.

No news is supposed to get out. No scoring is supposed to be kept.

But teams conducting the scrimmages are still competitors, and of course you can't play a game without keeping score.

The information coming out of the Gonzaga-Texas scrimmage Saturday at the Denver Nuggets' practice facility at the Pepsi Center was supposed to be confidential. But word has leaked out to those who cover the Zags. According to other sources, the scrimmage didn't disappoint. The two teams played a 40-minute game and then a 20-minute period.

Texas won the 40-minute game 77-74, and coach Rick Barnes did try to lean more on his younger players than his veterans. Still, both sides gleaned plenty of positives from the scrimmage.

The biggest question for the Zags was in the middle. Gonzaga knew it could rely on the perimeter of Matt Bouldin, Steven Gray and Demetri Goodson. But what would happen with the departure of Josh Heytvelt inside? Robert Sacre was out most of last season with a stress fracture in his right foot. If he's healthy, the Zags have a legitimate post player.

Well, it was only a scrimmage, but Sacre was going against one of the best frontcourts in the country, led by Texas center Dexter Pittman. The word was all good for Sacre, who finished with 26 points and nine rebounds, according to sources who had knowledge of the box score.

If Sacre can become a major force for the Zags in the post, they will be able to compete with most teams in the country. He has to stay injury-free, which has been an issue for him.

The other major question for Gonzaga was how German native Elias Harris would handle a bigger stage, albeit on a practice court, against a top-3 team. Harris didn't disappoint either, scoring 22 points and grabbing eight rebounds, according to the source. There is a feeling among those close to the program that Harris will be equal to most freshmen in the country. He will likely have an immediate impact for the Zags.

Turning the ball over was an issue for the Zags late in the controlled scrimmage, which shouldn't come as a complete shock as the Zags transition from Jeremy Pargo to Goodson at the point. Finding Bouldin late in the game is a must if he's going to be their money player.

Barnes is a firm believer in scrimmages. He scrimmaged Davidson and Gonzaga in successive weekends instead of paying a team for an exhibition. While Barnes said he couldn't talk specifics of either scrimmage, he did say that scrimmages get a team more ready for the regular season because you can put your team in against a likely quality opponent.

The issue for Barnes will be how to rotate in a loaded, albeit inexperienced, perimeter. Against Davidson, Barnes started sophomore Varez Ward at the point and then rotated in J'Covan Brown and Dogus Balbay. Through a variety of sources, Barnes went with Balbay and Brown more at the point against the Zags. But the rotation will include times when freshman Avery Bradley (the likely starting shooting guard), freshman forward Jordan Hamilton and senior Justin Mason handle the ball.

What Barnes learned in these scrimmages is how much Brown, Hamilton and freshman wing Shawn Williams are going to help the Longhorns. There will be times when Barnes may go with four perimeter players and Pittman. But the versatility of those perimeter players also includes senior leader Damion James, who returned from testing the NBA draft waters a more fundamentally sound player.

What was evident through the first three weeks of practice is that as talented as Brown can be at the end of games, he still needs to find another gear. At the same time, Bradley could temper it back a bit since he sometimes plays too quickly. Williams and Hamilton are still figuring out the intensity and pace of practice and the college game.

Barnes said all of the freshmen and newcomers have had their moments of impact.

Shooting the basketball shouldn't be too much of a problem for the Longhorns. Sources said Williams and Brown made a pair of 3s, and if Bradley, Mason, Jai Lucas (who is eligible to compete in mid-December after transferring from Florida), James and Hamilton hit their share of deeper perimeter shots, the Longhorns will be able to display their offensive versatility.

Barnes' other charge in the next two weeks is to ensure that Gary Johnson, Clint Chapman and Matt Hill can maximize their contributions behind Pittman.

If there was one certainty that has emerged for Barnes, it is that James made an intelligent decision in returning to school.

"If you ever wondered if it was the right thing to do to allow him to go into the draft, then look at how much the experience helped him," Barnes said of James. Barnes said he was against the change in the withdrawal date that the NCAA adopted. The NBA deadline to withdraw from the draft is still 10 days before the draft, but players must let their college know by May 8, less than two weeks after the NBA's early-entry deadline, if they intend to return to school.

"It's a bad rule," Barnes said. "Ninety-nine percent of any kid that puts his name in the draft is thinking of staying in, but now they won't get the info. Why do we always do things that are about us [the coaches]? Let's do what's right for the kid."

Barnes does right by his players in providing quality competition. Texas plays North Carolina at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Dec. 19 before hosting Michigan State on Dec. 22.

"I believe in it," Barnes said of tough schedules. "That's what kids want to do."

Brady Morningstar may have lost more than his minutes when he was suspended for the fall semester after his DUI arrest on Oct. 3.

He also may have lost his chance to crack a Kansas lineup that is shaping up to be as deep as that of the Jayhawks' Big 12 rival, Texas.

Arizona transfer Jeff Withey isn't eligible until mid-December, so he was always going to have a difficult time breaking into the Kansas rotation. But the chances of both Morningstar -- who started 34 of KU's 35 games last season -- and Withey's cracking the lineup are becoming fleeting.

"They've put themselves behind the eight ball. Well, Jeff didn't do anything, and he will be a good player, but it's going to take time," said Kansas coach Bill Self. "Brady understands. He has experience and is a good perimeter defender but it won't be a situation where he's going to play the minutes he played last year because we have other guys progressing quite nicely during the season."

The reason lies with the development of a freshmen class that is already exceeding expectations.

Xavier Henry was always expected to have a major impact once he found his footing. Henry scored 14 points in 20 minutes, making 6 of 8 free throws and 3 of 7 shots (but just one board before fouling out) in Kansas' exhibition opener against Fort Hays State Tuesday.

"He can do more than shoot the basketball, he can use his body to make plays," Self said of Henry. "I'm pleased with how he can score from different spots on the floor unlike other people since we've been here. Brandon [Rush] couldn't post and couldn't do other things."

Henry's production is not a surprise. He was supposed to slide in next to Sherron Collins, Tyshawn Taylor (who came off the bench in lieu of Tyrel Reed), Cole Aldrich and Markieff Morris in the Jayhawks' starting lineup. But the unknown was how quickly Henry's fellow freshmen, forward Thomas Robinson and guard Elijah Johnson, would make an impact.

"They've both been terrific," Self said. "Elijah is one of the premier athletes out there, the best athlete on our team and Thomas goes after the ball. He's got a motor. He has made the twins [Markieff and Marcus Morris] better by how active he is. But of course Xavier is our premier guy, without question."

Self said the first scoring options are Collins and Aldrich. Henry is next with Taylor next in line. But the improved play of Markieff has helped, too. The bench of Marcus Morris, Reed, Johnson and Robinson gives the Jayhawks a deep nine that may not leave much room for Morningstar or Withey.

The Jayhawks play Pittsburg State in an exhibition Tuesday and then open the season on Friday against Hofstra before playing Memphis in St. Louis on Nov. 17.

• The NCAA tournament selection committee met for three days this week in Houston, site of the 2011 Final Four. UCLA athletic director Dan Guerrero, the current committee chair, is expected to hold a teleconference Tuesday to discuss the meeting. The major issue facing the committee in the coming months is whether to opt out of the current CBS tournament television contract after this season. The contract ends in 2013. The issue of expanding the tournament field could be in play too. Another point of discussion is the postseason NIT, as that television contract is nearing its conclusion.

It wouldn't make sense for the NCAA to re-up the NIT and also expand the NCAA tournament to 96 teams. There are two different bodies making these decisions under the NCAA umbrella but they would have to be in concert. If the NIT stays for the long term, expanding the NCAA field of 65 is unlikely, though the NIT could still go away without expansion. The logistics of going to 96 and still keeping conference tournaments is another matter, too. I can't see conference tournaments disappearing, which would mean the season would have to start a week earlier in November or go a week longer into April.

I have heard arguments on both sides of whether to expand. I'd like to see a compromise. Create four opening-round games, matching bubble teams for the 12th seed. Play those games on a Tuesday night and have them feed into Friday's 12-5 matchups. That way you're keeping the lower-seeded teams from 13-16 alone, thus giving the top seeds an advantage in their first-round games. This would allow for eight bubble teams to play into the field for four spots. Usually, that's the number of teams that are on the fence. Beyond that, the four extra teams that don't get into the Big Dance are really the ones that should be in the NIT or CBI or CIT. There aren't 27 other teams that were snubbed that should be in the field.

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Kalin Lucas threw lobs up to Delvon Roe with the assumption that he could grab and slam.

And why shouldn't he be able to? That was Roe's game at St. Edward High in Lakewood, Ohio.

But that was before he suffered a season-ending injury to his right knee at the start of his senior year in high school, which forced him to undergo microfracture surgery. "I tried to throw it up for him, but he couldn't jump," Lucas said. "Now I know he's going to catch it."

"It was tough," Roe said. "You come in as a top recruit and expect to make a big impact and then you can't work on your game as much as you want. You're limited and basically you're playing your senior year in high school in college basketball. I had to learn how to play defense, handle everything. It was very frustrating."

The rehab was exhausting. Roe said it wasn't the pain as much as it was the weakness.

"I had no ability to jump," Roe said. "You take a player like me, who is athletic and who needs to play above the rim, and I had to learn how to play different aspects of the game. I had no explosion in my knee. My leg muscles were weak down there, and I couldn't do it. I had to spend a lot of time with the strength and conditioning coach.

"It was very frustrating. It was like I was a whole different person. I spent my whole life jumping and dunking above the rim and the next thing you know I'm getting rebounds below the rim. It's tough to do in my position."

Michigan State coach Tom Izzo was in attendance at the game in which Roe was hurt. As the rest of the Class of 2008 got pub, Roe was shelved. He was a first-team high school All-American who was a 22.5-point, 11.5-rebound a game producer.

But when Roe got to Michigan State he was a shell of his former self, with limited minutes for most of the season. He averaged 17.9 minutes and produced 5.6 points and 5.2 boards.

"I feel bad that the fans really haven't seen him," Izzo said. "They're going to now. He was a kid who loves to play. He was dreaming his whole life for this, and it's going to take a little bit of time to get that athleticism back."

Izzo doesn't let up on Roe. He was pushing him hard in practice, ensuring that he maximizes his talent on his repaired knee. "If we get him back to the guy we recruited, then I'm sure he'll make our team better," Izzo said. "He can pass, score, rebound and defend."

While Izzo does fret about the absence of Goran Suton and Idong Ibok in the middle, he's getting quite an upgrade with a healthy Roe. "Man, he looks way better," Lucas said. "He's running way better and jumping. We're going to be way better with him."

Lucas said freshmen big men Tom Herzog and Derrick Nix need only to rebound, run and play defense. The same is true of returning role player Draymond Green.

With the Nov. 13 season opener fast approaching, though, the Spartans are dealing with some injuries, including a concussion suffered by Roe during Sunday's exhibition game. In addition, Raymar Morgan sprained his ankle in a practice last week and has been getting it treated several times a day.

But those aren't injuries that should linger. If they can stay healthy, the combination of Roe next to Morgan in the frontcourt will be one of the main reasons MSU competes for the Final Four.

The backcourt is loaded with Lucas, Chris Allen, Durrell Summers and Korie Lucious.

But Roe could be the difference. He's a player that can go for major numbers, which the Spartans didn't have last season.

Well, they had him, but he wasn't himself. "It's really hard to cover us with him running down the middle," Morgan said. "He rebounds, scores inside and gives us another dimension."

Roe went against classmates Devin Ebanks (West Virginia), Samardo Samuels (Louisville) and Ed Davis (North Carolina) on the high school/summer circuit. All have had plenty of hype while Roe rehabbed. "I think about that every day, and it helps keep me focused [and] drive me back to be what I was in high school and even better," Roe said of the sudden lack of fame. "That's what happens. You have to be on top of your game or it slips away. You can be easily forgotten."

If Roe continues to gain strength, he will be remembered in March.

CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. -- Is it really early November?

No, it can't be. Boston College's practice gym has no windows, so you can't see the weather outside, whether there's snow on the ground or the first fall leaves are still blustering on campus.

It's easy to lose track of the date if you're watching BC practice. There is very little teaching going on here, because there is no need. This team knows what to do.

It's more fine-tuning -- an injection of new plays, a critique on making a cut on the inside when popping up for a pass off a screen. But nothing too dramatic. In one of the more unusual circumstances in major Division I college basketball, the Eagles didn't add a single player to an NCAA tournament team that won against eventual national champion North Carolina in Chapel Hill and beat Duke at home last season.

Sure, they lost point guard Tyrese Rice (16.9 ppg) and his long-bomb, high-arching 3-pointers that kept defenses extended. He was always a threat, no matter the score. But Rice's departure after his senior season hasn't ruffled this bunch. There is more than enough here to score at four of the five positions (center being the exception) against any team in the ACC. Whether the Eagles can defend in the interior and rebound from the frontcourt positions is still in question.

Make no mistake: This is not a title contender. But it should be an NCAA tournament team yet again, despite a predicted ninth-place finish by the ACC's (heavily North Carolina-based) media contingent.

"I've never had a situation where I haven't brought in someone new to help energize the guys returning," said BC coach Al Skinner, who is universally respected and admired by his coaching colleagues for his ability to live a serene coaching life. "I thought this was a unique group."

Skinner said the staff made a decision last season not to bring in someone unless that person provided a special need that they didn't have. Now, of course, if the Eagles had been hand-delivered Kentucky freshman John Wall, they would have taken him. But the players still must adapt, and this group has adapted as well as any other Skinner has coached.

"The one thing everyone understands with no newcomers [is] that this is it," Skinner said. "We are who we're going to be without new wrinkles."

And who they are is more than capable of surviving in what should be a highly competitive and unpredictable ACC.

"People slept on us last year," BC junior Joe Trapani said. "We were picked 11th and finished sixth and beat Duke and Carolina. One of the pluses of nobody new is that we start where we left off last year. No practice is wasted on teaching guys plays. We're leaps and bounds ahead of where we are from last year."

Part of the reason is the development at the position Rice vacated -- the position that probably caused many to project a BC decline.

Throughout Tuesday's practice, junior Biko Paris and sophomore Reggie Jackson were matched against each other. They will share the position and give the Eagles two totally different looks.

Paris is listed at 6-1, Jackson at 6-3. Paris is much more the distributor but can make the deep 3-pointer. Jackson's length makes him a tougher matchup, and he can drive to the basket a bit easier. Senior forward Tyler Roche said, "They both handle the team very well."

"Everyone wants to know the same thing: How will this team be without Tyrese?" Paris said. "If you really know basketball, you would see that we really jelled better last year when I was at the 1 and he was at the 2. He was free to get his shot off."

Skinner didn't hesitate to make that switch in key games, and there were times, such as when the Eagles nearly clipped Duke in the ACC tournament, that he put Rice on the bench for stretches.

"My confidence is above the rim," Paris said. "My teammates have a lot of confidence in me. I know they have my back."

Jackson said he was a point guard in high school in Colorado. But that didn't appear to be the case when he was put at the position in a game early last season.

Paris said Jackson approached him and told him he was nervous about playing the position.

"And he dribbled the ball off his foot," Paris said of Jackson. "That's when Coach said, 'I can't put him at the position.' It was his first game, and he knew he had to learn. Since then he's come into the gym and done dribbling drills. I told him it's 75 percent confidence. He's a wonderful player at nearly 6-4 with his long arms and athleticism. I don't know if I'll go against a guard that is as athletic as him in the ACC."

Jackson said he was too anxious playing the point last season. He said he has found his pace this season and is increasingly comfortable. His handle is not as tight as that of Paris, but the high dribble and drive to the hole will be hard at times to defend.

"We'll miss Tyrese's leadership and his 17 points a game, but we relied too heavily on him last year," Jackson said. "We're leaning more on each other's talents. We'll be a more aggressive and better defensive team."

Skinner will likely start with Paris at the point and the physically imposing, 6-5 Rakim Sanders at shooting guard. Last season he made the two biggest shots for the Eagles by beating Virginia Tech and Georgia Tech at home in those games' final possessions (two wins that were essential to receiving an NCAA bid). Up front, the Eagles will have Trapani, Corey Raji and Josh Southern. Skinner will probably start with Jackson off the bench. Roche will be next, giving BC a solid seven that includes five juniors, a senior and a sophomore. Junior forward Cortney Dunn and sophomore forward Evan Ravenel will compete for the eighth spot.

Jackson is fine with his role as the energizer off the bench, but don't think for a second that he won't have plenty of minutes on the floor, either in place of Paris or subbing for Sanders or Trapani if the Eagles go smaller.

Skinner said Jackson's approach to playing the point has "changed tremendously. He now has an idea what the role encompasses. He's a little more mentally ready to do what's necessary. Last year, when he was at the point, it was about him. Now when he's at the point, it's about us."

The Eagles had their stumbles last season. The dreadful loss to Harvard, just days after BC knocked off the previously undefeated and top-ranked Tar Heels, was one of them. Rice's problem last year was his sense that he could flip a switch when he wanted to raise his game. But it was sometimes too late when teams gained confidence on him, as Harvard's Jeremy Lin did. That shouldn't happen with this group.

That said, the Eagles have a tough stretch of games early in the season. If they get past Saint Joseph's in the first round of the Paradise Jam in the Virgin Islands, they will likely play Purdue in the semifinals. Then, in a third game, they would probably play either Tennessee or the Missouri Valley favorite, Northern Iowa. BC also plays return games at Providence (a lower-level Big East team, in a game BC should win) and at Big Ten contender Michigan, and then the Eagles open up the ACC on Dec. 6 against Miami.

"I purposely challenged them with this schedule," Skinner said. "I'm not looking for a paper lion. We only got 10 guys. We've got eight guys who can legitimately play and two others that might have to figure it out. So let's go. You don't need more than eight anyway."

Derek Glasser was unsure how to handle the attention.

While he and James Harden were teammates at Artesia High (Calif.) and then at Arizona State, all Glasser had to do was set up his good friend with the ball.

Sometimes it would come back and he would benefit, like when he scored a career-best 22 points in an NCAA tournament first-round win over Temple last season.

Sometimes it would not, which was just fine too, since Harden was a prolific scorer last season (20.1 points a game). So was teammate Jeff Pendergraph (14.5 ppg) inside.

But Harden left for the NBA after two seasons, picked by Oklahoma City with the No. 3 pick. And Pendergraph, a senior, was plucked by the Sacramento Kings (and then dealt to Portland) with the first pick of the second round.

Suddenly, the upstart Sun Devils which should have made the NCAA tournament in 2008 and then finally did in 2009, were in a rebuilding mode with Glasser as the lone leader left.

Glasser phoned his friend Harden to see how he should handle this attention.

"I knew I was going to be the guy on the team that had to do this and do that for us to have a chance," Glasser said. "I asked James how did he deal with that? I've never had anybody put pressure on me. Everybody else had the pressure. I was the guy who sneaked around and does the other things."

Glasser knows from the opening game the opposing coach will focus their scout on what to do with him. So Glasser improved his ballhandling, spending the summer working against quicker players and trying to get past them to the basket.

But is that really what Glasser must do this season for Arizona State to have a chance at a postseason berth?

"Derek is at his best when he sets the table for other people," ASU coach Herb Sendek said. "He's a true point guard in every sense of the word. Simply because James and Jeff aren't here, that doesn't mean he gets away from who he really is. He's a true point guard.

"It wouldn't be in the best interest of our team for him to reinvent himself. He's a good player at what he does best."

But it is unquestionably a different feel for Glasser this season.

"It has definitely been different for me without James being around and Jeff for that matter," Glasser said. "I've had to adjust my mindset."

Glasser said the ball was in his hands a lot more throughout the preseason. A year ago, he would just feed off Harden penetrating and get a reverse pass for an open 3-pointer. Now he will have to create more on his own.

"We're a team in transition," Sendek said. "We lost the third pick in the draft and two players to the NBA. Everybody has Washington and Cal atop [the Pac-10], but there's an awful lot of parity in the conference after that. We'll change our offensive approach. The last two years it started and ended with James and Jeff. There was a lot of two-man stuff. Clearly, those guys were our primary option and everyone else fed off what they created. This offense will be much more about equal opportunity."

In theory, that's right. But the preseason hasn't been kind to Sendek's plan. A knee injury to junior guard Ty Abbott put him on the sideline during the preseasoan. Sendek is hoping Abbott (7.1 ppg) can return later this month. But without him, the perimeter has been a bit thinner with Glasser (8.8, 4.8 apg), sharp-shooter Rihards Kuksiks (93 3s last season) and Jamelle McMillan (4.8 ppg) as the primary perimeter players. Freshman Victor Rudd, who was expected to help inside, hasn't been cleared to compete yet. Senior Eric Boateng will be counted on heavily to produce inside.

Glasser said freshmen Trent Lockett and Demetrius Walker have benefited from Abbott's injury, getting more reps with the first team during practice on the perimeter.

Last weekend, the Sun Devils scrimmaged at Texas Tech.

"It was good because they were really aggressive on the ball and play defense like Washington," Glasser said. "It was good for our young guys to have pressure and for our big guys like Eric to get them ready."

Despite the huge losses for this team, the Sun Devils were granted an immense amount of respect by being picked seventh in the Pac-10. Washington State returns Klay Thompson and DeAngelo Casto, two of the better players at their respective positions. Yet, the Cougars were selected behind ASU, possibly because of the coaching change from Tony Bennett to Ken Bone. Even USC, which was gutted with the departure of Tim Floyd and a recruiting class that was wrecked, could make the argument to be in line with the Sun Devils. The Trojans were instead picked ninth.

"We have experience at guard and I think the big thing is that we learned how to win last season, when to take the big shots," Glasser said. "We have talent. Once we learn to play together, we'll be just fine."

Glasser said the Sun Devils' zone will keep them in games, too. He said that after Cal and Washington, the wide-open Pac-10 invites rebuilding teams like the Sun Devils to move up in the standings.

• Oregon coach Ernie Kent said he couldn't be more pleased with the progress of his squad. The Ducks won just two Pac-10 games last season, Kent's worst in Eugene.

But that should change dramatically with the experience of younger players like sophomore guard Malcolm Armstead, Matthew Humphrey and Michael Dunigan, the arrival of freshmen Jamil Wilson (who led the Ducks with 17 points in an exhibition Sunday) and E.J. Singler (brother of Kyle) and an infusion on the staff from assistant Mike Dunlap, who was essentially like a co-head coach with Russ Pennell during the interim season a year ago at Arizona.

"We have a chance to be really, really good," said Kent, who has guided the Ducks to two Elite Eights in his 12-year tenure. "It all centers around confidence. We have size, athleticism, and good leadership."

Kent said Dunlap has already helped with his knowledge of the game. But the Ducks aren't going to change. They're going to run and press. A lot of that will hinge on senior point guard Tajuan Porter, who thrived two seasons ago when he was with Aaron Brooks as a complimentary player. He struggled last season when the onus was on him to produce alone. Now he's got more help and he was much more of a distributor than scorer in the exhibition.

"This is TP's basketball team," Kent said. "He's by far our best player. This is his team and he's pushing us at a relentless pace. What he did was change his body and made himself stronger."

A new strength and conditioning program is another reason Kent is high on his Ducks. He said their stamina, strength, quickness and overall condition has all improved.

This is a team that can score, but the question will be can it defend and rebound well enough to make an NCAA run? The Ducks were picked to finish sixth in the Pac-10, which would be an NIT range this season. The difference though could be the 6-7 Wilson, a Wisconsin native who was coveted by Michigan State and Texas.

"He's as talented as anyone [I've coached]," Kent said. "His feel for the game is along the lines of [former Duck and NBA first-round pick] Fred Jones. He's a great athlete and an all-American volleyball player. He's a great athlete with running and jumping ability. His work ethic is really picking up."

Kent's effusive praise for his freshmen doesn't stop at Wilson. He said Singler has had the smoothest transition of any freshman he has seen in college basketball.

• Arizona State media relations director Doug Tammaro is one of the best in the biz at compiling stats. He offers up this one on Sendek's coaching tree. He leads the country with former assistants who are currently head coaches:

Herb Sendek, Arizona State (8)
Jim Christian, TCU
Charlie Coles, Miami (Ohio)
John Groce, Ohio
Larry Hunter, Western Carolina
Ron Hunter, IUPUI
Thad Matta, Ohio State
Sean Miller, Arizona
Mark Phelps, Drake

Rick Pitino, Louisville (7)
Mick Cronin, Cincinnati
Billy Donovan, Florida
Sean Kearney, Holy Cross
Marvin Menzies, New Mexico State
Herb Sendek, Arizona State
Tubby Smith, Minnesota
Kevin Willard, Iona

Mike Montgomery, California (7)
Jeff Jackson, Furman
Trent Johnson, LSU
Ernie Kent, Oregon
Stew Morill, Utah State
Eric Reveno, Portland
Blaine Taylor, Old Dominion
Wayne Tinkle, Montana

Jim Calhoun, Connecticut (6)
Howie Dickenman, Central Connecticut State
Karl Hobbs, George Washington
Glen Miller, Pennsylvania
Tom Moore, Quinnipiac
Steve Pikiell, Stony Brook
Ted Woodward, Maine

Ben Braun, Rice (5)
Keith Dambrot, Akron
George Nessman, San Jose State
Joe Pasternack, New Orleans
Charles E. Ramsey, Eastern Michigan
Gary Waters, Cleveland State

Tom Izzo, Michigan State (5)
Jim Boylen, Utah
Tom Crean, Indiana
Brian Gregory, Dayton
Stan Heath, South Florida
Doug Wojcik, Tulsa

Stew Morrill, Utah State (5)
Don Verlin, Idaho
Randy Rahe, Weber State
Blaine Taylor, Old Dominion
Terry Dunn, Dartmouth
Jeff Jackson, Furman

Jay Wright, Villanova (5)
Patrick Chambers, Boston U.
Fred Hill, Rutgers
Joe Jones, Columbia
Billy Lange, Navy
Tom Pecora, Hofstra

• Texas Rick Barnes went with Varez Ward at the point during his team's scrimmage with Davidson last weekend. That's no easy choice with Dogus Balbay and Florida transfer Jai Lucas (eligible in mid-December) also around. Freshman Avery Bradley is a lock for shooting guard, with Justin Mason next to him and Damion James and Dexter Pittman inside. But that leaves quite a loaded bench with Gary Johnson and freshman Jordan Hamilton first off for forwards and then J'Covan Brown ready to play on the perimeter.

Davidson coach Bob McKillop was thoroughly impressed with the Longhorns: "It's very clear that Rick Barnes spends more time making players than recruiting players. He teaches them. He coaches them and it shows. They get better. When his rookies fully grasp the system, they will be very, very difficult to beat."

ROSEMONT, Ill. -- This is perfect for Bo Ryan.

Go ahead and pick Wisconsin low, somewhere in the bottom third of the Big Ten. You wouldn't be alone. The Badgers lost Marcus Landry and Joe Krabbenhoft, who combined to average 20-plus points and 10-plus rebounds per game for a team that finished with 20 wins overall (10 in the Big Ten) and recorded a first-round win over Florida State in the NCAA tournament.

Why wouldn't you push the Badgers down in a season in which their conference is loaded?

I would.

But I also don't doubt the Badgers will still find a way to finish high enough to earn their 12th straight NCAA berth -- and eighth in a row under Ryan.

Ryan admits he loves being the coach of a team that doesn't seem exciting enough, doesn't have enough talent and supposedly won't hold up come March.

"That's the Chester in me," Ryan said of his hometown on the New Jersey-Pennsylvania border near Philadelphia. "That's OK. I won't change the way I coach. What it does is, when I get home, my wife will remind me all the time that we're not going to be very good this year. I don't like my wife saying that. It sends me off to the Kohl Center with an attitude of, 'We'll show them.'"

Ryan has had elite players. This isn't a program devoid of top-level talent. Kirk Penney has had a successful professional career outside the NBA. Devin Harris was a top-10 pick and has done quite well for himself in New Jersey and Dallas. Alando Tucker was a first-round pick, too.

Trevon Hughes may have a harder time making the league, but he's a big shot-maker. The third-year starting point averaged 12.1 points and nearly three assists per game last season. Fellow senior Jason Bohannon made 64 3-pointers last season.

"We've got two experienced guards this year and we're eager to prove people wrong," Hughes said at the recent Big Ten media day outside Chicago. "We like the challenge that the Big Ten is loaded and we're predicted ninth. That's bulletin-board material. We'll win the games we're not supposed to."

Hughes said his future "Hall of Fame coach" always maximizes the talent.

"Everyone thought we had this slow, methodical offense that can't come back, and yet we came back and beat Florida State," Hughes said.

Ryan said the key is finding the players who fit into his system, the role players who don't hesitate to play subordinate roles until it is their time.

"The players we have in this program and the coach we have allows everything to be continuous," Bohannon said. "Each player learns from the next. I learned from Mike Flowers, one of the best defenders under coach Ryan. We keep building on each other."

To get an NCAA bid, assuming the Badgers will be bunched in the middle of the Big Ten, they'll have to differentiate themselves in nonconference play. Wisconsin will host Summit League favorite Oakland (Nov. 18) before taking on Arizona in the opening round of the Maui Invitational (Nov. 24). A possible matchup with Gonzaga, which plays Colorado, could arise in Maui's second round if the Badgers beat the Wildcats.

But the game the Badgers already are circling is Duke's visit to Madison on Dec. 2 in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.

"That's a game that will be a grow-up game for us," Ryan said. "Whatever happens in that game will send a message throughout our team. Purdue was delivered a message by Duke. That Duke game will tell us what we have learned from Maui, from Oakland, from Fort Wayne [in the season opener]."

Purdue coach Matt Painter cautioned Wisconsin about not hyping the rare Duke visit too much. Purdue did so too much last season in the same event, losing by 16 to the Blue Devils at Mackey Arena.

"They were tougher than us," Painter said. "Duke has games like that all the time, whereas we made it a big deal. That's the way their games are all the time. They enjoy coming into opposing players' gyms. It showed that Mackey Arena is not guaranteeing us a victory. Going into Wisconsin is going to be tough since it's a tough venue, but they [the Blue Devils] thrive on that and pulling out wins."

Painter said it was made even more painful that a Purdue win could have shifted the ACC/Big Ten Challenge toward the Big Ten. Still, the Boilermakers and Blue Devils reached the same end point in the season -- the Sweet 16.

Duke is projected to compete for the Final Four. Wisconsin is predicted to be an NIT team. So a Badgers win against the Blue Devils would do wonders for the team's profile.

The Big Ten has a chance to be like the Big East last season.

There could be multiple No. 1 seed contenders (Michigan State and Purdue) and at least nine Big Ten teams start the season believing they can make the NCAA tournament. The number was comparable last season in the Big East.

If Wisconsin can make the NCAA tournament, the Big Ten will live up to its preseason hype of landing at least eight teams in the Big Dance. Michigan State, Purdue, Ohio State, Michigan and Minnesota start the season in the top 25. Illinois is on the fringe, and at least one Big Ten coach said the Illini might be the most talented team in the league.

Northwestern could make a strong argument to be a top 25-30 team, as well. That adds up to seven before Wisconsin is even discussed. Penn State could be a possibility, too. But if the Badgers are an NCAA team, the league will truly be the deepest it has been in a while.

"There's going to be a logjam somewhere in there, but you don't want four or five teams at 7-11 and/or 8-10," Painter said. "If you want to do what the Big East did last year, we've got to have a great nonconference."

That could start with Wisconsin's performing well in November and early December.

ROSEMONT, Ill. -- Illinois coach Bruce Weber didn't dismiss Michigan State's or Purdue's chances to win the Big Ten title or compete for a Final Four.

But he said it would be a mistake to dismiss Ohio State as a contender.

At Big Ten media day Thursday near O'Hare Airport, Weber reminded those sitting close to him that the Buckeyes are loaded. And they are, albeit with guards who will be somewhat interchangeable throughout the season.

Ohio State coach Thad Matta said he will start junior Evan Turner at the point. But don't really call Turner a point guard. He's a playmaker who will handle the ball, initiate the offense and ensure that fellow guards William Buford, Jon Diebler and David Lighty get their hands on the ball as well, before Turner likely gets it back on many a possession.

Turner was strictly a wing for the bronze-winning U.S. World University Games team this summer, with Penn State's Talor Battle and Villanova's Corey Fisher as the primary playmakers. But Turner was quick to remind me Thursday that he led that team in assists. He had 18, two more than Purdue's Robbie Hummel, five more than Battle and six more than Fisher. He also had only six turnovers, six less than Battle and 13 fewer than Fisher.

"I grew up as a point guard," said the 6-foot-7 Turner, who had team highs in assists (131) and turnovers (117) last season for the Buckeyes. "I'm out there trying to make plays. It's basketball."

Matta said he's already seen tremendous improvement in the six weeks since Turner arrived back on campus. He's handling the position without hesitation.

"He's a very good passer and he can get to the foul line," Matta said of Turner's ability to generate points with his team highs in free throws made (175) and attempted (222) last season. "He'll get other guys in position to succeed. The ball will come back to him."

Matta said Turner was used quite a bit as a point toward the end of last season. The coach said he doesn't care about labels.

"I'm not thinking of what could go wrong here as if I can't come up with anything else," Matta said. "It's not like, 'Oh man this is scary.' I like him being out there. It gives us great size, too."

The Buckeyes are in a position of flexibility because of the return of Lighty, who played in only seven games last season because of a broken foot.

"No pain at all," Lighty said of his current condition. "I've got my bounce back and I can cut without hurting."

Lighty said teams may have to double-team Turner at the point, opening up shots for the other guards like himself, Buford and Diebler. The Buckeyes will be a shooting team this season, with all four of these guards having the ability to knock down 3s, especially Buford and Diebler.

But for this to work well, OSU forward Dallas Lauderdale has to be playing.

Lauderdale broke a bone in his right hand in the preseason and had surgery to insert three screws in it. Matta said Lauderdale has been conditioning of late and should be back in practice next week with a cast, as well as a "quarterback jersey" so he doesn't get hit. But Matta said Lauderdale should be ready to play in the Nov. 9 opener against Alcorn State, and the coach would be stunned if Lauderdale isn't playing when the Buckeyes take on North Carolina at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 19 in the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic.

• In addition to Ohio State, don't discount Illinois' chances to contend in the Big Ten.

Illinois head coach Bruce Weber said it was "scary" how good freshman guard D.J. Richardson was during a scrimmage the first weekend. He said Richardson put up 34 points in a 22-minute scrimmage.

But the last week or so has seen Richardson's numbers settle a bit as the "daily grind" of practice takes its toll. Illinois plays an exhibition game Friday night, and Weber said he was looking forward to seeing how much the Peoria, Ill., native produces.

The expectation is that Richardson will start for the Fighting Illini. Expect fellow freshman Brandon Paul to have a major impact as well, alongside guards Demetri McCamey and Alex Legion in the rotation. The Illini also return scoring forwards Mike Davis and Mike Tisdale, prompting one Big Ten coach to say he thinks Illinois may be the most talented team in the league. The coach, who didn't want to dismiss his own team, said that people don't understand how talented Richardson and Paul will be for the Illini. They're skilled enough to put Illinois in contention for the conference title.

For that to happen, though, the Illini can't have scoring droughts like the dreadful 38-33 loss to Penn State last season. Weber said that was more of an anomaly; the Illini did score 70 points in the next game at Ohio State. Still, Illinois needs production from a variety of sources. Clearly, Richardson is delivering, but more is expected of Davis, too.

"I need Mike to get some layups, some free throws, some putbacks and let-outs and then he can make his little jump shot," Weber said of Davis, who made 41 of 60 free throws last season. "We have good shooters. We saw that in the intrasquad scrimmage last Sunday. The score was 90-81. So we can score. The question is will we be able to stop anyone."

That's usually not an issue for a Weber team.

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- Dino Gaudio played the game, attempting to woo Jeff Teague in the 11th hour at his home in Indianapolis before the sophomore made his mid-June decision to stay in the NBA draft.

Teague was probably gone anyway, even before the third-year Wake Forest head coach wasted the time trying to convince Teague he should return for his junior season. Teague's teammate and classmate James Johnson was already out the door, listening to the chatter that he was ready for the league.

Once it was official the one-time No. 1-ranked Demon Deacons and first-round flameout (to Cleveland State, of all teams) were without two first-round draft picks, the easy thing to do was toss this season's team onto the irrelevant heap.

"To be honest with you, if I was somebody in the media, I'd probably think the same way," said Wake Forest senior guard Ishmael Smith. "We lost 34 points, two guys that go 16 and 19 in the NBA draft. I would think the same thing."

Well, that thinking isn't going on here. It would be foolish to dismiss this squad. Let's not forget Wake Forest still has one of the more potentially prolific scoring wings in the country in Al-Farouq Aminu, who would assuredly been a lottery pick had he bolted with his teammates after last season. There's a beefy, developing and deep frontcourt led by seniors Chas McFarland, David Weaver and hyped sophomores Tony Woods and Ty Walker. Senior guards Smith and L.D. Williams are also still around.

You can certainly wonder if this team can consistently shoot from the perimeter and whether or not they'll be as difficult a matchup at small forward with Johnson gone.

But don't think for a second this team lacks confidence.

"Ish was our leader last year," Woods said. "Jeff was our point guard, but Ish was our leader."

Smith doesn't stop smiling, either. Talk to him and he is beaming with confidence and pride about Wake Forest. He's not Chris Paul. He's not Justin Gray. He's not Teague. But he'll be just as important to this team.

"He's one of the most talented point guards in the league," said Gaudio of Smith, who has started 60 games at Wake, was the sixth man last season and has quite a career assist-to-turnover ratio (427-255).

"He's a playmaker, but more so a big-shot maker," Gaudio said. "He hit the game-winner against Virginia Tech [as a sophomore] and Miami [later that same season]. He takes big shots, and he made them as a sophomore."

Smith was injured to start last season and lost the starting position he had held as a sophomore. Teague was the big-shot maker when he returned. Now the onus is on him.

"Everyone has been telling me on Facebook that 'It's your team.' There's a lot of pressure, but we've got really talented guys, good bigs and guards that are back," Smith said. "Chris [Paul] was more of a facilitator. Jeff [Teague] was more of a scorer. I'm more of a facilitator who will get people involved. I know when to score and when to pass. I know when to set a team up and get the ball to who's hot."

That will undoubtedly include Aminu, who was overshadowed by Teague and Johnson last season. Aminu is about as reserved a player as you'll find. He's a bit of a low-talker and doesn't show much emotion. Gaudio got right in on him early in practice to ensure that Aminu understood this season was different. He told him directly that he had to win every drill.

"I told him he's got to hold himself to a completely different standard," Gaudio said. "He has to dominate every possession. He's understanding the pace of practice and how hard he has to work."

Aminu chose to blow off USA Basketball and work out this summer, going to the Nike skill camps instead. He said he was advised to stay home and hone his craft. He said his circle is tight and he wasn't swayed by talk that he was lottery material. Aminu knew he was nowhere near ready for the real man's world of the NBA.

He has worked on his shot, ballhandling and footwork. Without Teague and Johnson, you can be assured Aminu will score more than 12.9 points a game. He'll also take more than 4.7 shots a game.

Aminu said he'll embrace the attention. His teammates have no issue with shifting it to him, either.

"You'll see a more aggressive, more attacking Al-Farouq Aminu," Smith said. "He'll prove to be one of the best small forwards in the country."

Bring up that 15-point Cleveland State loss and you'll get a bitter response. The players say they've been quizzed incessantly about how they could have laid an egg to the Vikings in Miami.

Woods said it had been developing and wasn't a shock, considering the second half of the season. The Deacons posted a 16-0 start, rising to the top of the poll after wins at BYU, at Clemson and over North Carolina and Duke at home.

At that point, Wake looked like a title contender (and was a Final Four pick by, ahem, yours truly). But what followed was a roller-coaster finish. The players all said they weren't ready to handle the success. They are now. It's clear the loss to the Vikings had a lasting effect on them.

"That was a big reason why I came back," Aminu said. "To get put out in the first round, I didn't want that to be my only NCAA tournament experience. I want to win a couple of games, hopefully get to the Final Four. No disrespect to Cleveland State, but to get upset like that -- our team was dejected. We had a Final Four-type team, and to lose like that and go home was devastating."

Wake Forest won't be picked to win the ACC this season -- Duke and North Carolina can argue about that. The Demon Deacons aren't perceived to be better than Georgia Tech, Clemson or Maryland, either. But you can expect Wake will be with those clubs, as well as Boston College and Florida State, throughout the ACC chase.

If McFarland makes himself a factor, if Weaver and Woods are as productive as they have shown early in practice, if Aminu scores, if Williams makes perimeter shots and if Smith leads, then Wake Forest will certainly remain plenty relevant.

The Demon Deacons will know how tough they are early, with road games at Purdue (ACC-Big Ten Challenge) and at Gonzaga in consecutive games in early December. Winning one of those true road games could go a long way toward earning key power-rating points for an NCAA berth in March.

"These seniors have won more games each of their three seasons and put us in the tournament last year," Gaudio said. "If they get us in the tournament again, they'll get to leave a little bit of a legacy at Wake Forest."

• South Carolina coach Darrin Horn says junior forward Sam Muldrow has been boarding and blocking shots extremely well in practice. The Gamecocks need balance on a squad that will be dominated by guard Devan Downey and forward Dominique Archie. Muldrow is also scoring well around the basket, but Horn said he needs to see it in a live game. Downey, meanwhile, has been an exceptional leader. "He's always vocal and passionate but he's also bringing the younger guys along," Horn said. The second-year head coach projected that home losses could decide the SEC East since winning on the road will be at a premium. Whoever can't protect their home court will likely lose the division title.

• Cornell was picked for a three-peat as the Ivy League champ in the preseason poll. Princeton was slotted second, followed by Penn, Harvard, Yale, Columbia, Brown and Dartmouth. The Big Red will have player of the year candidates in Ryan Wittman and Louis Dale. But don't sleep on Harvard's Jeremy Lin as a possible POY, even if the Crimson don't win the league.

• Akron coach Keith Dambrot is building the program to beat in the MAC. The Zips are tabbed as the favorites in the MAC East, followed by Kent State, Buffalo, Miami, Bowling Green and Ohio. Central Michigan was picked first in the MAC West with Northern Illinois, Eastern Michigan, Ball State, Western Michigan and Toledo trailing. Kent State's Chris Singletary and Akron's guards Brett McKnight and Anthony Hitches lead the all-MAC preseason team. What the league lacks this season is an NBA player. There's still time, but the league needs a standout like it has had in the past. Multiple bids would finally be a nice thing, too.

NEW YORK -- Greg Monroe was the perfect candidate to leave school early for the NBA draft.

He was a big man with exceptional passing reads who had lived up to his high school hype. He was the Big East Rookie of the Year after averaging a dozen points and nearly seven boards a game. He had NBA personnel tantalized by his skill set. And he led Georgetown -- to the NIT.

You can't blame Monroe for the Hoyas' sudden free fall in the middle of their Big East schedule that saw them drop seven of their nine games in January. (Six of the seven were league losses; the other was at Duke.) Monroe was hardly alone, as inexperience reigned over the Hoyas at the worst time.

"I don't know how to explain it," Monroe said of the downward spiral in which the Hoyas went from 11-1 to 13-8 en route to a pedestrian 16-15 finish (7-11 Big East). "We didn't make plays down the stretch when we needed them: a stop, a rebound or execute our offense. We couldn't find a way to do it. There's a big difference this year since we understand what has to be done. We will win more games this year."

A year ago, Georgetown cruised into the Old Spice Classic in Orlando and torched rival Maryland by 27 points. The Hoyas then beat Memphis at home by nine in overtime. And then, the kicker, Georgetown opened Big East play in late December with a stunning 11-point win at co-league favorite UConn. All three of those victims went to the NCAA tournament, with UConn a No. 1 seed.

"I thought we had a chance to be special in this league after that game," Monroe said as he recalled the UConn game while at last week's Big East media day in New York. "We had a tough game after that [a 16-point home loss to Pitt]. But it was a special conference last year. This year there is more balance. The league lost a lot of stars. We have a better focus and we know what it takes to win more games."

Monroe could have bolted. He could have run for the easy money as Georgetown floundered for the first time under John Thompson III with a 12th-place finish in the Big East after winning the league in consecutive years with a Final Four berth two seasons ago.

But the Hoyas' win-loss record had nothing to do with Monroe's decision.

"I just had to evaluate myself, and I knew I wasn't ready to make that step," said Monroe, whom an NBA team likely would have selected in the top 10 despite his assessment. Monroe said his skills weren't polished enough. He wasn't physical enough.

"Of course I want to play in the tournament," Monroe said. "But I can't make a mistake leaving too early."

Somehow Thompson wasn't surprised by the refreshing and true analysis.

"He can look in the mirror and be honest with himself," Thompson said. "He likes the collegiate experience. He likes being at Georgetown. There are a lot of kids out there that look for the first opportunity to go. Sometimes it's right, and sometimes it's wrong. They want to jump and get to the league. But he can look in the mirror and be honest with himself that he has to be stronger and improve his offense. There's no rush for him to make that jump."

Now, don't be surprised if he does it after his sophomore season. The 6-foot-11 Monroe should be in contention with Notre Dame's Luke Harangody for Big East Player of the Year if he can live up to his expectations. The Hoyas should be a better fit for making a run at a top-three finish with the experienced junior backcourt of Austin Freeman and Chris Wright, role-playing wings Jason Clark and Nikita Mescheriakov and a deeper frontcourt.

Losing DaJuan Summers (13.6 points per game) early to the NBA draft and senior guard Jessie Sapp (6.5 PPG) is a hit. You can spin their departures all you want, but Summers was still a talent and a potential mismatch. Sapp added a solid, experienced guard. But there was clearly something amiss with last year's group that didn't always mesh. The spring training-like buzz about this group is that it is in a better space.

"The hunger is different," Thompson said. "The energy is different. It's not an excuse, but we did have six players in our rotation last year that were going through it for the first time. That's a reality. It was a bad year to be inexperienced in this conference."

Thompson is banking on the natural growth process of a college team. Through the first two weeks of practice, he is seeing that this squad is no longer running scared at times.

The confidence Thompson gleaned during the offseason was evident by his taking on a more challenging schedule in December. Thompson didn't hesitate to schedule top-15 team Butler in the Jimmy V Classic in New York on Dec. 8 and then fly out to Anaheim to play one of the Pac-10 favorites in Washington at the Wooden Classic. Thompson has said it's a Big East-like week. It is, with more travel. He likely wouldn't do that stretch if he weren't confident this team could make a run within the conference.

Playing the Colonial League's top team in Old Dominion again at home -- a team that has given the Hoyas fits recently -- will be a tough follow-up to that Butler-Washington stretch when the Hoyas return to Washington, D.C., to face the Monarchs on Dec. 19.

"We have the pieces," Monroe said. "We lost two great players in Jessie Sapp and DaJuan Summers, but with me, [junior] Julian Vaughn emerging and the freshmen coming along well, we've got the pieces for us to be versatile."

Thompson said the wide-eyed look of a young team is gone. This squad still doesn't have a senior. But it has a big man who could be one of the best in the country. If he is, the Hoyas should be a factor throughout the season, not just in spots in November and December.

• The MAAC predictions had Siena projected to win the league yet again. The Saints have a real shot to win a third straight first-round NCAA tournament game. The Saints won 27 games last season and return key players Ronald Moore and Edwin Ubiles.

As has been the case recently, Niagara was picked second. Rider, with preseason player of the year Ryan Thompson, was third followed by Fairfield, Loyola, Saint Peter's, Canisius, Manhattan, Iona and Marist.

There was a time earlier this decade when the latter three teams were at the top of this conference. That shows how difficult it is to maintain success at this level when there are coaching changes. The continued excellence in the MAAC at Siena and Niagara can be attributed to the decisions of the coaches and schools to keep Fran McCaffery and Joe Mihalich, respectively. The long-term commitment by both coaches is a direct result in their programs' maintaining a place atop the league.

In roughly six weeks, you'll know if Vanderbilt is a real serious player for the SEC East title.

By that time, the Commodores could be through the Maui Invitational with a title, or at least with two wins over projected NCAA teams Cincinnati and Maryland, and through a gauntlet of nonconference games that includes Missouri at home, Illinois on the road and always-tough Western Kentucky on a neutral court in Nashville.

Vanderbilt coach Kevin Stallings isn't shying away from pushing his veteran team early in practice. On Monday, Stallings made it quite clear to his players that there needs to be a sense of urgency every day in practice because of the ensuing slate of games.

"I hope there's a positive buzz about how we're playing," Stallings said of his goal for how the Commodores will be perceived after Thanksgiving week in Maui. "But in order for that to happen, we've got a lot of work to do now, because everyone else is working just as hard."

The 'Dores have been slowed a bit by injuries early with junior center A.J. Ogilvy, a candidate for SEC player of the year, suffering a concussion on the first day of practice. There have been foot and shoulder injuries to a few players, too.

But there have also been two surprises in the first two weeks of practice that have Stallings feeling pretty pumped about this squad. He didn't have to worry about returnees Ogilvy up front or guards Jermaine Beal, Brad Tinsley or top defender Jeffrey Taylor. That foursome should be the core of this squad. But what Stallings wasn't sure of was how much he could get out of redshirt sophomore Festus Ezeli or highly touted freshman guard John Jenkins.

Ezeli played in 29 games last season, occassionally spelling Ogilvy. He's a big body at 6-11 and 255 pounds, but averaged a modest 3.8 points and 2.6 rebounds. But on the summer trip to Australia, Ezeli emerged as a productive threat, even on the scoring end. He hasn't disappointed in practice, either, giving the Commodores an option either next to Ogilvy or as his replacement.

As for Jenkins, we knew he was going to be a scorer. That much was known. He averaged a whopping 42.3 ppg at Station Camp (Tenn.) High School last season. But Stallings needed him to be a defensive pest and an assist man to ensure the bigs could get the ball.

"He's going to defend just fine," said Stallings of Jenkins, who isn't getting even close to the hype of Kentucky's or Florida's freshmen in the SEC East. "But I really like the way he can pass the ball, especially into the post. He sees and feels the game well. Post-feeding is an important skill on our team. He can really, really shoot. But we didn't know he could be as good a post feeder as he is. He also moves his feet really well."

Still, Stallings is old school and isn't ready to push Jenkins past his older guards like Beal and Tinsley. He said there is still a gap between those who have played and Jenkins.

"It's nice having a highly regarded freshman, but he's not there yet," Stallings said. "He will impact our team and there will be times in games when he'll make a big string of 3s. He's a prolific shooter. Every time he shoots the ball I think it's going to go in."

Stallings doesn't fret the noticeable SEC attention shift to Lexington this season. He has come to accept that during his 11-year tenure. Despite a pair of Sweet 16 appearances since 2004, Vanderbilt never seems to get quite the amount of attention of some of its SEC peers.

"Kentucky's program is always going to get more attention and more hype in the preseason than most of the rest of the programs in the SEC," Stallings said. "That's the way it is going to be and nothing we can control or care about."

For what Stallings can control, he's done quite a job of lately.

ESPNU's Scouts Inc. recently reported that Vanderbilt landed 6-8 Rod Odom, rated the No. 14 small forward on the ESPNU 100. Odom originally committed to Arizona, but got out of the commitment and immediately switched to the Commodores. Odom joins 6-11 center Josh Henderson in the class of 2010.

ESPNU wrote that Odom is a solid ballhandler, can make jumpers and 3s and has a high basketball IQ.

• Stallings paid for his team's trip to Australia out of his own contract after the cash-strapped university offered up concern over the $100,000 tab. Going on foreign trips has been a major hit for schools over the years as they enrich the players, give them ample viewings for international scouts and can help teams find their own identity. Schools are allowed to make the trips every four years. Usually, teams fund raise for these trips, thus not taking money out from the general pool of cash in the athletic department. Yet for some reason, the Pac-10 figured cutting these foreign trips out all together would be a way of cutting costs. Well, common sense prevailed this week. The Pac-10 announced through its compliance center that it had withdrawn the proposal in advance of this week's NCAA board of directors meeting in Indianapolis.

• The Missouri Valley predictions were somewhat predictable. Northern Iowa, which returns its core, was picked first with 38 first-place votes, followed by Creighton (one). The rest of the order: Illinois State, Southern Illinois, Wichita State, Bradley, Indiana State, Drake, Missouri State and Evansville. Illinois State's Osiris Eldridge was tabbed as the preseason player of the year.

• Western Kentucky was predicted to win the Sun Belt East Division while North Texas, a sleeper team if you're looking for one, was tabbed to win the West Division. Troy and Middle Tennessee were projected to be Western's challengers (followed by South Alabama, Florida Atlantic and FIU), while Denver and Louisiana-Lafayette were slated to push UNT (followed by Little Rock, Louisiana-Monroe, Arkansas State and New Orleans). Western Kentucky's A.J. Slaughter and North Texas' Eric Tramiel were two of the five on the first team (Denver's Nate Rohnert, Middle's Desmond Yates and Troy's Brandon Hazzard finished the first team).

• The Maui Invitational named former South Carolina and Wake Forest coach Dave Odom, who is becoming a bit of a statesman of the game, to be its new tournament chairman. He's replacing former Big East commissioner Dave Gavitt, who has been battling health problems. Odom is also the non-active coaching member on the newly formed coaches' ethics committee.

• If you'd watched Syracuse's Jim Boeheim deliver his postgame news conference Sunday on SU's athletic Web site, you'd have no idea that it was Oct. 25. Boeheim is in perfect mid-season form evaluating his team after a game. Yes, the Orange was the first team to open up with a real exhibition game, just 10 days after the official start of practice. Syracuse played Cal State Los Angeles at the Carrier Dome in preparation for the early start to the season next week. SU is in the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic with two games at home before joining Cal, Ohio State and North Carolina in New York.

Boeheim was in a somewhat good mood because of the play of freshman James Southerland, who may warm up to the Syracuse fans quite quickly. While it was just an exhibition, Southerland made all seven shots he attempted, including five 3s. The Orange expects Andy Rautins and Iowa State transfer Wesley Johnson to be their top two 3-point threats, but they were a combined 0-for-6. The competition between Scoop Jardine and freshman Brandon Triche to start at the point continues. Jardine got to the line to make 8 of 10 free throws, had 11 assists and no turnovers. Triche was just 1-of-3 at the line and had three assists and no turnovers. The Orange won rather easily, 97-54.

• The NCAA board of directors has a major meeting Thursday with a slew of basketball-related proposals. Among those that continue to resurface is the one allowing players to practice with their coaching staff (can you imagine?) during the summer as long as they are enrolled in summer school. Schools that don't have a summer session would be exempt. Also: reducing the maximum number of regular-season games from 29 to 28 or 26 plus a multiple-team event (that can be up to four games); allowing team practice to begin on Oct. 1 (and going up from two to four of the allowable eight hours of practice to be devoted to team practice the first week) before getting up to the regular 20-hour practice week beginning Oct. 15; allowing schools to pay for travel expenses for official visits for parents and legal guardians (maybe this would cut down on questionable funding of unofficial visits?); allowing student-athletes to stay on financial aid if they decide not to play after a coach departs but not counting it toward the maximum 13 scholarships; preventing JC or CC transfers from using more than two PE credits.

• Former Kentucky coach Billy Gillispie has been making the rounds, visiting his coaching friends and watching practice. He was at Kansas last week and had also planned to visit Marquette. Gillispie worked for KU head coach Bill Self at Tulsa and Illinois while Marquette head coach Buzz Williams worked under Gillispie at Texas A&M.

• Freshman Xavier Henry is ready to take on a major role with top-rated Kansas, according to Self. Henry's play in the last few days at practice has shown that he "gets it," Self said. Henry is expected to be a major scoring option for the Jayhawks behind guard Sherron Collins and forward Cole Aldrich. Henry isn't necessarily hunting his shot, but isn't having an issue finding his role as a player around the ball at all times. Self said guard Tyshawn Taylor, who injured his thumb during the now infamous basketball-football fracas last month, hasn't missed an official practice yet. Taylor averaged 10.8 points for the gold-winning U.S. Under-19 team in New Zealand this summer.

There is a chance, albeit a small one, that Long Beach State could meet Minnesota in next month's 76 Classic in Anaheim, Calif.

If it occurs -- likely in a consolation game, since the schools are on opposite sides of the bracket -- then there should be an acknowledgment of how much Dan Monson helped put Minnesota in the position it is today. Tubby Smith, one of the best hires an athletic director has pulled off in the last decade, has put the Golden Gophers in the mix as a regular NCAA tournament team for years to come. But Monson shouldn't be forgotten.

The Gophers needed cleansing after the Clem Haskins academic scandal vacated the 1997 Final Four. After leading Gonzaga to the 1999 Elite Eight, the fresh-faced Monson was hired to bring some sort of normalcy back to Minneapolis. He did that.

He lasted seven-plus seasons with the Gophers, but only one NCAA tournament appearance ultimately led to his dismissal in November 2006.

Early-season firings aren't and shouldn't be the norm in college basketball, as they are in the NBA. But the four-month break was actually just enough time for Monson to decompress before the Long Beach State job opened.

Initially, his wife, Darci, cried when Long Beach called. A Northwest native, she wasn't enamored with moving to Southern California and the possible headaches of raising four children in the area. But that has quickly subsided. The family couldn't be in a better place or space.

"I enjoy going to work every day; that's the main thing that's different now," Monson said. "I don't care about the money or the league. I enjoy life again."

Two seasons after the firing, Monson is enjoying a renaissance at Long Beach State. He has pulled off a turnaround of this once-proud program, one that can claim success stories on the court under Jerry Tarkanian, Lute Olson and Seth Greenberg.

The 49ers were coming off NCAA probation that vacated the 2005-06 season, and one year later, Larry Reynolds led the program to the NCAA tournament out of the Big West. Monson went 6-25 in the first year with a depleted roster, but then last season went 15-15 and improved the conference record from 3-13 to 10-6, just one game behind first-place Cal State Northridge. LBSU lost a share of the title on a buzzer-beater by UC Santa Barbara in the regular-season finale.

This season, the 49ers should be right in the mix for the Big West title with Northridge, UCSB and UC Riverside. Among the four starters returning is Larry Anderson, who became the first Big West freshman in 35 years to earn first-team all-league honors. From 6-25 to title contention, life is good again for Dan Monson.

"He's happy and content and at peace," said former Monson assistant Mark Few, who is entering his 11th season as head coach at Gonzaga. "He's in a good place. He loves it there."

Monson's life had become so draining at Minnesota. When he first arrived in Minneapolis, Monson would gloat about what the Gophers had in a conference like the Big Ten, according to his friends. The amenities were cool at the time. But the pressure to produce now, rather than later, was not.

"I don't know if I ever felt [at peace] at Minnesota," Monson said. "Those eight years were very difficult, between the probation and all the adjustments. I don't know if I ever got into a comfortable routine."

The environment he is in at Long Beach State has much more of a Gonzaga-like feel. The Zags dominate Spokane, Wash. That's not the case in the Long Beach area near Los Angeles, with so many other interests permeating the sports and social scene. But there is still a community-like feel on campus that he missed.

Recruiting has also been much more of a joy, with the roster dominated by Californians (11). Monson spends more time at home with his wife and four children. Monson said the number of days he's at home isn't even comparable to when he was at Minnesota or Gonzaga, which does have to recruit outside the Northwest quite a bit.

"I left Minnesota feeling like I wish I would have won more, but I did what they wanted me to do, which was clean it up," Monson said. "I helped stabilize the program and run it the right way. We went to the NCAA tournament the first year off probation. We weren't a total disaster on the court. The academics and the recruiting were a solid base, but it needed a bump. Tubby has given that to them.

"I don't have a beef with the University of Minnesota at all. They gave me a lot of money, made me a better person for sure, and a lot better coach, since I had to deal with a lot of different situations there. I wouldn't trade any of what I learned about myself those eight years."

The Big West has searched for an identity since UNLV departed for the WAC (and later the Mountain West). Becoming an all-California league has helped narrow the focus, but it still could use a school like Gonzaga, a program that separates itself by garnering national publicity and becomes a barometer for the rest.

Long Beach State certainly has the history, the facility and the recruiting base to become that school. The rest of the league may challenge that statement, but the 49ers might have the first crack at distancing themselves.

"You've got to have that marquee team," Monson said. "Gonzaga lifted the other schools up to where the others are trying to match it."

Monson referenced Pacific's run from 2003 to 2006, when the Tigers were a regular in the NCAA tournament, even winning first-round NCAA games in 2004 and '05. The 2005 team went 18-0 in the Big West.

"If a league like this gets a couple of teams in the tournament, it can separate itself from the rest of the mid-majors," Monson said.

To do that, the coaching staffs need to stay somewhat intact. Pacific's Bob Thomason arrived in 1988. UC Irvine's Pat Douglass took over in 1997. UC Santa Barbara's Bob Williams got his gig in 1998. Cal State Northridge's Bobby Braswell, who earned the league's automatic berth last season, started with the Matadors in 1996.

"These are good jobs in great locations," Monson said. "I was ready again after 90 straight days going to the bus stop, ready mentally to take a head job again. And doing that for three months made me appreciate this job, made me appreciate what I have here. This is a great set up for me."

• The ACC media projected Duke and North Carolina in a dead heat for first place. That's a fair guess, as neither team is expected to dominate. Both could challenge for the national title, but both are flawed -- Duke in speed and quickness and Carolina in the experience of its guards.

But the rest of the poll is clearly debatable. Clemson was picked third, followed by Georgia Tech, Maryland, Wake Forest, Florida State, Virginia Tech, Boston College, Miami, Virginia and NC State.

A few certainties from my vantage point: Clemson, with its questionable perimeter shooting, won't finish third, and the experience and productivity returning at BC will prevent the Eagles from finishing ninth. Both are NCAA tournament teams in my mind, and so are Maryland, Georgia Tech, Wake Forest and likely Florida State. Yes, that's a possible eight teams in contention for bids out of the ACC, which is unlikely. But the balance in this league could lead to a banner season. I'm not sold yet on whether Virginia Tech or Miami can get there.

• Stats from intrasquad scrimmages don't mean much in the big picture, but they're still worth sharing.

USC desperately needs North Carolina transfer Alex Stepheson to be a major force this season. His numbers were solid in the Trojans' Gold and Cardinal scrimmage Sunday night: 13 points in 20 minutes and five boards. Leonard Washington played even though he's academically ineligible this semester. Clearly, Washington needs work -- he went 1-of-11 from the field.

If Wisconsin is going to keep its NCAA tournament streak going (11 straight appearances), Jon Leuer will need to be effective. He wasn't during Sunday's scrimmage, going 2-of-12. Trevon Hughes could be this team's stud, and he did have three steals. But he also had three turnovers and four assists.

Renardo Sidney hasn't been cleared by the NCAA's eligibility center to compete in games, but he can practice and be involved in scrimmages for Mississippi State. He certainly tantalized the Bulldogs staff with 19 points and seven boards in a 7-of-16 outing (3-of-7 on 3s, too) in 31 minutes during a Saturday afternoon scrimmage. All-America shot-blocker Jarvis Varnado was on the same side as Sidney and scored 22, making seven of 10 shots, nailing all eight free throws and blocking five shots. That was according to the box score. But the press release reported he scored 33 points. That probably tells you all you need to know about scrimmages. Either way, the Bulldogs will take a big night from Varnado. The bigger concern would be Ravern Johnson's going 2-of-13 and missing all eight 3s he attempted.

• Washington is trying to reach out to Gonzaga with a proposal to play a series in Seattle every year at Key Arena, with UW assistant athletic director Richard Kilwien saying the game would bring in $300,000 per school in the 50-50 ticket split. But the Zags' argument is that they already play a game in Seattle every season for their fans in the western part of the state. Gonzaga wants a true home-and-home series to resume with the start of the series back in Spokane -- and the Zags aren't budging. Kilwien and the rest of the Huskies aren't either, saying that they're not interested in a home-and-home series. So the stalemate continues, and the series won't continue. Gonzaga does have a true home-and-home with Washington's Pac-10 rival, Washington State.

NEW YORK -- Bob Huggins has made West Virginia an elite team in three seasons.

That's what was expected once he arrived at his alma mater after a one-year stint at Kansas State.

Just like John Calipari at Kentucky, there is an expectation when Huggins arrives: The program will be elevated to another level.

Sure, West Virginia under John Beilein was one of the better success stories in the Big East. But the run from 2004 to '06 wasn't projected. In 2005, the Mountaineers barely made the field of 65 with an 8-8 Big East record before Mike Gansey and Kevin Pittsnogle led the improbable run to the Elite Eight. More was expected from the veteran group a year later, but it was still a West Virginia team with little room for error. The Mountaineers went 11-5 in the league the ensuing season, finishing with 22 wins and a Sweet 16 appearance.

Huggs is expecting more from the outset this season. So, too, is everyone else in the Big East. The Mountaineers were projected to finish second behind Villanova in the preseason coaches' poll.

But really, second place behind Nova? Does Villanova really have more talent than West Virginia or are the Wildcats just feeding off the Final Four run? Villanova lost key players Dante Cunningham, Dwayne Anderson and Shane Clark. West Virginia lost just Alex Ruoff.

"I told our guys and told the state of West Virginia that if you're one of the best teams in the Big East then you're one of the best teams in the country," said Huggins in his way of answering whether or not the Mountaineers can reach Indianapolis for the Final Four. "I think if we truly are one of the two or three best teams in the league, then we'll be one of the best teams [in the country]."

(EDITOR'S NOTE: To see Katz's full interview of Huggins, click here.)

This isn't meant as a dismissal of Villanova. The Wildcats do bring back guard Scottie Reynolds and fellow guards Corey Stokes and Corey Fisher, as well as forward Antonio Pena. Newcomers Dominic Cheek, Taylor King, Maalik Wayns and Mouphtaou Yarou are all expected to have an impact. So, too, will Reggie Redding when he returns from his fall semester suspension.

But the Mountaineers return quite a loaded lineup with senior forward Da'Sean Butler (17.1 ppg, 5.9 rpg), Devin Ebanks (10.5 ppg, 7.8 rpg), guards Joe Mazzulla and Darryl Bryant (both coming off an offseason suspension), and role players John Flowers, Wellington Smith and Kevin Jones rotating inside. Well, that's if freshman forwards Danny Jennings and Deniz Kilicli don't take their place.

Huggins said Wednesday during Big East media day that Kilicli might be the biggest surprise of any player. The 6-9, 260-pound Turkish national has "bigger hands than your head. He stepped out and caught a ball like it was a softball."

"The NBA guys all think if he continues to develop he'll be pretty good," Huggins said of Kilicli, who prepped last season at nearby Mountain State Academy, which might become a transitional feeder for the Mountaineers. "He scores. He's so much more mobile. He'll be hard to guard in the post. He has unbelievable hands."

Getting Kilicli is exactly what Huggins needed/wanted in his transition from the more cerebral shooting era under Beilein. Huggins got the Beilein holdovers to work 3-point shooting and some backdoor cuts into his more intense defensive system. It worked well in the first season when Huggins coached Joe Alexander and friends to the Sweet 16.

"We're more into guys that are bigger and stronger," Huggins said. "Shooting was their thing."

But the work ethic that Beilein started has permeated down through the program. Butler has shined under Huggins. Ebanks' arrival was fortuitous after he was originally slated to go to Indiana with Kelvin Sampson. Sampson's implosion at IU led Ebanks to Morgantown. His solid production last season could have tempted him to bolt to the NBA draft, where his skills were coveted. But Ebanks stayed back and should flourish this season.

"He's long and can guard," Huggins said. "A lot of people don't realize that it's hard to think and play when you're a freshman and you're thrown out there. You think about this or that and it's hard to play. As the season went on Devin played better and better. I think watching him now you see how comfortable he is. I think he's going to have a big year."

Mazzulla and Bryant, who were both suspended from basketball activities over the summer for legal issues in the spring, have committed to the defensive end so far in practice, according to Huggs.

"I remember being in Milwaukee and those three guys [Marquette's Jerel McNeal, Dominic James and Wes Matthews] were chasing him around and he didn't like that," Huggins said of Bryant. "Now he would relish it. He's as good as anybody in the league."

Huggins doesn't boast too loudly. He's a bit of a low talker, especially when he's not coaching. But he also isn't going to push something he doesn't believe in too much. He knows he has a squad that can make a run this season. He won 26 games in Year 1. He won 23 in Year 2. And he's primed to push 30 in Year 3. The Mountaineers are one of the marquee teams in the loaded 76 Classic in Anaheim, Calif., opening up with Long Beach State on one side of the bracket and then playing either Texas A&M or Clemson in the second game. UCLA, Portland, Butler and Minnesota are on the other side. Hosting Ole Miss and playing Ohio State during the Big East season will offer up plenty of other power-rating points.

Calipari's Kentucky team is getting most of the talk nationally and rightfully so for the impact the new-look Cats will have on the season. But Cal's former Conference USA coaching rival is back. The Mountaineers aren't as dominating as the Cincinnati teams Huggins coached earlier in his career, but this edition has the chance to do something similar -- make a run at a No. 1 seed.

• As expected, the Horizon League coaches projected Butler to win the conference, with possible NCAA team Wright State on the Bulldogs' heels. Cleveland State, which shocked Wake Forest in the first round of the NCAA tournament, was picked third, followed by Milwaukee, Green Bay, Detroit, Youngstown State, Valparaiso, UIC and Loyola. Butler's Matt Howard was predicted to repeat as Horizon League player of the year.

• Gonzaga was picked to win its 10th straight West Coast Conference title. The Zags' nine consecutive league titles form easily the longest streak in the country. Upstart Portland, which will get a chance to showcase itself against UCLA in November, was picked second. Saint Mary's (sans Patty Mills) was third, followed by San Francisco, Santa Clara, San Diego, Pepperdine and Loyola Marymount.

The Atlantic 10 needs a runaway champ, someone to distance themselves from the rest of the pack.

Saint Joseph's may have been the best example in recent years, earning a No. 1 seed in 2004 and coasting into the A-10 tournament with a 27-0 record before eventually losing in the Elite Eight.

Xavier has had runs of note. The Muskeeters also went to the Elite Eight that season, though they weren't as dominant in the league (10-6). XU also had A-10 runs of 15-1 (2003) and 14-2 (2008), with the latter resulting in a 30-win season and another Elite Eight.

George Washington had one of those runs as well, going 16-0 in 2006 (27-3 overall).

Dayton is the favorite to win the A-10 this season. The Flyers return the league's projected top player in Chris Wright. The Flyers won a first-round NCAA tournament game last season by beating West Virginia. But the talk among the coaches during Thursday's A-10 preseason media conference call was that this could be the most balanced season the league has seen.

"I don't think teams will go on a four- or five-game winning streak in this league," George Washington coach Karl Hobbs said of the balance this season.

That's great for competitive flavor every night, but is it good for the league's national profile?

"If you look at the history of our league, when we've had a lead dog, that team has been like a monster," Saint Joseph's coach Phil Martelli said. "When we had that lead dog, everyone is chasing that team and you're chasing a national team in the top 15 in the country. Every night that lead dog plays, 16 nights in the league, the league is being talked about."

Martelli said Dayton could be that team this season, but he drew more similarities to the George Washington squad than the Saint Joe's or Xavier teams of the past. The difference could be that Dayton is playing a more challenging national schedule than the Colonials did in 2006, a main reason ticked-off GW ended up with an 8-seed in the NCAAs.

Dayton plays in the loaded Puerto Rico Tip-Off Classic with an opening game against Georgia Tech and a second game against either Villanova or George Mason (the other side is Indiana-Ole Miss and Boston University-Kansas State). There are at least five teams in that field with a realistic shot at an NCAA tourney at-large bid. Playing potential league champs Creighton (MVC) and Old Dominion (Colonial) and a true road game at New Mexico will also help Dayton's power rating come March.

"I would say that Dayton is being undersold," Martelli said. "They are very balanced, relentless and have a swagger after building off the success they've had."

Rhode Island coach Jim Baron, who has been in the league for 18 seasons with his stops at St. Bonaventure and now with the Rams, said it has been critical for the conference to have that "lead horse." But he emphasized the depth of the league, too. URI has been a part of that over the past few seasons (63 wins in three seasons), but the Rams haven't been able to land an NCAA bid.

Having nationally respected teams in the league is a must for a bubble program hoping to snatch a late-season berth. The A-10 needs to have one or two elite teams in February for the rest of the league to chase and pick off a power-rating win.

Why? Because a number of the teams can't schedule national games, so they may end up relying on a league game to produce that power-rating pop for them in conference.

"Hopefully this year we can have one or two or three step out and step ahead," Baron said.

The runaway team has given the league "lots of national attention," Hobbs said. But only one program has been able to maintain it. Even through several coaching changes, Xavier just keeps chugging along.

"Xavier has had that high level of excellence that's been difficult for the rest of the league [to match]," Hobbs said.

In the coaches' poll, XU was picked second behind Dayton, followed by upstart Richmond, La Salle, Duquesne, Temple, Charlotte, Rhode Island, UMass, Saint Joseph's, St. Bonaventure, Saint Louis, GW and Fordham.

If these projections are correct and Richmond and La Salle are top-four teams, that gives great hope for programs recycling up from the bottom. But it might make it harder for the league to have national relevance beyond Dayton and Xavier unless the Spiders and Explorers can knock off some national names and get close or inside the Top 25.

• Temple's Lavoy Allen, Richmond's Kevin Anderson, La Salle's Rodney Green, UMass' Ricky Harris and Dayton's Chris Wright were named to the All-A-10 first team.

• The Atlantic 10 moved its conference title game to a Sunday this season. It will be broadcast March 13 on CBS, from the Boardwalk in Atlantic City, N.J.

• The NCAA has proposed potentially sweeping changes to its recruiting policies, pending approval by the Division I board of directors at its meeting next week. The goal of the recommendations is to get at the root of the money in recruiting as the NCAA enforcement staff's Basketball Focus Group works with the National Association of Basketball Coaches board of directors and the newly formed coaches ethics group.

A conference commissioners board, led by the SEC's Mike Slive, was quoted on the NCAA's Web site as saying "it has become evident that more individuals have inserted themselves into the recruiting process other than families of the prospects in a way that is contrary to the spirit of the legislation." That means college coaches would only be allowed to contact a person who maintains contact with the prospect, which includes relatives, guardians or coaches. So that means the NCAA would look deeply into who are the guardians, the handlers, athletic trainers and coaches. This gets back to the pre-existing relationship, a slippery slope the NCAA has been on before, making it harder to see who has truly been associated with the prospect. Seton Hall's Bobby Gonzalez said the idea is great, but policing it will be another matter. Yet the proposal apparently will include harsh sanctions for those that violate the proposal, including missing games for coaches who contact people that are loosely associated with the prospect.

The proposal also looks at non-coaching staff hiring practices. This is a way to get out of package deals. The rule would state that any non-coaching personnel hire would have to come two years before or two years after the prospect the hire is associated with would be on campus. So if you want to hire an assistant to the head coach, as some have done to get a player, that hire had better arrive two years before the recruit. Camps and clinics at schools would only be able to employ their own staff members or students to work at the camp. This would eliminate AAU or summer league coaches from coaching at clinics to help pay for unofficial visits or gain a recruiting advantage.

Schools would also not be allowed to host a nonscholastic event on their campus. Also, in an attempt to get rid of scouting services that are tied to gaining access to a prospect, the legislation would prohibit paying consulting fees to anyone associated with the prospect. If any of these proposals are approved on Oct. 29, they would be in effect for May 1, 2010.

There is also some legislation that would alter the recruiting calendar, tryouts, travel expenses for prospective student-athletes and those associated with the prospect (other than parent or guardian) and communication with prospects.

Martelli, a member of the NABC board, said the spirit of all the proposals are sound, but the details still need to be worked out.

• Steve Pence, the attorney for Louisville coach Rick Pitino, said Thursday that the reason Pitino was correct in saying he won't miss a practice or a game to be on the witness stand in the federal extortion trial of Karen Cypher is that courts routinely make accommodations for witnesses. "He's not a defendant, and that would be different," Pence said. "With any witness, the court works with their availability and their schedule." Pence said he is sure of this as a former U.S. attorney. He said the trial date still needs to be set by the court.

• Washington coach Lorenzo Romar said he hoped to be back up to eight players for Thursday's practice. He said the flu bug (not swine flu) had hit his team after Friday night's Midnight Madness event. The Huskies had only seven available bodies for the first few days of practice.

• Romar said freshman guard Abdul Gaddy has been a gem early on and is a quick learner and isn't making mistakes. Gaddy is expected to be a force on the perimeter with Isaiah Thomas and Venoy Overton, forming one of the top backcourts in the country. Romar also said Tyreese Breshers and Clarence Trent are proving to be more than capable rebounders in a search to get Quincy Pondexter help to offset the rebounding loss of Jon Brockman.

NEW YORK -- St. John's couldn't have another obstacle to start the season. Not this season. Not now. Not when the Red Storm were projecting a Big East top-10 finish.

Well, apparently it depends on who is causing the preseason hurdle.

From the outside, one would assume that losing redshirt senior Anthony Mason Jr. to a hamstring injury that may keep him sidelined for the remainder of the calendar year would be a hit this squad can't afford.

Well, think again. Apparently Mason is somewhat expendable.

Mason was an All-Big East honorable mention pick as a junior in 2007-08, when he led St. John's with 14 points a game. He is currently sixth on St. John's career 3-pointers list with 109.

But the Red Storm were hardly playing "Chicken Little" during the Big East media day Wednesday.

"We have more depth, more guys who are versatile and tough and who can score on this year's team," junior guard Malik Boothe said. "That's why this year's team can make a push to get to the Big Dance this year."

Sixth-year St. John's coach Norm Roberts, who is still seeking his first NCAA tournament appearance, joked that "New York would find a way to blame me for this."

Roberts said Mason got hurt in a transition drill before the team's trip to Canada over Labor Day weekend. Mason, who missed all but three games last season after surgery to repair his torn peroneal tendon in his right foot, didn't play on the trip. Then, just 30 minutes into Friday's first day of practice, Roberts said Mason was in a transition drill when he said "Aaah" and fell to the court.

"He reaggravated [the hamstring]," Roberts said. "They're going to do this new thing where they take blood from your own body and shoot it into the area that helps the healing process."

Roberts said Mason likely will be out for six weeks (if not longer) and doesn't expect him to play against Duke in Durham, N.C., on Dec. 5 or against Georgia in the SEC-Big East Invitational at Madison Square Garden on Dec. 9. He said he was hopeful that Mason could play in the Holiday Festival at MSG on Dec. 20.

"It's a hurdle, but it would have been more of a hurdle playing with him since we played without him," Roberts said. "He was out all last year."

Roberts said junior forwards D.J. Kennedy and Paris Horne already knew how to play without Mason from last season and in Canada. He said getting junior college transfer Justin Brownlee was critical because of the possibility Mason wouldn't return to top form.

"I don't think it's a big deal," Kennedy said. "He tweaked his hamstring. It's a setback for him since he was still recovering from his ankle. But it's not as big a deal as people are making it seem."

Horne said he understands the perception that "it's always something" with St. John's.

"But we'll be fine this year," Horne said. "We did a good job playing without him."

Roberts refused to say losing Mason to start the season was a crushing blow. He termed it disappointing and frustrating for Mason as he attempts to get back on the court after missing last season and earning a waiver to play.

But it's clear the Red Storm can't afford a slip-up on the court in nonconference play. The schedule has potholes such as playing at St. Bonaventure (Nov. 17), Siena at the Palestra (Nov. 27) and, of course, the game against Duke. If the Storm are to realize their goal of making the Dance, finishing in the top nine won't be enough if they don't earn a marquee nonconference win. Beating projected last-place finisher Georgia out of the SEC East might not be enough. (Read: Beating Top 25-bound Siena on a neutral court would help.)

Roberts spun the situation like this: The schedule will prepare the Red Storm for a tough slate in the Big East. He's right, but they can't rely exclusively on earning a bid in conference. Not having Mason is apparently not going to diminish the Red Storm's production. We'll see whether that is truly how it plays out in November and early December. If Brownlee produces as projected, the staff and players may be right.

• With five more first-place votes in the preseason coaches' poll, Villanova was tabbed to win the Big East over West Virginia. Connecticut got one first-place vote. After discussions with a number of coaches in the league, I would be more inclined to flip the top two, with West Virginia the favorite over Nova. The Wildcats might be deeper, but no team in the Big East has as talented a foursome returning as the Mountaineers do with Devin Ebanks, Da'Sean Butler, Joe Mazzulla and Darryl Bryant. That foursome can lead WVU to the Final Four.

Louisville checked in at No. 4, followed by Georgetown, Syracuse, Cincinnati, Notre Dame, Pitt, Seton Hall, St. John's, Marquette, Providence, South Florida, Rutgers and DePaul. I would have pushed Louisville down a few pegs, moved up Georgetown to equal status with Connecticut and placed Syracuse and Notre Dame together. Cincinnati still needs to prove it belongs a bit higher, but I would have the Bearcats and Cardinals even behind the Orange and Irish. Projecting Pitt at No. 9 is fair, although I have a hard time seeing a Jamie Dixon-coached team finishing in the 9-spot. The Pirates have the talent to finish higher. It's hard to argue with 11-16.

• Notre Dame's Luke Harangody was picked as the preseason player of the year as he goes for his second POY honor in three seasons. (UConn's Hasheem Thabeet and Pitt's DeJuan Blair shared the award last season.) Cincinnati freshman Lance Stephenson was picked as the Big East preseason rookie of the year. Bearcats coach Mick Cronin said Wednesday he's hoping he'll know within two weeks whether Stephenson has been cleared to compete, as the NCAA Eligibility Center continues to delve into his amateur status. Stephenson was just cleared to practice academically.

Joining Harangody on the All-Big East preseason team were Cincinnati's Deonta Vaughn, Georgetown's Greg Monroe, Marquette's Lazar Hayward, Villanova's Scottie Reynolds and West Virginia's Da'Sean Butler.

Connecticut's starting backcourt tandem of Jerome Dyson and Kemba Walker headlined the second team with Louisville's Samardo Samuels, Seton Hall's Jeremy Hazell, South Florida's Dominique Jones and West Virginia's Devin Ebanks.

Editor's note: Who's NEXT in college basketball? Over the next few months, ESPN will identify the players, teams, coaches and games that will leave their mark on the 2009-10 season.

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- North Carolina coach Roy Williams doesn't agree that the Tar Heels have separated themselves from the rest of the pack, nor that the Tar Heels are the choice school around the country.

He rattled off plenty of other great programs in the country with similar expectations that are in the same situation. And to some extent, he is correct. Programs like Kansas, Kentucky, UCLA and at times Duke and Michigan State recruit from the nation's top talent and are just as capable of reloading every season.

But it's hard to imagine another program having the draw to pull together as deep a frontcourt as the one UNC will put on the floor this season. Deon Thompson, Ed Davis, John Henson, Tyler Zeller would start on nearly every program in the country. Add David and Travis Wear and Williams has no shortage of frontcourt options

That's why the North Carolina program meets the criteria to be the NEXT group in college basketball. How Williams divides up the minutes of this group of players will be his charge. But the way in which this frontcourt develops will make them the most intriguing lot this season.

Who else made our NEXT list for college basketball?

Solomon Alabi, C, 7-1, So., Florida State: Alabi has the length and presence to disrupt a game on the defensive end. But what separates Alabi from other players with similar ability is his desire to not just be another lanky center who gets drafted on potential. Alabi could have left for the NBA draft last spring and likely would have been taken somewhere in the first round. But he was a role player last season on a team dominated by Toney Douglas. He played a supporting role and never had his day.

But Alabi dedicated himself over the summer to becoming more capable on the offensive end. He'll likely be one of the top big men in the country and a focal point for Florida State at both ends of the floor. If he can emerge as a first-team All-ACC-caliber player in a league that boasts the likes Duke's Kyle Singler, Georgia Tech's Derrick Favors, Clemson's Trevor Booker and North Carolina's trifecta of Deon Thompson, Ed Davis and John Henson, then the hard work will have paid off.

Derrick Favors, PF, 6-10, Fr., Georgia Tech: Yellow Jackets coach Paul Hewitt has had little trouble recruiting elite players to Georgia Tech. The problem is they're so talented that they don't stay more than one season. Favors is the latest to arrive at the Atlanta campus for what will most likely be a short visit. A top-three player in the country as a senior, Favors has the ability to put up monster numbers with the way in which he is drawn to the ball. What will make Favors even more successful this season is playing off Gani Lawal and Zach Peacock. Favors needs to have a cushion like those two so the entire focus isn't on him and he can develop at his own warp speed. If Favors can help the Yellow Jackets deliver a turn from two wins to nine or 10 in the ACC this season he will deserve a path toward the NBA, showing he isn't just a talented player, but someone who can directly affect winning, too.

Avery Bradley, 6-3, Fr., G, Texas: Bradley seems to be the perfect fit for Texas coach Rick Barnes. He can get to the hole, he can shoot and he can defend. Barnes has made Texas a guards' destination of late, with T.J. Ford, A.J. Abrams and D.J. Augustin all having stellar careers in Austin. Barnes' ability to manage a game in his guards' best interest has been a key to his success. Bradley should slide into a team that is capable of challenging for the Big 12 title as well as a national title. For some reason he hasn't had as much pop nationally as a few others in the class, but soon enough he will get his due.

Craig Brackins, 6-10, Jr., PF, Iowa State: Brackins gets the game, both on and off the court. He understood he needed to polish his skills and was well aware that just putting up 40-plus points on Kansas wasn't enough to run for the first-round cash. Brackins wants more. He wants to enter the NBA as a contributor, not just a name with potential. You could see his work ethic during the USA Basketball trials in Colorado Springs, Colo., this past summer. He knew he wasn't guaranteed to make the World University Games team. He was there to work. He has a shot to take Iowa State to the postseason, more likely the NIT or CBI than NCAA, but that would still be an accomplishment if he can lead in that manner. The Big 12 has produced some monster talent recently and he's next in line to compete for the national honor.

Willie Warren, 6-4, So., G, Oklahoma: What is it about the Sooners lately? Oklahoma could legitimately produce consecutive national player of the year candidates from players who entered college without as much hype as some of the recent recipients. Blake Griffin was a stud, but he grew into an intimidating force within a year. Warren knew he had a chance to make his mark if he stayed. He's an exceptional creator with the basketball, a strong guard, who can make plays on every possession. Jeff Capel has done a fantastic job of managing elite-level talent in his brief career in Norman. Warren sensed that staying put instead of chasing the money was the right thing to do. Now the focus is on him, and he'll have plenty of momentum toward the NBA after this season.

Kansas vs. Texas: This is the NEXT rivalry if it's not one of the top two already. To the casual fan nothing will compare to Duke and North Carolina, and nothing should. But look deeper at the game and Kansas and Texas are putting together quite a run. The schools are 1-2 in the conference and will likely remain that way for the foreseeable future. One of the best things about Duke and Carolina is that the rivalry also extends nationally, as both are usually in contention for a title. That's also now true of these two programs. Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas A&M, Missouri and Kansas State will have turns trying to unseat either program, but the depth of talent KU and Texas are hauling in is unmatched. They are the marquee programs television wants to see on a nightly basis. Now, if the Big 12 could scrap its scheduling formula and mix it up a bit so this game was played twice a season, that would be something to savor. Can you imagine Duke and North Carolina only once in the ACC? That game has to be twice. So does this one.

Lance Stephenson, 6-6, F, Fr., Cincinnati: Stephenson was searching for a home for months. He flirted with Kansas, St. John's and Maryland, to name a few. But Cincinnati was the program that had the patience to wait out Stephenson's legal and amateur-status troubles. Assuming that Stephenson is cleared here sooner rather than later, the Bearcats will benefit greatly from a player who can make his mark driving to the hole and ultimately as a possible productive player at the NEXT level. Stephenson was yet another New York name that was hyped up and is now awaiting delivery on his expectations. If he gets the chance to perform this season he'll likely elevate a program that under Mick Cronin has been close to making the NCAAs into the tournament.

Wesley Johnson, 6-7, Jr., F Syracuse: Johnson would have teamed up with Brackins at Iowa State last season and possibly put the Cyclones on the verge of an NCAA berth. The two of them would have been extremely tough to defend. But the previous spring in 2008, Johnson told Iowa State coach Greg McDermott that he was gone, stunning McDermott and leaving a gaping spot on the Cyclones. The beneficiary was Syracuse. The Orange desperately needed a star after losing Jonny Flynn early to the NBA. Flynn is a point and Johnson a wing but they have a similar trait: They both command attention. Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim has been quite prophetic in his career lately, anticipating the impact of Carmelo Anthony, Gerry McNamara and Flynn. Boeheim hasn't minced words regarding Johnson. He expects he'll be a major one to watch.

Devin Ebanks, 6-9, F, So., West Virginia: Ebanks was supposed to be at Indiana. But the Kelvin Sampson mess forced him to look for another destination. Bob Huggins' return to his alma mater was the perfect spot for Ebanks to land. But what Ebanks didn't do was stop by for a brief spell. His talent is coveted by the NBA but Ebanks wasn't ready to just be a draft pick. He actually had the right advice, which was to return to West Virginia where he could be a focal point for the Mountaineers and flourish next to Da'Sean Butler. The Big East lost some of its star power last season. But all that did was create an opening for Ebanks to slide in and make his name.

William Buford, 6-5, G, So., Ohio State: If you saw the team name Ohio State you'd probably assume the next name would be Evan Turner. Turner will be the Buckeyes' go-to player this season. But our committee saw something different in Buford. His selection was based on his potential as a shooter that will make the Buckeyes players in the chase for a top-three finish in the Big Ten. He's someone to watch as the season unfolds, especially early as the Buckeyes have to deal with the absence of Dallas Lauderdale up front (broken hand). The focus will be even more on the backcourt and Buford's talent for hunting his shot.

Larry Sanders, 6-10, C, Jr., VCU: Shaka Smart coveted the VCU gig for a number of reasons. Just look where the past two coaches have landed: Jeff Capel went to Oklahoma and Anthony Grant to Alabama. Also making it hard to resist going to the Rams was the talent of Sanders still on the roster. The Rams lost guard Eric Maynor, who beat Duke in the NCAA tournament and was one of the top guards in the country in his past two seasons. But Sanders' presence in his first two seasons was hard to miss. He blocked 95 shots as a freshman and swatted 92 as a sophomore. His pogo-like jumping ability make him an intimidating presence from the opening tip.

Butler: Gonzaga is no longer the non-power six program of note. Gonzaga has its regular place alongside teams in the power six. Butler isn't there yet, but the Bulldogs are close. They're the NEXT program that should have staying power. Brad Stevens has figured out what some at Butler have not: stay put. Barry Collier thought it made sense to go for the money at Nebraska. He came back as the athletic director. Todd Lickliter may find it was better to have stayed than to have gone to Iowa, easily one of the tougher jobs in the Big Ten. You can't blame Thad Matta for leaving based on his track record of late and Ohio State's presence on the national scene. But Stevens has taken a collection of players who fit the Butler style to make this program one of the top 25 in the country. Butler was in the top 40 in the ESPN College Basketball Encyclopedia for the 2000s. Expect the 2010-to-2019 decade to produce the same result. Butler is being invited to quality events, both tournaments and made-for-TV neutral games. But more than that, they are earning Horizon League bids on a regular basis and winning in the NCAAs.

Craig Robinson, Oregon State: Forget about who Robinson is related to, because that's so 2008. Robinson took over easily one of the worst jobs in the power six conferences. Oregon State didn't win a game in 2007-08 in the Pac-10. The Beavers won seven in the league last season. Robinson's version of the Princeton offense took a little-known player who had lost some of his self-esteem on the court in Roeland Schaftenaar and helped him blossom into one of the top players in the Pac-10. As Oregon State lands players like Roberto Nelson out of Santa Barbara, the question for recruits is no longer "Why would you go to Oregon State?" It's more like "Why not?" Remember, the Beavers were one of the elite teams in college basketball. There is history in old Gill Coliseum. Robinson is about to tap into some of it, making the Beavers relevant again.

Washington's backcourt: The Huskies should now be known as the West Coast's Guard U. Brandon Roy became a star at UW. So, too, did Nate Robinson. Last season, Washington was one of the more exciting backcourts with Justin Dentmon, Isaiah Thomas and Venoy Overton. No offense to Dentmon, but the Washington backcourt added even more talent this season with the addition of Abdul Gaddy in Dentmon's place. The freshman was supposed to go to Arizona before turmoil set in at Tucson. Gaddy, who is from the Seattle area, should flourish at home.

Washington coach Lorenzo Romar can make the Huskies one of the more difficult teams to defend with their ability to put the ball on the floor, scatter through defenses, and cause overall pressure havoc. Thomas didn't get much national pub last season for having one of the top freshman seasons with 15.5 points a game. Overton was a solid game-changer and now Gaddy will be the floor leader. If Quincy Pondexter can rebound up front in Jon Brockman's absence this backcourt will get plenty of play in March.

Anthony Grant, Alabama: Grant was the most coveted coach in the SEC. He was the one who helped Florida coach Billy Donovan craft the 2000 national runner-up team, and aided in putting together the 2004 recruiting class that won the title in 2006 when he was an assistant. He came onto the floor when the Gators won the title in 2007 after his first season at VCU as a head coach. Grant beat Duke with Eric Maynor's help in the NCAA tournament at VCU. Grant would have been the next coach at Florida had Donovan not flip-flopped on the Orlando Magic. But Grant was patient in seeking the right move. He didn't just jump at Georgia or beg for LSU, but rather found that Alabama was the fit. Nick Saban and football run Alabama. But Grant's even-keeled approach should work well in Tuscaloosa.

John Wall, 6-4, Fr., PG, Kentucky: Wall's recruitment got a job for an AAU coach at Baylor and had coaches at Duke, Miami, Kentucky and NC State hanging on his every word. There was even chatter that he might try to challenge the NBA draft rule at one point and see if he could find a way into Madison Square Garden last June. Ultimately, Wall landed with John Calipari, his likely destination whether Calipari had stayed at Memphis or gone on to Kentucky as he did last April.

Wall has the electrifying game that will draw people into the stands. He has already proved in a short time in Lexington that he can lead, running the early-season workouts. Calipari isn't flinching at comparing Wall to Derrick Rose and Tyreke Evans and the impact those two had for him and the Memphis program. NBA personnel expect Wall to be in the discussion for the top pick in 2010 if he declares. Calipari expects him to be one-and-done. But along the way Wall will likely make his mark in Lexington, possibly leading the Wildcats and Calipari back to the Final Four.

Jarvis Varnado, 6-10, C, Sr., Mississippi State: Varnado declared for the NBA draft and abruptly halted the process in May, a few weeks after sending in his paperwork. He knew he wasn't ready for the NBA. His game was hardly polished. He was a niche talent, a shot-blocker with potential on the offensive end. Varnado clearly has received good advice. He has a chance to enter the league as a player in 2010-11 if he continues to develop his offensive game. He made news earlier this summer by giving up his scholarship and paying in-state tuition so the Bulldogs could add John Riek or Renardo Sidney. Sidney is on scholarship but unlike Riek hasn't been cleared to compete by the NCAA's Eligibility Center. That may drag on, and if it does Varnado will lose the power player next to him, making it even more important for him to play stronger, not just taller, this season. Varnado will block shots, making him possibly the all-time shot blocker in NCAA history this season. But if he can become an offensive force he might be even more memorable.

Terrico White, 6-5, So., SG, Ole Miss: White was not supposed to be the go-to guy on the Rebels last season. That title was slated for Chris Warren, but a torn ACL opened up a spot for White from mid-December on and he took advantage of the opportunity. White might just be one of the more game-changing wings with his ability to elevate on the drive. His perimeter shooting still needs work but he finds a way to score nonetheless. He was one of the more game-ready players on the Under 19 gold-medal winning team this summer.

Ole Miss coach Andy Kennedy has a healthy, loaded perimeter this season. He shouldn't have a problem finding enough touches for White. He'll command the attention. White nearly declared for the NBA draft because he was well aware of the buzz about his ability. But he received quality advice at the 11th hour and decided to come back. It was a smart move because he'll flourish in a crowded all-star guard group in the SEC.

Paul George, 6-7, So., F, Fresno State: ESPN analyst Fran Fraschilla gets the credit for ensuring George was on the NEXT list. George didn't get his national pub last season because the Bulldogs struggled with a 3-13 record in the WAC. But how many freshmen that aren't household names were in the top 10 in their respective conference in scoring and rebounding (14.3 ppg, 6.2 rpg)? My guess is not many. The Bulldogs should be much more of a factor in the WAC this season. They won't win it, but they'll be worth seeking out for a game or two to see George's progress. He's a talent that will only flourish as a sophomore.

DURHAM, N.C. -- Bob Knight hasn't said publicly whether he'll show up at Indiana for his induction into the university's athletics Hall of Fame on Nov. 6.

Knight's good friend, Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski -- a former player and fellow Naismith Hall of Fame member -- said it's not imperative that Knight attend the ceremony until the university does a bit more to recognize its former coach's achievements.

Krzyzewski said Knight, who currently serves as an ESPN college basketball analyst, should do what he wants, and he said he thinks Knight should still be at Indiana -- as head coach.

"I do think before coach Knight ever goes there, people at Indiana should think about what happened since he left [in 2000] and celebrate him instead of taking down the things he did," Krzyzewski said. "Over three decades he represented that school, won championships and produced great young men. That record is not talked about. You can't just say you're in the Hall of Fame. That's not enough. In order to have a great future, you need to celebrate the greatness of the past. I think Indiana basketball needs to celebrate coach Knight's time."

Krzyzewski said the school should celebrate the long list of players who came through the program and share the stories of what they've accomplished instead of simply putting up banners.

"Do that, and you're not just celebrating the man, but the men who were developed under his leadership," Krzyzewski said. "That should be done before he goes into the Hall of Fame. Coach Knight is one of the great coaches of all time in any sport. He's a brilliant man. He's very loyal and has a lot of pride.

All those qualities turned him into the winningest coach in history in college basketball and a three-time national champ. Don't just say 'Hall of Fame' and that's it. If coach Knight didn't go at this time, it's very understandable. It's not a slight to anyone."

Krzyzewski said that if they were to honor Knight's legacy in the way in which he described, only then should they "bring him into Assembly Hall, and maybe change the [arena's] name."

• The NCAA tournament selection committee will meet in the first week of November. The topic of expanding the field of 65 is always a possible discussion point, especially in the coming years when the current television contract is up.

Krzyzewski said the committee shouldn't change a thing.

"As long as we have the end-of-season conference tournament -- to me the NCAA tournament starts with the conference tournament, and everybody has a chance except the Ivy League, and if they wanted to do that, they could, but they choose to have their regular-season champion," Krzyzewski said. "I believe we're already doing it. If we expand it you would have to get rid of the end-of-season tournament. I'd rather have the end-of-season tournament. It's a celebration of each conference."

Krzyzewski said expanding the field would dilute "what we already have and we have a great product right now."

North Carolina coach Roy Williams was in agreement, saying he didn't want to see the NCAAs go from 65 to 96, which is an idea that has been discussed.

"I want making the tournament to really mean something, and I think it does in college basketball," Williams said, referencing the fact that 6-6 college football teams can earn a bowl bid.

"To me, that's not a great accomplishment, but making the NCAA tournament is a great accomplishment," Williams said.

• Pencil German national team member Elias Harris into Gonzaga's starting lineup. Harris has been a huge hit since he arrived from Europe. A scorer on the wing, he will pair up with Robert Sacre inside with the Zags using Matt Bouldin, Demetri Goodson and Steven Gray on the perimeter. The celebrated arrival of Sudanese/Canadian national Bol Kong should be muted a bit. Kong will be a player, but is coming along slowly. So slow down on the hype.

• Stanford's loss of freshman Andy Brown with a season-ending ACL injury is a hit because the Cardinal lacked post depth. Brown wouldn't have started, but he was expected to play key minutes.

• Oregon State freshman forward Rhys Murphy is out for a month with a fracture in his right foot. Like Brown, Murphy wouldn't have started, but may have logged 10 minutes a game. Murphy, a 6-7 forward from Australia, still has time to get into game shape by late November. How much he plays may depend on fellow freshman Roberto Nelson, who is still awaiting clearance by the NCAA's Eligibility Center.

• All the injuries at UCLA (five players were out of practice Monday) emphasize how much the Bruins may have to struggle to win the 76 Classic next month. The Bruins play WCC upstart Portland in the first round of the event at the Anaheim Convention Center. The winner of that game gets the winner of the game between Butler and Minnesota, two teams expected to be in the Top 25.

• Just how deep is the SEC East? Florida was picked fifth. The Gators' shot at avoiding three straight seasons without an NCAA tournament appearance was made more difficult with the shift in power in the SEC. Kentucky, Tennessee, Vanderbilt and South Carolina are all projected ahead of the Gators and are likely NCAA tournament teams. Georgia coach Mark Fox has quite a tough road being picked sixth in this lot. The state of Mississippi should have its best year in hoops in quite a while, with Mississippi State and Ole Miss expected to tussle for the SEC West title. Alabama, LSU, Arkansas and Auburn finished out the rest of the predicted West standings.

South Carolina's Devan Downey; Ole Miss' Terrico White; Tennessee's Tyler Smith; Mississippi State's Jarvis Varnado; and Kentucky's Patrick Patterson, tabbed as the preseason player of the year, were on the first team. Who was missing? Well, the potential No. 1 pick in the 2010 NBA draft, Kentucky freshman guard John Wall. Wall will likely supplant White on the first team, but it's also easy to see how a preseason list wouldn't have him, since it's hard to project without having seen a player in college. Still, Wall made the second team, along with LSU's Tasmin Mitchell; Vandy's A.J. Ogilvy; Auburn's DeWayne Reed; and Ole Miss' Chris Warren, who is back from an ACL injury.

• As expected, Oakland was predicted to win the Summit League with Oral Roberts, IUPUI and South Dakota State trailing. Last season's darling, North Dakota State, was picked to finish fifth. Oakland's Johnathon Jones was tabbed as the player of the year. Oakland put three players on the preseason first team in center Keith Benson, Jones and forward Derick Nelson.

• Old Dominion was the consensus pick to win the CAA. The Monarchs return the core of their team, led by Gerald Lee, a first-team all-conference member. Northeastern was tabbed second and had Matt Janning selected first-team all-conference. VCU, with all-conference member Larry Sanders, was third in the poll. George Mason, James Madison, Hofstra and Drexel rounded out the top seven in the 12-team league.

Some quick hitters after nearly five hours of our coverage of Midnight Madness on Friday night on ESPNU:

• The Kentucky event was unprecedented. I'm not sure I've ever seen an entrance like John Calipari's at Kentucky. It was part Bono at a U2 concert and part President Barack Obama at the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver. The hype over the Wildcats and their coach is something we've never seen before in college basketball. Calipari can handle the attention and is embracing it, but he also has said to me many times that his team will be young and inexperienced. So, we'll see how the populace handles some expected growing pains this season. I still think the Wildcats can make the Final Four, but there will definitely be losses in a rugged SEC East.

• I saw it Thursday at Cameron Indoor Stadium and then again during Duke's Midnight Madness event: Hall of Fame and Olympic coach Mike Krzyzewski is in as good a space as I've seen him in 20 years of covering the game.

• Cameron Indoor Stadium will have a different look this season with the graduate students taking hold of the end zones and the big boosters moving to more cushioned seats on the side. Duke has learned that the grad students are its most loyal student base and wanted to take care of them. Keep in mind these folks will also ultimately be the most influential as they move on to critical careers. Also, the fire marshal will be pleased with mandatory aisles that were being created with a coat of gray paint. In the past, if you were on the side bleachers, you had no shot to go to the bathroom during the game once you were sandwiched into the long rows of seats.

• Michigan State's Tom Izzo has figured everything out. He enjoys life, is intense with his job, but doesn't take himself too seriously. Last year, he wore a '70s outfit to celebrate the 30-year anniversary of the 1979 national title. This year, he came out in an Indy car because the Final Four is in Indianapolis. The Breslin Center had to close its doors at one point, as fans overcrowded the joint. The Michigan State fan base doesn't get enough credit for its annual passion for this program.

• The FedExForum had to shut its doors for Memphis' event, a first for the school and a celebration of first-year coach Josh Pastner. Pastner said he was overwhelmed with the interest. He has the hardest job of any first-year head coach this season, replacing Calipari. But the manner in which Calipari departed, by taking a number of the players, and with the vacated Final Four (pending Memphis' appeal) may give Pastner a longer leash in the short term.

Pastner is recruiting with the top programs in the country. If he can stay in the top three in Conference USA with some combination of upstarts Tulsa, UTEP and Houston, he should be even more celebrated on the court. Pastner said he had no issue easing into a more observational role during the double session of practice Saturday. He had been one of the grunt assistant coaches at Arizona and Memphis running stations. Now he was in charge, moving between both ends of the floor as his assistants handled the drills.

• North Carolina's John Henson is so slender but he continues to rise above the rest of his teammates. If Larry Drew II can pitch ahead the basketball as Roy Williams says, this team will be exceptionally difficult to defend on the break. If Drew can just get the ball near the basket, Henson, Ed Davis, Deon Thompson and Tyler Zeller -- the four big men who will likely get the most time -- can certainly snatch it and finish.

• Connecticut's event was festive Friday before tragedy struck early Sunday morning on campus with the fatal stabbing of football player Jasper Howard at a university-sponsored dance. The men's basketball team, like everyone else on campus, was stunned with the news. Many of the players, according to assistant coach Patrick Sellers, knew Howard. Sadness has covered the campus.

• UConn freshman forward Ater Majok suffered a stress fracture in his left tibia and is out of practice for a few weeks. Majok isn't eligible to compete until mid-December.

• Oregon State coach Craig Robinson has been waiting for freshman guard Roberto Nelson to be cleared to practice, but it didn't happen by the time practice started Friday. Getting paperwork has been a slow process, and while there doesn't seem to be a concern that Nelson won't be eligible, the process is certainly time consuming as documents get sent to the NCAA Eligibility Center.

• Georgetown coach John Thompson III is certainly changing the mood of the Hoyas. JT3 has lightened things considerably. He was a self-proclaimed huge Michael Jackson fan and didn't hesitate to don a white glove in honor of the King of Pop during the Hoyas' event Friday night.

• North Dakota State's Saul Phillips may never leave Fargo. The city and the school just give him too much material. He said the Bison were going to bring out during its madness event the famed wood chipper from the movie "Fargo" but they couldn't get anyone to go into it.

• Two teams I would have loved to watch their scrimmages but didn't get much of a glimpse of were Washington and Kansas. Both could play deep into March.

• Clemson's Oliver Purnell repelled down from the rafters at the Tigers' event. Purnell has settled in quite nicely at Clemson, producing a consistent winner. He is at ease in his surroundings at Clemson and continues to be a solid citizen in leading that program. Like Izzo, he has learned to not take himself too seriously.

• Give Roy Williams credit: It doesn't matter what occurred the previous spring because he'll dance with his Tar Heel players. Williams' ability to let loose allows him to connect with today's players.

Georgetown expects to challenge for the Big East title.

And it's obvious with the turnover of rosters that Louisville and Pitt should drop out of the top two slots from last season to make room for a contender that finished in the bottom six.

Connecticut, which was tied with Pitt, a game behind Louisville, will slide down a peg, too, albeit maybe just out of the title chase.

Upstart teams like Cincinnati, Seton Hall and St. John's all say they're going to make runs at NCAA berths. If that's the case, a team from the top eight of the Big East has to drop to the bottom seven, right?

Picking Providence to drop makes sense because it lost five key players off last season's team. The Friars didn't make the NCAA tournament but did win 10 league games. Second-year coach Keno Davis has to put his own imprint on the roster this season.

But that's still not enough if those other teams are going to climb higher in the Big East. Another team has to drop.

The consensus among the rest of the league is that team probably will be Marquette, which lost a trio of guards (Jerel McNeal, Wesley Matthews and Dominic James), the driving force in Tom Crean's and Buzz Williams' success on the court the past three seasons.

"Everyone is making that push, and in order for someone to go up, someone else has to go down,'' second-year Golden Eagles coach Williams said late Wednesday as he finished an exhausting day that started with a 5 a.m. boot camp wakeup call with his team. Marquette is preparing for Friday's first official day of practice. "If Providence and Marquette are those teams, then maybe that's what it will be.''

With Cincinnati's addition of highly touted talent Lance Stephenson, the healthy return of Anthony Mason Jr. for a veteran St. John's team, and the impact of transfers Herb Pope and Keon Lawrence for surging Seton Hall, Williams isn't dismissing the expected turnarounds.

He's not going to argue any of those points.

But it would be hard to push the Marquette staff into thinking it isn't finishing somewhere in the top eight with the current roster, despite a turbulent offseason.

Marquette's staff exhibits pride, albeit somewhat privately, and its members believe there's no reason the Golden Eagles should be seen as any less deserving of consideration among possible postseason teams than Pitt, which lost four of five starters and two key players for this season (Jermaine Dixon and Gilbert Brown, who currently are shelved with a broken foot and a fall academic suspension, respectively).

The Pitt comeback is hard to debate, considering the Panthers do have an immense talent in 6-foot-9, 235-pound big man Dante Taylor to replace DeJuan Blair, a gold-medal-winning (Under-19 U.S. team) point guard in Ashton Gibbs and a coach in Jamie Dixon who has a stellar 163-45 record in his first six seasons as a head coach. With Dixon's track record, the expectation is he won't slide out of a top-eight finish.

The Golden Eagles' case would be stronger had freshman point Junior Cadougan not ruptured his right Achilles tendon, which will keep him sidelined for the season. Their case to stay relevant this season would have been nearly impossible had senior guard Maurice Acker not flip-flopped and returned to the team after deciding earlier in the summer to focus on his academics. Acker's minutes jumped from three a game to more than 27 after Dominic James went out with a foot injury in the final six games of the 2008-09 regular season.

Williams said it was déjà vu that Acker was in the same position from last winter to now, standing idle until an injury opened up an opportunity for him.

The other point Marquette was counting on was sophomore Darius Johnson-Odom, who injured his left foot in a workout last month. The hope is Johnson-Odom can come back next week.

The off-court news got worse last month when 2010-11 committed recruit Monterale Clark was arrested and charged in an alleged sexual assault at Hill College in Hillsboro, Texas. The 6-foot-10 Clark was a highly touted junior college player who was being heavily pursued by schools in the Big 12 and SEC. Clark hadn't signed a national letter of intent yet (until the November signing period), so the Golden Eagles can't comment on him. However, privately they say that regardless of what happens with the case, Clark will never play for them.

The eligibility of Youssoupha Mbao, a 7-foot-2 freshman expected to contribute, is not settled, and junior forward Joe Fulce is still recovering from surgery on his right knee.

Despite all the body blows that seem to be coming, the Golden Eagles don't seem to be wilting. There are high expectations for senior Lazar Hayward, who averaged 16.3 points and 8.6 rebounds a game last season, and won a bronze medal for the U.S. at the World University Games. And the returns of Acker and sixth man Jimmy Butler, who averaged 5.6 points and 3.9 rebounds last season on the wing, certainly help.

"Lazar will be one of the better players in the league,'' Marquette assistant coach Tony Benford said. "Acker, Hayward and Butler all averaged 25 minutes or more toward the end of last season when James went down, and we have experience at the right spots -- point guard and the 4 man. Everybody is going to pick us [as the team that drops]. We'll see.''

While Johnson-Odom is expected back, not having Cadougan is a blow. The expectation that senior point David Cubillan will cushion some of it means the Golden Eagles will have two seniors sharing the point, even though neither was projected to be the main distributor at the end of last season.

If junior college stud Dwight Buycks can make an impact on the perimeter, freshman wing Jeronne Maymon can produce, and there is helpful depth behind Hayward with Fulce, sophomore center Chris Otule, freshman Erik Williams and Mbao (assuming his eligibility is resolved and he doesn't miss games), there will be quality depth, as Benford professes.

Benford isn't shying away from the Golden Eagles' needing Otule to score on the block, Maymon to be the strong power body inside or Mbao to be the skilled big man who can run the floor and defend. "Everybody thinks it's going to be us, the team that slides,'' Benford said. "But we'll defend. And you know a Buzz team is going to play hard.''

Getting an early read on this squad could come in late November at the Old Spice Classic in Orlando, Fla. Marquette opens with Xavier and then plays either Creighton or Michigan on Thanksgiving weekend.

Playing rebuilding NC State and at Wisconsin in December also will tell a tale about where this team is headed before it opens the Big East with easily the hardest first four games of any team in the league. Marquette faces three favorites who might win the league: at West Virginia, Villanova, Georgetown and at Villanova. That slate alone could push Marquette to the cellar. Whether it stays there will be determined by how much the newcomers have matured by January.

Williams was facing a daunting task of filling the roster with high-profile recruits after the expected departures of Jerel McNeal, Wesley Matthews and James.

He did that.

He couldn't control the injury to Cadougan, and the 2010 recruiting took a major hit with the Clark situation. Getting Jamail Jones (the No. 13 small forward in the ESPNU Top 100) out of Montverde Academy in Decatur, Ga., helps.

But the long-term success of this program might be determined by how Williams handles this season now that Cadougan is gone and the focus will be on whether or not the Golden Eagles fall in the league.

Since the expectation is that they will drop, finishing in the top 10 in the Big East will be seen as a major accomplishment that proves the Golden Eagles have sustaining power even in a transition year.

• Equal time for the rest of the America East is due after all the negative words focused on Binghamton's issues. Albany returns two all-conference players, Tim Ambrose (14.3 ppg) and Virginia transfer Will Harris (12.9 ppg), to a team that was fourth nationally in rebound margin. Boston University first-year coach Pat Chambers is loaded with 91.5 percent of the scoring back from last season, including John Holland (18.1), Corey Lowe (17.2) and league rookie of the year Jake O'Brien (12.5). New Hampshire coach Bill Herrion made the America East semifinals last season for the second time since 1995, and Alvin Abreu (12.8 ppg), Tyrone Conley (8.9 ppg) will ease replacing two-time all-conference player Tyrece Gibbs. With 16 wins last season, Stony Brook's total was its most in Division I, and it should be a factor again with Muhammad El-Amin (15.7 ppg) and all-rookie players Tommy Brenton (6.7 ppg, 8.9 rpg) and Bryan Dougher (11.2 ppg). SBU held teams to only 60.9 points a game last season. Vermont returns the America East player and defensive player of the year, Marqus Blakely (16.1 ppg, 9 rebounds per game and 2.7 blocks per game), and Michigan State transfer Maurice Joseph (8.1). The Catamounts averaged a league-best 76.1 points a game. Hartford's Dan Leibovitz is hopeful he'll have an injury-free team this season. Leibovitz got his team motivated by proving he can stay in shape, too. He ran and finished the Hartford Marathon on Saturday -- his first.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Due to the recent dismissal of six Binghamton players, we will not be posting the now-outdated Blue Ribbon preview of the Bearcats. Below you will find Andy Katz's Oct. 12 update on the situation and click on this link for the latest information on the school's coaching situation.

America East teams have won a total of six NCAA tournament games since 1980, the last one being Vermont's thrilling first-round upset of Syracuse in 2005.

This is not a league that commands a lot of attention. Yet, for weeks now, all the outside focus on the America East has been centered on the chaos at Binghamton, a fledgling Division I member that won the conference title last season and was awarded the league's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.

D.J. Rivera -- the Bearcats' leading scorer last season and a large part of their success -- was granted a waiver to play immediately after transferring from Saint Joseph's without sitting out a year.

Many coaches around the league questioned that decision last year. The issue has come to the forefront again this offeason after the news that Rivera -- along with five others -- was dismissed from the America East favorites last month. Binghamton, which lost to Duke in the first round of the NCAA tournament in March, is a shell of its former self and will slide down the America East standings this season.

Also gone from the roster are Malik Alvin, Paul Crosby, David Fine, recent transfer from Rutgers Corey Chandler (who had a shorter tenure after transferring than even Nate Miles did at Connecticut last year) and Emanuel "Tiki" Mayben, who recently was arraigned on and pleaded not guilty to cocaine possession and distribution charges.

Within the past week, FoxSports.com reported that Binghamton coach Kevin Broadus talked to Notre Dame Prep (Mass.) guards Michael Glenn and Antoine Myers on the first day of the evaluation period. Coaches cannot speak to recruits during an evaluation period. Broadus denied talking to the recruits, but according to FoxSports.com, the players said they did speak with Broadus.

Binghamton later self-reported the secondary violation. Then, on Monday morning, interim athletic director James Norris said Broadus and his staff won't be allowed to go off campus to recruit until November.

Coaches in the America East have been silent. They won't go on the record about Binghamton. And yet, privately, there is a growing disgust for the perception the league is getting nationally.

America East commissioner Patrick Nero won't comment on what this has done to perception of his league, either. Instead, Nero said in an e-mail that "it's not appropriate for me to speak about Binghamton until the SUNY system finishes their report and I have a chance to read it." Nero said he has no inside knowledge of what is going on at the school.

Boston University, Vermont, New Hampshire, Albany, Stony Brook, Maryland-Baltimore County, Hartford and Maine all are lost amid the mess that is Binghamton.

Sure, BU and Vermont are the new favorites, and one of them likely will represent the conference well in March. But the stain on the conference is already there and might get worse as coaches wonder whether Broadus will be coaching the Bearcats when practice opens Friday or when Binghamton gets a nationally televised game on ESPN2 on Nov. 17 at Pitt in the College Basketball Experience Classic.

"In the short term, everybody gets dragged into it a little bit, and I think it's unfortunate because the majority of other schools are handling their business the way they should,'' former Boston University coach Dennis Wolff said. Wolff said he was outspoken in league meetings when Rivera was granted the waiver to play immediately last year. Another coach, who wouldn't go on the record, said he spoke out about putting in rules that forbid schools from taking one-year transfers.

Wolff said there is residual fallout from the constant negative news.

"It doesn't stop, and the only publicity the league is getting is from Binghamton,'' Wolff said. "I don't think this should be any great surprise to anybody. There were a lot of compromises made and there were always great risks to those compromises. Whatever the worse-case scenario might have been, the worst-case scenario came true.''

The New York Times has covered the story well from its inception, starting with Broadus trying to do a quick fix by taking second- or third-chance players. The problem with taking so many high-risk players is that it could blow up all at once, as has been the case this fall.

Broadus once told ESPN.com that he wanted to get the program turned around quickly and get to the NCAA tournament. He did that, and he got a contract extension through 2013-14 two seasons after arriving on campus following a 23-9 season. But an America East program isn't going to compete for a national title. There are those rare instances when it will win an NCAA tournament game, but that's probably it. So why take so many risks?

"It's a mid-major league that gets one bid,'' Wolff said. "I was in it for 15 years. I don't remember anything like this in any of the previous 14 years. I'm of the opinion that it has drawn so much attention to the league -- negatively -- that it's going to be a while for it to settle down and focus on the good stuff going on in the league.''

• Louisville won't say what internal discipline Rick Pitino will dole out to basketball players Jerry Smith and Terrence Jennings, who were arrested on misdemeanor charges of resisting law enforcement Saturday. No one will say whether this will affect their status for the start of practice Friday or for any games next month.

But this clearly was serious. Jennings was arrested and hit with a police Taser, according to the Louisville Courier-Journal. Smith is a co-captain. He showed no leadership by allegedly getting into a fracas at an alumni homecoming party in nearby Jeffersonville, Ind.

Pitino has had his most tumultuous offseason in his career after admitting to an extramarital affair, allegedly being extorted for that affair for $10 million and awaiting the trial date of the woman accused of that extortion. The last thing Pitino needed was for his players to misbehave and get involved in this kind of activity.

How Pitino handles the arrests of two key players should say a lot about what to expect the rest of this season. The tolerance level at Louisville can't be too high at this juncture for any more "poor choices" of behavior.

Quick hitters for Wednesday:

• America East coaches privately doubted that Binghamton coach Kevin Broadus would even make it to Friday for the opening of practice. Clearly, they were correct in their prediction.

Wednesday's announcement that Broadus has been put on an indefinite paid leave of absence shouldn't be a shock. Assistant coach Mark Macon, a former NBA player and Temple great, is getting his chance to be a head coach. Broadus will likely search for a settlement at this juncture, since his contract was extended to 2013-14. The odds of Broadus' returning to Binghamton are practically nil, especially after he last week admitted to violating NCAA regulations by contacting two recruits during an evaluation period.

The consensus is that whoever fills the Binghamton slot on a full-time basis in 2010-11 will likely find the standards even more stringent, making it a tougher job than it already was in the America East.

• Buffalo coach Reggie Witherspoon is wondering why the Bulls didn't push harder to get a return game from Purdue. The Bulls have been extremely successful in playing hardball in scheduling the past four seasons, getting a Big East team to come to Buffalo after holding out a game to the last minute.

Buffalo helped Purdue fill a spot in its schedule after the Boilermakers moved their game against Ball State from Dec. 5 at Mackey Arena to Dec. 19 at Conseco Fieldhouse for the Wooden Tradition. Buffalo took $80,000 for the date but didn't get a return game in 2010-11. There's no guarantee Purdue would have agreed, but there is a chance, considering it's October and the Boilermakers are still looking for a game.

• Marquette coach Buzz Williams said former Kentucky coach Billy Gillispie is expected to come up to observe the Golden Eagles practice in the coming weeks. Williams worked for Gillispie at Texas A&M. Williams said he's glad Gillispie's lawsuit with Kentucky is over so that Gillispie can move toward finding a full-time head coaching job.

Gillispie wanted $6 million from Kentucky but got a shade under $3 million. There's no way Kentucky fired him in the spring thinking they had to pay him the full $6 million. Gillispie's settlement means Kentucky basketball is paying out more than $6 million in coaching salaries when combined with John Calipari and his staff. If Gillispie can get his life in order after a DUI arrest and reported rehab stint, the settlement should help him land at least an assistant job in the coming years. Athletic directors would likely run away from a coach who is involved in litigation against his former employer.

• Dino Gaudio's contract extension with Wake Forest through 2013-14, announced Wednesday, is much deserved. Gaudio guided the Demon Deacons through their most difficult period after the tragic death of former coach Skip Prosser. Gaudio has had a bit of a staff shakeup, but not for anything but personal advancement and proximity for those who have departed. Gaudio is well respected in the ACC, and there is no reason to believe the Demon Deacons won't continue to be a player in the conference.

• Florida's Billy Donovan received the John Wooden Legends of Coaching honor Wednesday, joining quite an impressive list of names. The previous winners are: Rick Barnes (Texas), Pat Summitt (Tennessee), Gene Keady (Purdue), Jim Boeheim (Syracuse), Jim Calhoun (Connecticut), Mike Montgomery (Stanford), Roy Williams (Kansas), Denny Crum (Louisville), Lute Olson (Arizona), Mike Krzyzewski (Duke) and Dean Smith (North Carolina). Donovan's two consecutive national titles could prove to be a tough feat for other coaches to match. On this list, only Summitt, Calhoun, Crum, Williams, Krzyzewski and Smith have even won multiple national titles.

The one obvious name not on this list who should be next year's honoree is Tom Izzo of Michigan State. Izzo has been to five Final Fours and won one national title.

• If Dallas Lauderdale (broken bone in right hand) is out for Ohio State when the Buckeyes play North Carolina at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 19, the Buckeyes will be at a decided disadvantage against the Tar Heels' towering front line. Ohio State would likely have to go small with the inability to match Ed Davis, Deon Thompson, John Henson and friends in the post.

• Georgia Tech coach Paul Hewitt can't catch a break with injuries lately. Point guard Moe Miller is still recovering from a concussion after a car accident. Miller is expected to be with Iman Shumpert in the backcourt, helping feed a loaded frontcourt of Gani Lawal, Derrick Favors and Zach Peacock. The Yellow Jackets, when healthy, are deeper, more talented and experienced from the two-win ACC team last season.

Hewitt told the Associated Press that Miller needs time to rest and heal after his head hit the car window during the accident. Miller had two concussions last year and missed seven games after suffering a broken nose in one of the incidents.

Mike Jarvis is down to one car, which his wife drives. So rather than get a rental while he waits to get another, he has his son, Mike Jarvis II, pick him up every morning to take him to work at Florida Atlantic University.

"It's allowing me to feel big time," the elder Jarvis said by phone from his Boca Raton, Fla., home. "I have a chauffer."

The 64-year-old Jarvis paused for a moment, reflecting on where his career has taken him at this later stage in his coaching life.

"How many guys can say they live, No. 1, in Boca Raton, Florida, one of the nicest cities in the world? How many guys can go outside and it's 70s and 80s and sunny? How many guys can have their son come by, pick up the newspaper, drive them to work and then work side-by-side. I've got great kids on the team. It's almost like I'm back at Cambridge Rindge and Latin [High School in Massachusetts], coaching Patrick Ewing again."

Jarvis' decision to pursue the Florida Atlantic coaching opening in the spring of 2008 should be an example to all fired coaches from major conferences. Jarvis found a spot where he wanted to live, a school that welcomed him with open arms and had only expectations to one day be competitive for a conference title, no small feat in a league like the Sun Belt, where Western Kentucky regularly claims NCAA tournament wins.

Sure, Bobby Cremins found a similar type of formula for himself by landing at the College of Charleston. But Cremins' exit at Georgia Tech was celebrated, not soured.

John Brady found his own space at Arkansas State after being fired at LSU in the middle of the team's SEC schedule of the 2007-08 season.

There are homes for coaches who have had a taste of the big time. You just have to find the right one. Jarvis has.

"You try to find a good job in a place that your family would be happy and you'll be happy," Jarvis said. "It's more about finding the right fit. You have to think about the other people who have suffered with you a lot that deserve consideration. You can't just take any job."

Jarvis began coaching in Division I in 1985, finding success at Boston University and George Washington before landing at St. John's. He went to the NCAA tournament twice with the Terriers and four times at GW, including a Sweet 16 appearance in 1993.

He took over at St. John's when the Red Storm were loaded and coached them to the Elite Eight in 1999 in his first season at the school. Jarvis would go to two more NCAA tournaments, in 2000 and 2002, and win the postseason NIT in 2003 before the program collapsed the following season. Jarvis was out after six games into the 2003-04 season amid an NCAA investigation that would ultimately lead to a vacation of games from the 2000-01 to 2003-04 seasons.

Jarvis settled in as an TV analyst for a few years while pursuing head coaching gigs. But there were no significant bites at a high level. It was the reality that hits so many fired coaches.

"It's about the five-minute, the 10-minute or the 20-minute press conference -- especially in this day and age," Jarvis said. "A lot of athletic directors aren't guys who have coached or played. The search committees have more of a say of who gets hired than anybody. It's about the press conference and the perception after you get fired."

Jarvis coached the Owls to a 6-26 record last season, 2-16 in the Sun Belt. If he was looking to bolt as soon as possible, he would be searching for high-risk talent and junior college players.

That's not the case.

FAU has 12 freshmen and sophomores on its 14-player roster.

"I don't know if he's not going anywhere else, but he's committed to making this as good a program as he can, somewhat like George Washington," Mike Jarvis II said. "He's doing it the right way. He's more energized and excited. It's fun. He's coaching. It's not as big time, but we can make it something and make a mark again."

Jarvis II said going to the high-risk route, like Binghamton did, is risky business these days.

"If anything goes wrong, it's out there so fast, there's no damage control," Jarvis II. "You can't hide anything. You have to recruit really good kids that can help you win some games or else it will backfire if you go the other way."

Jarvis II drew the parallels to George Washington. When his father was at GW, he had a player named Shawnta Rogers. He was just 5-foot-4, but could dominate the game with his scoring ability. Jarvis is convinced that he has found another Rogers in 5-6 freshman point guard Raymond Taylor.

Taylor played at Plantation (Fla.) High alongside Florida freshman guard Kenny Boynton. He played on an AAU team, Team Breakdown, with Boynton and 2010's No. 4 ranked senior, Brandon Knight.

"When I coached Shawnta Rogers, I never thought I'd coach another one like him," Jarvis said. "But every time I watch Ray play I get flashbacks. He's worth the price of admission. He's the real deal."

Jarvis said Taylor is "impossible to defend because he's so quick." He said Taylor doesn't need a lot of space to get open.

"He's one of those great little players who can get all over the court," Jarvis said. "He doesn't need space. I haven't seen anybody yet who can defend him from hitting his shot."

Jarvis said Taylor can hit the deep 3-pointer, drive to the hoop, dish and finish on the fast break.

While Isiah Thomas is searching for elite-level talent at nearby rival Florida International, Jarvis is looking to find the hidden gems. If Taylor is as good as Jarvis says, then the attention could shift to FAU this season as Thomas attempts to load up for the 2010-11 season, which is also when FAU expects to be a realistic contender in the Sun Belt.

The schedule is daunting with games at Georgia, at Maryland and against Miami in Sunrise, Fla. But Boca Raton is an attractive site to host as the Owls do play seven nonconference home games, a decent number for a fledgling program.

• Kentucky coach John Calipari has already seen freshman guard John Wall being tabbed as a possible national player of the year. But he's not certain Wall will put up the numbers on a balanced team to command that honor. Obviously, Wall could fail to win national player of the year and still be the top pick in the 2010 draft.

When was the last time that happened? Two years ago, when Calipari's most recent elite point guard, Derrick Rose, was the top pick in the draft but wasn't the player of the year.

The comparison to Calipari's past two freshmen lead guards is hard to ignore. Calipari coached Rose and Tyreke Evans for one season at Memphis before they both became lottery picks. Rose led the Tigers to the national title game while Evans led them to another Conference USA title and a berth in the Sweet 16.

"He's way beyond both Tyreke and Derrick in being outgoing," Calipari said of Wall. Calipari said Evans practically lived in the practice facility, watching television, doing school work and lounging in the offices before spending time making free throws.

Calipari said Wall will do some of the same things, like shooting at 11 p.m., but will also hang with the players in social settings. With that, he can already feel comfortable enough to tell a player to do the right thing on the court without any hesitation. The respect is already in place for Wall among his teammates.

"He has a chance to be like the other two and may be a little further ahead with the dribble-drive," Calipari said. "We need to see if he'll be where they were at the end of the season. We won't know that yet."

No transfer enters the season with as much expectation as Wesley Johnson.

The former Iowa State wing is supposed to take Syracuse on his back and carry the Orange to a top-five finish in the Big East and back to the NCAA tournament.

"I know the expectations are on me from the first day," Johnson said by phone from Syracuse, a week before official team practice begins on Oct. 16. "I know everyone is wondering if he's that good. Everyone is waiting to see me play, but I just say 'wait and see.'"

Senior wing Andy Rautins said the hype on Johnson is justified. Through individual workouts, pickup games and a few team sessions in the pre-preseason, Johnson has shown his versatility will be a major hit for the Orange.

"He's an unbelievable athlete and a great leader," Rautins said. "He's a pro. He's got the body of a pro. He's got all the tools. There is a buzz about him here."

Johnson averaged a dozen points for the Cyclones, despite being slowed by an injured ankle that required surgery after the 2007-08 season. He was supposed to then team up with Craig Brackins to make the Cyclones relevant again in the Big 12. Instead, in what he termed a difference of opinion with coach Greg McDermott, Johnson left ISU in May 2008 and not long after made his way to Syracuse.

What SU coach Jim Boeheim didn't know was that both Paul Harris and Eric Devendorf would leave after last season. He had an idea that point guard Jonny Flynn could bolt for the NBA, but that wouldn't have effected Johnson's playing time since he's not a point.

"You have to recruit proactively today," said Boeheim, who added that he has rarely taken four-year transfers in his 30-plus years in coaching. "I didn't know for sure Paul and Eric would leave. I thought maybe one would. We had to prepare ourselves. And once we knew [Johnson] was available, we brought him in. He was a nice kid. He wasn't a dissatisfied player, an unhappy player. It was just a different situation. It wasn't an easy decision, but it turned out we needed him."

Boeheim saw Johnson's versatility, his ability to score in a variety of ways during practice last season. He said Johnson doesn't need a high volume of shots.

"I watched him play for the first time this year as part of our two hours of practice and he took only seven or eight shots the whole scrimmage," Boeheim said. "He made six of them and the rest of the time he got offensive rebounds. He's a team player. He's not a cocky kid, but he's a confident kid. I'm sure when you don't play for a whole year it could take a while to get into things. I don't expect him to dominate the first two games."

But the expectation is that Johnson will be an impact player within the first month of the season. Having experienced big men like Rick Jackson and Arinze Onuaku and an improved Scoop Jardine next to Rautins gives the Orange a solid five. And according to Rautins, who said he sees no reason why the Orange won't contend for the Big East title, freshman guard Brandon Triche is already making an impression with his strong, 6-foot-4 frame, his confidence in delivering the ball and his overall ball skills.

Johnson said his decision to attend Syracuse was because of Boeheim's Hall of Fame credentials and the "up-tempo style and fast pace." Flynn certainly pushed the ball for the Orange, something Triche and Jardine may have a hard time duplicating.

Boeheim said the Orange will be a balanced team, but Johnson will be expected to score from in the lane, as well as with his midrange and 3-point shot.

What about Johnson's former team, though? How is McDermott's rebuilding job coming along?

Iowa State, sans Johnson, finished 4-12 in the Big 12 last season (15-17 overall). Brackins led the Cyclones with 20.2 points a game, including 42 points in an 82-67 loss to Kansas.

McDermott said Johnson would have taken pressure off Brackins if he would have produced similar scoring numbers as a junior in Ames. No other Cyclone outside of Brackins averaged in double figures last season.

ISU wasn't going to find someone comparable to Johnson in the late spring after he bolted, but the Cyclones had a full recruiting cycle to find someone who could light up the scoreboard alongside Brackins. They did their work well. Iowa State landed Marquis Gilstrap, a 6-7 forward out of Gulf Coast Community College in Florida. He was named the Big 12 preseason newcomer of the year on Thursday.

Gilstrap, who has only one season of eligibility remaining unless Iowa State can get a waiver from the NCAA, started in junior college four years ago but ruptured his patella tendon after his freshman fall semester and then took the next two years off from the game. He returned to play last season, but since his clock started four years ago, he has only one season left -- even though he has only played basketball for three semesters. Iowa State is appealing for another season on his behalf.

"When we lost Wesley Johnson my charge to the coaching staff was to find the best wing available," McDermott said. "Not everybody would take a player with one year of eligibility left, but Wesley's departure left a gaping hole in the middle of our lineup."

McDermott, who is entering his fourth season in Ames and is still searching for his first winning record, said the Cyclones played without a small forward last season.

"The best available wing in the country was Marquis Gilstrap," McDermott said. "He's done everything so far in the summer and the first six weeks of the fall in individual workouts. He hasn't disappointed us. He's been everything we've hoped for."

What does that mean? Well, Gilstrap is scoring the ball in a variety of ways, just like Johnson is doing at Syracuse.

"He's hungry to do whatever he can," said McDermott, which is similar to what was said about Johnson after he sat out last season at Syracuse. "We don't know if we can get him another year, so he's really motivated to make the most of this opportunity."

Gilstrap is making 3s, scoring in the lane and rebounding with force. That should jive well with Brackins, who was penciled in as a first-round pick but decided against declaring for the NBA draft.

"They get along great and have a mutual respect for each other's game," McDermott said. "They have a lot of ability and are both hungry to make the most of this season since it could possibly be each of their last at Iowa State."

For the Cyclones to move up in the Big 12, they can't rely on just Brackins and Gilstrap. The second- and third-leading scorers from last season -- guards Diante Garrett and Lucca Staiger -- both return, the latter coming off a summer spent playing with his native Germany. If 6-9 LaRon Dendy, a JC transfer, can rebound the way McDermott needs and 6-3 freshman point Chris Colvin can be a solid distributor, the Cyclones would have decent depth for the first time under McDermott.

But if ISU is going to have any momentum going into the Big 12, it'll have to get through its roughest nonconference schedule since McDermott took over for Wayne Morgan.

The Cyclones play the three annual in-state games -- at Drake and home against Iowa and Missouri Valley favorite Northern Iowa -- but they'll have a game in the Chicago Invitational against either Notre Dame or Northwestern, both possible NCAA tournament teams. That's after playing what will likely be a grinder against Rick Majerus' Saint Louis squad. The Big 12 didn't do Iowa State a favor by sending it to Berkeley, Calif., to face Pac-10 favorite Cal in the Big 12/Pac-10 Hardwood Series.

That's not all. ISU also plays Conference USA contender Houston and three days later, on Jan. 6, will tussle with Duke in Chicago. That's all before Big 12 play opens. The first two conference home games are against the two teams that are picked to contend for the league and national title -- Texas and Kansas.

"We're going to challenge ourselves," McDermott said. "We'll find out where we are and our weaknesses. But this could be our best group we've had in four years."

In November and December, Johnson will have a more pronounced stage than Gilstrap with the Orange playing Cal in Madison Square Garden on Nov. 19 and then either North Carolina or Ohio State on Nov. 20. Playing Florida in Tampa in the Big East/SEC Invitational on Dec. 10 will be another marquee matchup before the Big East opener at Seton Hall on Dec. 29.

Johnson is expected to take Syracuse to the NCAA, while the Cyclones would be thrilled if Gilstrap helped Brackins lead them to the NIT or beyond.

"I know it could have been fun with Craig last year, but who knows what would have happened," Johnson said.

No one does. What we know now is that Johnson is supposed to deliver for Syracuse, and Brackins has his much-needed sidekick in Gilstrap. If both teams reach their postseason goals, it will have worked out just fine for everyone involved.

Julian Boyd experienced some cramping during the summer. It wasn't anything that seemed out of the ordinary, but it was enough for him to get checked out in August before classes started at Long Island University.

Turns out the physical revealed a heart murmur. Eighth-year LIU coach Jim Ferry said it was determined after further examination that Boyd's left ventricle wasn't pumping blood at the right rate.

Boyd had another MRI scheduled for Thursday to determine his next course of action. But for now, as has been the case since school started, Boyd isn't allowed to compete.

"The kids don't find out they've had a heart problem until the coroner tells him his heart is enlarged," Ferry said. "It's scary, and we're very, very fortunate to find this info out about Julian more so by accident."

Boyd, a 6-foot-7 forward out of San Antonio, was the Northeast Conference Rookie of the Year in 2008-09. In 20 games, he produced an average of 10.5 points and 6.4 rebounds a game. He was expected to lead the upstart Blackbirds to a possible NEC title and an NCAA tournament berth after a solid 12-6 league record last season.

"He's a specimen, he's built like Superman," Ferry said. "He runs all day. He just turned 19 years old, and he was the rookie of the year hands down."

Ferry said it's too soon to say whether Boyd's career is over because the doctors are still determining whether he has a form of cardiomyopathy. It's unclear whether he would need a defibrillator implanted in his chest or medication could be the answer.

Earlier this week, Tennessee sophomore forward Emmanuel Negedu had a cardiac defibrillator implanted in his chest to monitor his heart's rhythm. He collapsed last week and had to be revived. Negedu will not play this season, and his career certainly is in jeopardy.

Ferry referenced two recent deaths that had him concerned about Boyd's condition: Samford senior Jim Griffin died in his sleep on Sept. 8, although the cause of death hasn't been determined, and Farmingdale (N.Y.) State College freshman Dominic Murray collapsed on the court and died Monday.

Ferry said the Blackbirds have to assume Boyd won't play this season. If that was the only issue facing this team, LIU still could be a pick to win the conference alongside Robert Morris, Mount Saint Mary's and Quinnipiac. But during the summer, before Boyd's condition became apparent, the Blackbirds lost two foreign players.

Center Aurimas Adomaitis returned to Lithuania because he had to provide for his family, Ferry said. The 6-9, 235-pounder averaged 4.9 points per game last season but was expected to play a larger role as a senior. And Argentine sophomore Lucas Faggiano, who averaged 24.3 minutes, 6.1 points and 3 assists a game, had to return home after learning his mother had cancer.

"It's been a crazy offseason, to say the least," Ferry said. "If nothing had changed, we're picked in the top one or two in this league with the chance to win the championship."

Instead, the Blackbirds will lack depth and rely heavily on newcomers, especially if Boyd cannot play this season.

"There's still a chance Julian might play, and if he does, then we'll be very, very good," Ferry said. "If he doesn't, then we'll be very, very young."

The Blackbirds still return a stellar backcourt in senior Jaytornah Wisseh (15.2 ppg) and junior Kyle Johnson (13.8 ppg). And the program has progressively improved under Ferry, going from six to seven to 12 wins in the NEC the past three seasons. LIU last played in the NCAA tournament in 1998.

"It's disheartening, but no one will feel sorry for us. We'll make the proper adjustment, get ourselves together and make a run in the conference late in the year," Ferry said. "It's so fragile, especially at this level. We can't go to the bench and get more experience. Jaytornah Wisseh is a potential player of the year, and we'll keep our fingers crossed with Julian that he's healthy."

• UCLA is confident that senior forward James Keefe will be ready for late November's 76 Classic in Anaheim. Keefe is out with a shoulder injury and likely will miss the Bruins' two exhibition games and possibly their first two home games (against Cal State Fullerton and Cal State Bakersfield). The Bruins also play Pepperdine on Nov. 23 before the 76 Classic opener against Portland on Nov. 26. Keefe was playing well in individual workouts, and the hope was he could be a low-post threat for the Bruins. UCLA is rolling out its least experienced team since Ben Howland's run of three straight Final Four seasons began in 2005.

• The NCAA wanted to clarify an issue regarding the National Letter of Intent Policy and Review Committee. When there is a coaching change, the institution decides whether to grant the release, not the NCAA. Susan Peal, the associate director of operations at the NCAA Eligibility Center, said that during the 2008-09 season, there were 668 NLI release requests out of 36,110 signees in all sports. Among the 668 requests, 70 were due to a coaching change. Of the 70, 37 were denied by their institutions.

They were an unlikely pair to become best friends.

Trey Montgomery was from Destrehan, La., just outside of New Orleans. Jim Griffin was from Chicago. Five years ago, within a day of each other, they signed to play at Samford, a Southern Conference school in Birmingham, Ala.

They redshirted in 2005-06 and each played the past three seasons, their minutes increasing with each season. Montgomery was a scorer, Griffin a hustler. They shared a dorm room every year.

"Basically we were like brothers,'' Montgomery said. "I knew his parents and sister, and he knew my family. We were from two different worlds. He was a big-city guy and I was a small-town kid. But if you look at our team, we're like a melting pot from all different backgrounds. We had so many similarities, it was like me and Jim were the same person because we did a lot of the stuff the same way.''

Late night on Sept. 7, Montgomery and Griffin got back to their room at the Beeson Woods residential village on campus. They didn't fall asleep until around 1 or 1:30 a.m. in the early morning of Sept. 8. A few minutes after they lied down in their respective beds, Montgomery popped back up to use the bathroom.

"I heard him snoring and didn't pay any attention to it,'' Montgomery said. "I assumed he was OK.''

Montgomery had no idea at the time, but sometime between 2 and 2:30 a.m., the 23-year-old Griffin's heart stopped.

"I think my alarm went off at 8:30 a.m. and I pressed snooze,'' Montgomery said. "We had a mandatory breakfast that ended at 9:30 a.m. Jim's alarm went off at 8:45 a.m. I told him to turn it off, but he didn't say anything. I turned it off and I thought he was joking with me.''

Montgomery and Griffin used to play pranks on each other all the time. One wouldn't talk to the other, pretending to be asleep, only to be roused by the one who was awake and ready to go.

But this time, Montgomery looked at Griffin and saw that he wasn't moving or breathing.

"He was in a still position. I couldn't see his face, but I went over to touch him and his body was stiff and cold,'' said Montgomery, trying to recount the horrible event. "His eyes were closed. His mouth was open and he wasn't breathing. I tried to slap him, wake him up, but he didn't wake up.''

Montgomery called 911 and the operator told him to attempt CPR. He did. But it didn't work. He called his team's trainer.

"I was hysterical, trying to find anyone who could help,'' Montgomery said.

The paramedics arrived within 10 minutes, "but he had already passed, it was too late,'' said Montgomery, his voice trailing off.

Samford coach Jimmy Tillette was conducting a workout -- a workout that Montgomery and Griffin were not scheduled to participate in -- when Michelle Johnson, the team's head athletic trainer, ran into the gym.

"I thought, 'What is she doing?''' Tillette said. "And then she blurted out, just loud enough for me to hear, 'Campus security just found Jim Griffin dead,''' Tillette said.

The 13th-year head coach sat down on the court. Shocked and numb, he told the few players and coaches gathered that the workout was over and to go to the locker room.

By the time he arrived, they already knew, through text messaging from friends and teammates.

"Everybody was crying,'' Tillette said. "I told them don't go to class if you don't want to.''

Tillette, assistant coaches, Samford president Andrew Westmoreland and athletic director Bob Roller convened in Griffin and Montgomery's room. Tillette called Griffin's father, John.

Less than 48 hours later, Tillette took John Griffin and a few other relatives to the mortuary to view Jim's body. Tillette said it was simply too overwhelming for Griffin's mother, Marge, to come to Birmingham.

Tillette said the mortuary visit "was tough, tough on everybody.''

Unsolicited, students at Samford put sticky notes all over Jim's car in front of his dorm, 200 to 300 Tillette estimated, saying how much they missed and loved him.

The memorial service at the university's Reid Chapel had an overflow crowd on Sept. 10. Westmoreland asked the audience to stand to honor Griffin. The Samford flag had been lowered to half-staff after Griffin had died, but Westmoreland said to the crowd, "We have something in this room that is more than just symbolism. We have flesh and blood.''

Montgomery spoke at the memorial service. He spoke again at the funeral at St. Bede the Venerable Catholic Church in Chicago on Sept. 15.

"The church was completely full, the caravan went for a while to the burial,'' Tillette said. "Trey loved Jim. He spoke from the heart.''

Tillette said there were more than 3,000 mourners at the wake the previous night. The line stretched five city blocks.

It's still uncertain how Griffin died. Griffin had played basketball the previous night, worked out and then went back to his room. Tillette said a toxicology report ruled out drugs, but the Jefferson County medical examiner's office said it has yet to determine a cause of death.

The Bulldogs took a week off from basketball. And then, slowly, everyone started to filter back to the gym, where they leaned on each other during such a tragic time.

"We had a good week of grieving and crying,'' Tillette said. "Nothing positive will come out of this. We lost a really fine young man. I just hope we're strong enough to pull together -- and so far they have -- to make it through the year. Jim will be with us through the year.''

Montgomery moved out of the dorm room. He couldn't stay there, not with what he witnessed. The school didn't want him to, either. He said he hasn't sought counseling, but has found comfort in leaning on his teammates and staff.

Montgomery averaged 11.6 points a game last season, second-best for the 16-16 Bulldogs. Griffin's numbers were more modest, but he was invaluable for his hustle. He was the fire for this squad, pumping them up in huddles, diving on the floor for loose balls, encouraging everyone. He was this team's leader.

Workouts since the tragedy have been quieter, Tillette said. Not only is there still a somber cloud hanging over the program, but Griffin's voice isn't resonating over the sound of sneakers squeaking on the floor or the bark from a coach sending out encouragement or criticism.

"Jim did things for us all the time, the hustle play, tying up the ball, diving on the floor to call a timeout,'' Tillette said. "He was a vocal guy, a tough south side of Chicago, Irish Catholic kid. He didn't wow you with stats. He was all about the hustle plays.''

Tillette has run a strong, proud program since taking over for John Brady in 1997. He reached the NCAA tournament in 1999 and 2000 and is the school's all-time winningest coach, the only one to lead the program to back-to-back 20-plus win seasons. He is a fixture among the 2,860 undergraduates.

But this is easily the toughest time of his career. Tillette has sought counsel from friends like former Mississippi State coach Richard Williams. But more than anything he is leaning on the strength of his Samford community, players and staff.

"There isn't a blueprint for this,'' Tillette said. "There are occasional tears and anger. We're going to keep Jim's locker, not a shrine, but keep his locker open for him with his jersey on the wall. We will retire his jersey and have his parents back for senior night.''

Montgomery believes that once practice starts on Oct. 16, some sense of normalcy will settle in for the team. Still, he said, it will never be the same.

The team breaks their huddles now with a chant of "JG,'' instead of "team." Every player has some sort of JG reference or a No. 3 (Griffin's number) on them.

"Everybody is doing something in their own way,'' Montgomery said. "We're trying to pull through this as best we can. We want to play as hard as we can. That's the way Jim played.

"Once practice starts, we'll probably feel more energy. It's going to happen. But right now, we're just taking a few steps. We all know we still have a basketball season to go through. We do have tremendous motivation. But we want to do this for Jim.''

Stan Heath is pushing for B.J. Daniels to continue his newfound fame as quarterback at South Florida.

But he's not waiting for Daniels to return to the hardwood for the Bulls to make a football-like run in the Big East.

Daniels was a role player last season as a backup point guard and will likely serve in a similar capacity again. Heath has only kind words to say about Daniels and his 2-0 record (including a win at Florida State) since taking over for the injured Matt Grothe at quarterback.

Daniels isn't Charlie Ward, the former two-sport star at Florida State. He averaged 2.8 minutes, 0.5 points and 0.1 assists in 19 games for the Bulls last season.

But in Daniels' defense, he hasn't concentrated on basketball. He's not a program-changer at the point, but he does have a quick first step. He's more of a scorer than a point, and it's still to be determined what will happen with him after the football season, which now may extend deep into December or January with the Bulls' 5-0 start. Daniels leads the team in passing (602 yards with six touchdowns) and rushing (291 yards on 48 carries and three touchdowns).

If and when Daniels does return to hoops, what he may find is a South Florida team making some long-awaited noise. Heath is relying on a bevy of transfers to change the fortunes of a program that has fought for relevance in a crowded conference.

Ohio State transfer Anthony Crater will be eligible on Dec. 12 and is expected to gobble up a major portion of point guard minutes. Having Crater at the point allows Heath to move Dominique Jones off the ball more often, which could be a natural position for him.

Heath said Jones is already measuring up to players like Patrick Beverley and Sonny Weems from Heath's days at Arkansas.

"He's more consistent with his 3-point shot; he's added a very good mid-range game," Heath said. "I played him more as a point last year, but he'll be more of a wing and scorer and that will help him be more effective."

Jones, a 6-4 junior, averaged 18.1 points and 5.6 rebounds per game last season. He lit up Iona for 36 points. He should again be one of the more prolific scorers in the Big East. For the Bulls to be a factor, he must be. But they'll also have to get major contributions from 6-foot-10 journeyman Augustus Gilchrist (once appeared headed to Maryland and Virginia Tech), who averaged 10.2 points and 4.4 rebounds a game last season after becoming eligible after the fall semester.

Heath also brought back the maligned Mike Mercer, who didn't last at Georgia after playing 51 games there and then played in just four games for the Bulls last season before injuries and behavior got him tossed.

"I reinstated him this year. He graduated from school and in the summer we had a long talk and I felt like he did enough good things to warrant another chance," Heath said.

If Jones, Crater, Mercer, Gilchrist and the addition of 6-11 Westchester Community College (N.Y.) center Jarrid Famous can produce, the Bulls have a shot to be a pest in the Big East.

"Gilchrist is ready to step up, Jones is primed to have a really big year and Mercer is the extra guy that makes things happen," Heath said. "We'll add Crater to the lineup for the second semester to give us that speed point guard we haven't had. We'll have a good starting five with Famous. This is the year to move up; there is a little bit of a changing of the guard."

South Florida, which finished 9-22 last season (4-14 Big East), hasn't been to the postseason since an NIT appearance under Seth Greenberg in 2002. The last NCAA tournament berth came under Bobby Paschal in 1992.

The renewed optimism at USF is similar to what is going on at St. John's, a program that has struggled to survive in the 16-team Big East. The Red Storm see an opportunity to move up in the league and challenge for a single-digit finish. The same is true at South Florida.

"We had a hard time finishing games because of the lack of depth and inexperience," Heath said. "I definitely feel like we have a team that can win those games, and have a chance to get near that postseason."

The Bulls will need to make some noise in the nonconference schedule, potentially by winning on the road (at Conference USA's SMU), pulling off an upset against South Carolina or knocking off Davidson in the Charleston Classic. The Bulls also need to win some road games in the Big East. Virginia is the best "name" team in the home nonconference schedule, followed by Heath's former employer, Kent State (with which he surprisingly signed up for a home-and-home).

The Big East slate is daunting: The Bulls go to Louisville, Syracuse, Cincinnati, Georgetown, Notre Dame and Villanova for its most significant road games. Winning their share of home games against the likes of Notre Dame, West Virginia, Seton Hall, Pitt, St. John's, Cincinnati and Connecticut will be paramount to any kind of postseason bid.

• The NCAA Eligibility Center's decision to forbid deals on national letters of intent (first reported by the Sporting News) shouldn't come as a shock. But what it could mean, according to one major Division I head coach, is more scholarship aid letters signed than NLIs. The scholarship aid is not binding like the NLI.

No one should be naïve to think that players don't sign with the coach more than the school. Xavier Henry signed with John Calipari and Memphis, and when Calipari left for Kentucky, Henry decided between Calipari at UK and Bill Self at Kansas, not Josh Pastner at Memphis. That's the reality. Kentucky and North Carolina, and at one point Indiana, may be the only schools where an elite player grows up in the state and says that's where he wants to play, regardless of the coach.

The NCAA hasn't been that tough on forbidding players from getting out of their NLIs after a coaching change (as exhibited by Henry's decision).

Taking out any potential side deals isn't likely to change the practice of looking at other options if a new coach is hired.

In the brand-new ESPN College Basketball Encyclopedia, Jeff Sagarin's all-time program rankings place DePaul at 26, reinforcing how the Blue Demons were once a mighty regional and, at times, national name.

But the DePaul of decades past was never in a conference like the current Big East, dealing with an antiquated arena in comparison to the rest of its competitors.

Jerry Wainwright was a winner at UNC Wilmington, claming two Colonial conference titles and a pair of NCAA tournament appearances. He won at Richmond, reaching the NCAA out of the Atlantic 10. He even won nine out of 16 games in the Big East three seasons ago, reaching the NIT.

Talk to anyone associated with the biz and they will tout Wainwright's coaching ability. But the 0-18 mark in the Big East last season, the 9-24 overall record, is hard to ignore. Still, it has been only four seasons at DePaul and that's why it shouldn't be a complete shock that Wainwright got an extension through 2012 last January.

"I got an extension during a difficult situation,'' Wainwright said. "But we were never an embarrassment. It's not an excuse, but we've done well with the GPA, the APR and graduation rate. I'm doing what I'm supposed to do and they were really supportive and gracious.''

But Wainwright isn't naive, either. That's why the Blue Demons picking up 2010 commitments from 6-5 Moses Morgan (Palo Verde High in Nevada) and 6-3 point Brandon Young (Friendship Collegiate School in D.C.) was a much-needed positive boost heading into the start of practice in two weeks. ESPNU has each ranked in the top 32 at his respective position.

But DePaul, even with the return of junior forward Mac Koshwal from the NBA early-entry draft, will struggle to finish above 13th in the 16-team Big East this season.

Wainwright had to shed his primary assistant coaching staff, adding newcomers David Booth (a former DePaul player), Tracy Webster (a former Wisconsin player but Chicago native) and former Chicago high school coach Billy Garrett, who had bounced around in the East, Midwest and Southwest the past 10 years.

"I'm probably No. 1 on the hot seat, but people have been supportive from the president to the AD,'' Wainwright said. "Certainly there has been incredible negativity when you don't win, but that's not new. We built a staff with guys who all gave up something substantial to come and join us with the belief that this wasn't just a one-year deal.''

Wainwright said breaking the corporate structure of the Big East won't be easy. But he said neither was the tenure at Wake Forest when he was an assistant under Dave Odom from 1989 to '94, when the Demon Deacons had Tim Duncan, Rodney Rogers and Randolph Childress at a time when NC State was sliding.

"We got these kids at the right time,'' Wainwright said of his time at Wake. "You don't just jump. I'm not scared of my job. We have to be productive. I know we have to be better and having Koshwal back at 6-10, 255 pounds [and 12.2 ppg, 9.6 rpg] is someone we couldn't replace.''

Wainwright said Ohio State transfer Eric Wallace has to be productive on the wing and Wainwright doesn't see why he won't. He also predicted Oregon State and JC transfer Mike Stovall will add quite a bit to the perimeter.

"We have question marks," Wainwright said. "Will Devin Hill and the two freshmen [Tony Freeland and Ryan Siggins] be bigger and stronger? Can Will Walker play both guard positions? Can we be effective scoring? We have to be bigger at guard because we got manhandled last season on the glass. Our first-shot defense was at 31 percent, but overall we gave up 45 percent. We got manhandled because we were too small. But we're much improved.''

How much it translates into wins is still the major question. The Big East is more competitive from 1 to 16 this season than last, but lacks the nationally dominating teams at the top. DePaul should be better -- must be better -- but even if the Demons are only marginally improved in wins, none of it will faze Wainwright's feeling about how hot his seat is on the bench.

"I'm sure they'll have a list named after me and call it coaches on the hot seat,'' Wainwright said.

• Notre Dame coach Mike Brey said junior forward Tim Abromaitis and Carleton Scott will take the minutes that would have likely gone to Purdue transfer wing Scott Martin, who recently tore his ACL and is lost for the season.

• Michigan State coach Tom Izzo is already plotting whether or not he has the depth to go big in some games against deep, long and strong front lines like North Carolina (Dec. 1) and Texas (Dec. 22 in Dallas). What that means is he has to get bigs Derrick Nix and Tom Herzog ready over the next six weeks. Both players will either back up or play next to more talented and productive forwards Raymar Morgan and Delvon Roe (who Izzo is terming "quite healthy" after battling back from microfracture surgery as a high school senior two years ago).

Nix is listed at 6-9, 285. That last part would be quite a feat, considering Izzo said he had gone over 300 at one point in high school. Herzog is listed at 7-foot, 240, although Izzo said he's up to 250 and continues to get stronger. With that said, there is still a chance the Spartans will go smaller. They certainly have options with a loaded perimeter in Kalin Lucas, Korie Lucious, Durrell Summers and Chris Allen to go along with the 6-8 Roe and Morgan. Izzo said through individual workouts he's already seen how much the Spartans have improved their strength, athleticism and "explosiveness."

• Demetri McCamey has to play well for Illinois to be consistently good. That's straight from the mouth of Illinois coach Bruce Weber. So clearly the onus is on McCamey to deliver this season -- but he's not the only one. The Illini will have to depend on freshmen D.J. Richardson and Brandon Paul. Illinois already has two productive forwards in Mike Davis and Mike Tisdale, but without the other three producing, this squad can't be an elite team.

• The Atlantic 10 has been talking to a number of leagues, including the West Coast Conference, about a scheduling partnership. But there seem to be disagreements as to whether or not this is imminent or just in the discussion stage. The WCC, according to league commissioner Jamie Zaninovich, envisioned a kinship with the Atlantic 10's fellow Catholic institutions. But A-10 commissioner Bernadette McGlade said she didn't want to do a partnership that excluded certain members of the conference, in this case that could mean state schools UMass, Rhode Island and Charlotte. The other problem for a partnership is that the WCC has eight members while the A-10 has 14.

Gonzaga and Xavier have agreed in principle for a home-and-home series and without it there is no real scheduling partnership. The Bulldogs have to be in the event to give it credibility. Having simply Saint Mary's versus Saint Joseph's isn't going to make many waves. Whether it can be pulled off for next season is still a work in progress. But both leagues are looking for games to schedule for the teams that struggle to find quality nonconference opponents. Getting marquee games, or any games for that matter, isn't an issue for Gonzaga or Xavier.

Greivis Vasquez didn't gravitate to baseball. The expectation was that he should.

But those who knew Vasquez when he was growing up in what he termed a middle-class neighborhood in Caracas, Venezuela, understood the passivity of the sport wasn't for him.

He was too hyper. He needed to be in action.

"I couldn't stay in one place,'' said Vasquez, who has been known to be a bit wound-up -- maybe even too much -- during heated ACC games while playing for Maryland.

"I was a shortstop, a center fielder, but it was so rare, in center field when the ball was hit to me,'' Vasquez said. "It was like I was waiting for an hour for the ball. I loved baseball, but it never attracted me to become a baseball player.''

Vasquez's father, Gregorio, took note of Greivis' lack of interest in baseball and started taking him to professional basketball games. Greivis saw a pro player, an American named Sam Shepherd, who would later become the oldest Olympic participant for Venezuela when he played at the 1992 Summer Olympics at the age of 39.

"He had stayed so long in Venezuela that he became Venezuelan,'' Vasquez said. "He was legendary to me. He was a great point guard with great vision. He was an offensive scoring point guard at the same time. That's who I wanted to be when I grew up."

Vasquez played at the junior level and at a tournament in Brazil, where he was noticed. There were offers to go overseas, to be part of a club system in Europe and start a pro timeline. But Vasquez's family was middle-class and education was a priority, so he went to the States.

Through various connections, Vasquez ended up at Montrose Christian in Maryland, playing for well-connected coach Stu Vetter. The move to College Park, Md., almost seemed natural two years later.

Vasquez has steadily made his imprint on the college game -- North Carolina fans surely remember his 35-point performance in last season's upset of the Tar Heels -- and should be a first-round pick in 2010 after flirting with the NBA draft last spring.

His averages have steadily climbed from 9.8 points to 17 in each of the past two seasons. He also averaged a team-best 5.4 assists a game last season (and his turnovers went down dramatically from 149 as a sophomore to 98 as a junior). In 2008-09, Vasquez became just the sixth player in ACC history to lead his team in points, rebounds and assists.

The emotion that Vasquez displays has been reined in at times, but it is what defines him. And being a Venezuelan is something that he cherishes. If he can make the NBA, his goal is to ensure basketball is not just some fleeting sport in his home country -- that there are more facilities where children can play and get involved in a sport that he discovered somewhat on his own after growing bored of baseball.

"We have to do a better job of access to gyms at home,'' Vasquez said. "There's a lot of talent at home, but somebody needs to get all the talent going. I thank God that I am so lucky and thankful for this opportunity, because so many kids back home don't have it.

"I want to help basketball at home, to increase the number of kids interested in the game,'' Vasquez said. "So they can go to high school and a Division I school."

Vasquez and Rutgers' Gregory Echenique share a similar path. They are both Venezuelans who jumped into the American educational system as a pathway to playing professionally.

Echenique, who is from Guatire, Venezuela, said he grew up watching his father, Jose, play for Venezuela's Liga Nacional de Baloncesto. Echenique dabbled in baseball for two months, but ultimately being 6-9 was not conducive for that sport. So like Vasquez, he came to the States and attended a private school, suiting up for St. Benedict's Prep in New Jersey.

Echenique said he and Vasquez, both members of the Venezuelan national team, have a shared responsibility.

"Somehow we have to, as the younger players on the national team, help get the sport more publicity,'' Echenique said. "Basketball is a great sport and we have to do something for them to believe in us.''

Vasquez said the influence of Spanish-speaking players in the NBA like Spain's Pau Gasol and Argentina's Manu Ginobili helps players of all nationalities in South America. It helps prove anyone from anywhere can show no fear and play with the Americans and in the NBA.

"That motivates me to work even harder, to have a huge influence for Spanish-speaking kids that look at the NBA,'' Vasquez said.

Echenique said there is a following -- through the Internet since fans can't watch games -- of him playing basketball in the United States. Vasquez certainly has more opportunity to draw attention to himself by playing for a higher-profile school and one that was in the NCAA tournament, is on national television more often, and could be a team that makes an NCAA run for a round or two again in March.

"I'm really passionate about this game, I love this game,'' Vasquez said. "Some people are judgmental about me being so passionate, but I work hard and have so much confidence every time that I'm going to win the game. I'm not disrespecting the other team or the other fans or anybody. It's just me being passionate about the best game in the world."

Kansas State's Denis Clemente has held the burden of his name his whole life.

He knows the pride the people of Puerto Rico have in his last name. The Bayamon, Puerto Rico, native understands the pressure to produce in any sport in which he is a featured performer.

Being the second cousin of the late baseball legend Roberto Clemente carries with it an immense burden, but one that he embraces by wearing Roberto's No. 21.

On the other hand, Rutgers' Mike Rosario was born in the United States and played at the famed St. Anthony High in Jersey City, N.J. But his mother was born in Puerto Rico, and playing in honor of his late grandmother was something he felt he needed to do this past summer.

So he played for the Puerto Rico senior national team in August at the Marchand Continental Cup in San Juan -- he was the youngest player in the four-nation tournament. Earlier in the summer, Rosario was on Puerto Rico's FIBA Under-19 World Championship team that competed in New Zealand; he averaged a tournament-best 24 points a game and scored 54 in a win over France.

Clemente has always felt Puerto Rican pride. Rosario, however, never knew he had that passion inside him.

"I have so much pride playing for that country, I feel it inside my body," Rosario said. "It was a great experience. I learned a lot playing for Puerto Rico. I showed I cared about the country and want to have Mike Rosario be the next superstar."

Rosario, who led the Scarlet Knights with 16.2 points per game last season, had never been to Puerto Rico before his experience this summer. He doesn't sound like someone who wants to wait any longer to return.

"It has changed the way I carry things now," he said. "I was part of an adult team [in the August tournament] with a coach letting people be responsible for their actions and to be responsible to be at the right place at the right time.

Puerto Rico's basketball history is rich. The national team has name players like Carlos Arroyo and Daniel Santiago, who have seen their share of time in the NBA. Guillermo Dias, Filiberto Rivera, Peter John Ramos, Larry Ayuso and A.D. Vassallo are all pros, and all except Ramos had successful college careers.

Even though he's from New Jersey, isn't a native Spanish speaker and was linked to the team only because of his relatives, Rosario immediately felt a kinship in playing for Puerto Rico -- and the bond doesn't appear to be cracking. He wants to continue to be a member of the national team.

"I want to be a role model for a lot of New York Ricans in the States," Rosario said. "I want to learn the language. It was a life-changing experience for me."

Clemente said he's felt as if he's been playing for something larger than himself while in the United States. He played high school basketball in Miami and spent two seasons at the University of Miami before transferring to KSU. He averaged 15.4 points per game for Kansas State last season.

But it didn't hit him until he made headlines in two countries by putting up 44 points in an overtime win at Texas last season.

"I had a lot of people on Facebook from Puerto Rico saying, 'I like what you're doing.' It means a lot."

In November, Clemente will get a chance to play in the Puerto Rico Tip-Off in San Juan, which is the birthplace of K-State teammate Luis Colon. Clemente, Colon and the Wildcats will open the tournament against Boston University and then play either Indiana or Ole Miss in their next game.

"My grandma has never seen me play basketball in real life, so this will be an opportunity to see me for the first time," Clemente said.

His last name meant he had to try baseball before basketball. He lasted a few years as a shortstop but got too bored waiting for the action. He wanted to be a part of it for as long as he was competing.

Clemente said that he didn't have the freedom he wanted at Miami and that Kansas State coach Frank Martin is giving him it now. He became an Internet hit with his YouTube shot off the video board and down into the basket during a workout -- a video that has been viewed nearly 300,000 times as of this writing.

"My friend told me to do it and I did, but I wasn't think it would blow up like that," Clemente said. "It's been crazy. I was doing it for fun, and now it's everywhere."

Getting the national and international recognition is what Clemente craves.

But unlike Rosario, who is thirsting to connect with his Hispanic heritage, Clemente has had to assimilate into a Manhattan, Kan., culture that lacks Spanish speakers.

"Nobody speaks Spanish here, so it is difficult to communicate," Clemente said. "I got used to it and started learning this language when I got here, and now when I'm around people I speak English."

Rutgers won't be an NCAA tournament team and may struggle to be in the postseason. Rosario will have to carry the team to respectability in the rugged Big East. But the expectations are high on Clemente to deliver an NCAA berth, especially with the additions of highly touted newcomers Wally Judge, Curtis Kelly, Jordan Henriquez-Roberts and Rodney McGruder. Clemente said he feels good about the Wildcats, who he says are more athletic and should be even tougher to defend.

Regardless of expectations, though, the pride in being a Puerto Rican college player is something that Rosario and Clemente expect to wear well and promote throughout the season.

"I feel like I owe them something in Puerto Rico," Clemente said. "When they see my number and where I'm from and my name -- it's something. I have to do it for them. I do it for my family and for my Island. I'm proud that I have the same number and [last] name [of Roberto Clemente]."

• Carlos Morales, an ESPN Deportes commentator and a former coach of the Puerto Rican National Team, offers up a mini-history lesson of Puerto Rico's unique influence on basketball in the United States:

The national basketball team of Puerto Rico has always counted on players who are descendants of Puerto Ricans but who were born or developed, in sporting terms, in the United States. The states of New York and New Jersey have been particularly prolific as sources of high-quality Puerto Rican players, including the current star of Rutgers, Mike Rosario.

This is due to two powerful reasons: the great number of people who emigrate to and settle in those areas every year (about two million people of Puerto Rican descent are estimated to live in New York alone) and the huge popularity of this sport among Hispanics who live in New York, Newark, Teaneck, Elizabeth, North Bergen and Jersey City, among others.

At the end of the 1960s and the beginning of the '70s, the teams that participated in the Liga de Baloncesto Superior of Puerto Rico started traveling regularly to New York and New Jersey in order to recruit talented players of Puerto Rican origin. This new method spread so much that it became necessary for the Liga to step in and try to prevent the fact that the players who were developed in the island would be totally ruled out. That's how a new term was coined: A "newyorican" was a player of Puerto Rican origin who developed abroad.

According to the new rules, every team was entitled to have up to two newyoricans at the same time, but after three years of playing in the Liga Superior, the foreign players were considered natives. So after that period of time, the team was able to recruit more players to fill the newyoricans' posts.

If the players had a father, a mother or grandparents from Puerto Rico, they were presented before FIBA as national players, so they were candidates to represent the territory immediately. In this way, the Puerto Rican national team started to strengthen.

During the early years, great names such as Mariano "Tito" Ortiz, Raymond Dalmau, Neftali Rivera, Hector Blondet and Earl Brown joined the team. Recently the team has had the contribution of men like Frankie Torruellas, Edwin Pellot, Jimmy Carter, Shariff Fajardo, Larry Ayuso, Daniel Santiago, Rick Apodaca, Angelo Reyes and Carmelo Lee.

SALT LAKE CITY -- What made Arizona and USC send out back-channel inquiries to Utah's Jim Boylen for their open head-coaching jobs this offseason?

Boylen was courted by Arizona as the fallback candidate to Sean Miller, then signed a new five-year deal with Utah in May -- and yet USC showed interest when its job suddenly became open in June. Clearly, the third-year coach has found a niche that is working well for him in Salt Lake.

He's got a football fetish. He's obsessed with having a tough-minded, defensive team. He's aggressively scheduling in nonconference play. And he's a disciple of Michigan State's Tom Izzo and former Houston Rockets coach Rudy Tomjanovich.

Boylen was a fallback candidate at Arizona had then-Xavier coach Sean Miller turned the job down, according to multiple sources. USC was poking around about Boylen before it went harder after longtime NBA assistant and college head coach Kevin O'Neill to replace Tim Floyd. All of this occurred even though Boylen got a new five-year deal that pushes his salary up to potentially $1 million with incentives from his $850,000 guaranteed annual deal. That deal came after a 42-25 record in just two seasons on the job.

Spend an evening with this man and it's hard not to see how Boylen sells himself and his program.

The Boylen you get when you see him is a piston full of energy. First off, if the weather cooperates, Boylen arrives in a top-down, red Jeep, with Utah magnets that he can slap on the side doors when he's in friendly territory (i.e. not in BYU-loving Provo).

Boylen's energy is hard to cap. He has been known to be a bit overzealous at times after games and doesn't mind challenging an opposing coach if he's not pleased with something that occurred (see: getting a reprimand in 2008 for getting in the grill of Wyoming's Heath Schroyer after a last-second dunk during an eight-point Cowboys win). Boylen has also grabbed the microphone and cheered on the crowd over the PA system after a home game.

The rah-rah energy stems from his football background that permeates his way of thinking.

Boylen grew up in East Grand Rapids, Mich., and played football at East Grand Rapids College Education High. He went on to play football at the University of Maine, but his heart was in hoops.

"I bet few Division I coaches were all-state in football,'' Boylen said. "I was higher in all-state [football] than I was in basketball. Maine was my only Division I offer. But I love the game, I love to hoop.''

Boylen's passion for the football mentality of coaching was even more enhanced while working with Izzo on Jud Heathcote's staff in the late 1980s and then as an assistant coach under Izzo from 2005 to '07. In between he spent time as a video coordinator and assistant coach with the Houston Rockets from 1992 to 2003 before single seasons with the Warriors and Bucks.

While the football mentality might not work in the NBA, he can use the props he loves without hesitation in college ball. Throughout his tenure at Utah, he has positioned shoulder pads, a helmet and boxing gloves on the practice floor. They have been present during individual workouts the past few weeks and will continue to be out on the floor when practice officially starts on Oct. 16.

Boylen wants his players to play with a rugged sense, so much that he says he will have the players put the pads on and encourage them to set a screen pad to pad. He said he would put an X on the chest of one set of pads so the player can see where to make contact.

The boxing gloves are present as a means to get the players to own up to their own challenges within practice. He said his late father was a boxer and if there was a disagreement, the gloves would be where it was settled.

"If someone wants to fight then you should put the gloves on,'' Boylen said. "If someone wants to fight the system, then put the gloves on.''

He said one set of gloves says right, and the other says wrong.

"I tell them all the time if they think they're right, then go put the gloves on,'' Boylen said. "They never do. It's a visual. It works though. I'm big on visual things. That's how we built the culture here so fast.''

Utah's culture, though, didn't need an overhaul. It's not as if the Utes were suffering through some sort of downturn. Under Rick Majerus, they were a regional -- and at times national -- power. The Utes went to the NCAA tournament 10 times under Majerus, including an Elite Eight in 1997 and a national title game in 1998 in which they were five minutes away from knocking off Kentucky and winning it all. Then Kerry Rupp took the Utes to the NCAA tournament in 2004 after Majerus left.

Utah athletic director Chris Hill hired Ray Giacoletti for the 2004-05 season after he had successfully coached Eastern Washington to its first-ever NCAA tournament berth. Giacoletti convinced Andrew Bogut to stay in Salt Lake and the Utes ended up in the Sweet 16. A few months later, Bogut was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2005 draft, selected by the Milwaukee Bucks, where Boylen had just finished his one season as an assistant with the Bucks.

Giacoletti struggled the next two seasons, going 14-15 in 2006 and then 11-19 in 2007. Only three years into his tenure, and two removed from a Sweet 16, he was sacked by Hill.

Replacing Majerus was a no-win situation long-term. Rarely does the coach who immediately succeeds a legend survive for long. There are exceptions. Bill Self has kept Kansas as a premier program like Roy Williams did during his tenure. Williams has won two national titles at North Carolina, but didn't have to replace Dean Smith. Bill Guthridge and Matt Doherty served as buffers.

Boylen has had the buffer between himself and Majerus. He is careful not to criticize Giacoletti, but was clearly trying to emphasize that the culture has changed at the U.

"We're in Year 3 and some of my hopes have been realized,'' Boylen said. "But my dreams haven't. I had hoped to become a defensive team. I hoped that we could have over a 3.0 GPA and my guys would be men off campus and around town. But my dreams haven't been realized. We haven't won an NCAA tournament game.''

Boylen went 18-15 in Year 1, losing to Tulsa in the CBI. The Utes finished 24-10 last season and garnered a 5-seed after winning the Mountain West tournament title. However, they were bounced from the NCAA tourney quickly, falling to 12th-seeded Arizona.

"That still stings,'' Boylen said. "We had 14 turnovers in the first half [19 for the game] and we missed 14 wide-open 3s [8-of-32 on the game]. I tell my wife and my staff every day how much that game hurts. They kicked our butts. We played a schedule to win a game in the NCAA tournament and we didn't do it.''

Like Izzo, Boylen has used the pads in practice. He also took from Izzo a method of accountability by having each player write down his goals for the season.

"Once you've got that piece of paper, you've got them,'' Boylen said. "[Izzo] is the best in the world at holding them accountable.''

Izzo has also been a master at scheduling up during nonconference play to challenge his players. Izzo often talks about the schedule being too daunting, but he's at Michigan State, which has won a national title and appeared in five Final Fours over the past decade and is a program that television loves. Utah doesn't have the same luxury in scheduling.

Yet the Utes continue to get games. In the past few years, they've played home-and-home series with Gonzaga, Oregon, Cal, Oklahoma and LSU, all quality opponents.

It's no different with this season's schedule. Utah plays Illinois and then either Bradley or Oklahoma State in the Las Vegas Invitational in late November. Even more impressive, Utah has Michigan and Oklahoma coming to Salt Lake City for games Dec. 9 and 12. Playing Illinois State in the MWC-Missouri Valley Challenge could prove to be a quality game since the Redbirds are a possible MVC title contender, and then going to LSU in a return game on Jan. 2 is another challenge.

Boylen has to get the toughness quotient out of this squad with the departure of the team's top four scorers: Luke Nevill, Lawrence Borha, Shaun Green and Tyler Kepkay.

BYU, which is 3-1 against Utah in Boylen's two seasons, is the favorite to win the Mountain West. UNLV and San Diego State will be picked ahead of the Utes, too. Maybe New Mexico as well. With the consensus in the league that TCU and Wyoming will be improved, the Utes will need an edge to ensure they're staying near the top of the conference.

Boylen says he's got the formula.

"If you play six or eight real good opponents, win two or three and then win your league, you're in,'' Boylen said of a Mountain West path to a bid. The Utes won the MWC automatic berth last season by winning the conference tournament in Las Vegas after tying with BYU and UNM for the regular-season title at 12-4.

Boylen said he professes his Izzo-like approach to be close to his players, keeping his office door open but at the same time expecting them to put the pads on and run into a wall. And if there is a disagreement, head to the gloves and at least make the attempt to box -- although that hasn't happened yet.

The pressure on Boylen is immense since this is a program that expects to be in the NCAA tournament. Football's success last season added even more self-imposed heat.

"I knew we had to follow that up,'' Boylen said of the football team's 31-17 win over Alabama in the Sugar Bowl that capped a perfect 13-0 season for the Utes. "Nobody knew about us [basketball] until February. There's a lot of pressure on this program. This is one of the toughest jobs in the country because of the expectations."

The Jazz take some of the pressure off within the city, but on the campus where Majerus built a power, the expectations are high. If Boylen is going to pull this off, he has to follow up an NCAA tournament berth with another one soon after.

The symbols Boylen employs are important to him. But the symbolism of wins in the NCAAs and of course in the MWC will ultimately be what he is judged on by the alumni and the administration.

Still, the manner in which the Utes win is what Boylen is after now and creating this tough-guy mentality is starting anew with a younger roster that includes three freshmen and two junior college transfers.

"I want us to be tough, tough, tough,'' Boylen said. "They used to say, 'That Boylen wasn't a good player.' But they said, 'That's a tough dude.' Tom Izzo wasn't the fastest, but they would say, 'That's a tough guy.'"

So far the props are working, turning out to be much more than just talk. But in a transition season, the props have to do more than be symbols of toughness.

They also have to help this team win.

Renardo Sidney's eligibility status for this season is at a stalemate.

The NCAA has requested specific documentation for the Mississippi State signee -- the income tax returns from Sidney's family to explain how it paid for housing while the Jackson, Miss., native was playing at Fairfax High in Los Angeles. But Sidney's Birmingham-based attorney, Donald Jackson, says he has provided plenty of information already and will not hand over that final piece.

The result is that no one at Mississippi State knows if the heralded 6-10, 260-pound forward will be able to play this season. Sidney can practice and has been with the Bulldogs, but whether he can play or not is mired in a standoff that seems like a smaller-scale health care debate. As is the case in Washington, neither side seems willing to budge.

Bracky Brett, MSU's director of compliance, said the NCAA Eligibility Center has determined that Sidney is not certified due to a nonresponse as it awaits the rest of the documents to be delivered by the Sidney family or its legal counsel. The Eligibility Center can either certify Sidney, not certify him or certify him with conditions, which could mean he would have to sit out games or a season, much like a foreign player who has amateurism issues.

Meanwhile, Jackson said he has contacted the Congressional Black Caucus, specifically representatives John Lewis, D-Ga., and Maxine Waters, D-Calif., over what he said is "a disturbing pattern in investigations against African-American student-athletes."

Jackson said he has follow-up meetings with the congressional members on the issue.

In an e-mail to ESPN.com, Jackson listed the specific items he has sent to the NCAA. The following list is in his words:

1. Consultant Agreement between Renardo Sidney, Sr. and Reebok

2. Statement from Reebok official relative to Sidney contract

3. W2 forms provided by Reebok to Renardo, Sr. (2006-2008)

4. Affidavits from "boarders" that resided with Sidney family.

5. Cancelled checks payable from family of "boarders" to Sidney family. These payments were to cover rent and living expenses for the "boarders."

6. Affidavits from grandparents and step-grandfather of Renardo Sidney, Sr. attesting to their financial support of Sidney family.

7. Voluntarily produced income tax returns for multiple years documenting his financial condition and ability to assist in supporting Sidney family. The grandfather is a retired autoworker that made a mid six figure income during his employment in the auto industry. The step-grandfather is a retired National Guardsman who has served three tours in Iraq. He is currently employed as a Deputy Sheriff.

8. Loan documents and entire loan file from FDIC regulated financial institution documenting loan to assist family with "living expenses" during their final year in California.

9. Financial reports, bank statements and annual reports for L.A. Dream Team Foundation, non-profit corporation that supported Renardo, Sr.'s summer league basketball team. This includes public filings both in the State of California and with the Internal Revenue Service.

10. Article of Incorporation and Minutes of Board meetings of L.A. Dream Team Foundation.

11. Titles, copies of liability insurance policies and financing documents for all Sidney family vehicles.

12. Lease agreements on all family residences and/or statements from landlords relative to amounts and methods of payment for monthly lease payments.

13. Bank statements from all accounts maintained by the L.A. Dream Team Foundation

14. Copies of travel records from family's Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Program.

15. Copies of hotel, travel and expense receipts from all unofficial visits taken by student athlete and family.

16. Documentation of income earned by Patricia Sidney from 2006 through the present.

17. Cellular phone records for over two years for all members of the family including siblings that are entirely unconnected to this investigation.

18. Several hundred pages of actual coursework completed by Renardo Sidney, Jr. as a high school student. The student athlete was threatened with "non-certification" if he failed to produce the actual coursework.

According to Jackson, "the aforementioned documentation consists of three binders of documents, several faxed supplements and the academic information that was submitted to MSU (and ultimately the NCAA) in early July, 2009. The academic information was supplemented several times via facsimile."

But according to the NCAA, Jackson hasn't answered the specific request.

"Mr. Jackson continues to try to purposely confuse the matter at hand," Stacey Osburn, the NCAA's associate director for public and media relations, said in an e-mail. "The real issue is his failure to provide the requested documentation to the NCAA Eligibility Center on behalf of his client."

Osburn added that the Eligibility Center determines what records are necessary to determine initial eligibility.

"There is case precedent for requests of specific information, and the Eligibility Center's requests for information from Mr. Jackson's client is consistent with the established, standard process and previous requests for other prospective student-athletes," Osburn said.

Jackson said he has been working cooperatively with Mississippi State's outside legal counsel, Michael Glazier.

"We both want to see him on the floor but our obligations are different," Jackson said.

Brett agreed, saying Mississippi State has to protect the integrity of the university. He said the documentation requests by the NCAA Eligibility Center go to the Sidney family and Jackson, not to Mississippi State.

"We hope to have some resolution before the season starts but it could carry into the season and beyond," Brett said. "If he doesn't compete then it's like a redshirt year, but his five-year eligibility clock starts once he enrolls."

Sidney has been participating in individual workouts with the team and can take part in practice when it starts officially on Oct. 16, even if he's not cleared to play. Teams can conduct full team workouts for two hours a week at this point in the preseason, but Mississippi State coach Rick Stansbury has been reluctant because of Sidney's situation.

"Does this keep you from doing some team stuff? Yes, because no one knows for sure if he's going to play," said Stansbury on Tuesday while he was on the road recruiting. "It does make it difficult that they are prolonging the decision."

Stansbury said he can't control this situation so he's not spending too much time on the minutiae of the case. But he does have to think about playing the season without Sidney. If he does play, the Bulldogs will be a stronger team up front as Sidney would provide a buffer for shot-blocking senior center Jarvis Varnado.

"You know the impact Renardo could have, but there is a learning curve," Stansbury said. "We will be tough to play against with him. He can overcome the learning curve with his abilities."

There is no guarantee the Eligibility Center would certify Sidney, even if Jackson provided the NCAA with the requested financial documents. But if he doesn't, it does appear the Eligibility Center will simply hold its ground, which means this will likely drag deep into the season.

• Army will bring St. John's assistant coach Fred Quartlebaum on campus Wednesday in regard to the school's suddenly vacant head-coaching position. Quartlebaum was one of a half-dozen candidates interviewed for the position. Army athletic director Kevin Anderson also talked to Tulsa assistant David Cason, St. Mary's associate head coach Kyle Smith, Wake Forest director of basketball operations Walt Corbean, Arizona State assistant coach Dedrique Taylor and Cornell assistant coach Zach Spiker. Cason and Corbean are no longer part of the search. It's unclear how many of the other candidates will also visit the West Point campus. Anderson fired Jim Crews last week. Anderson said it was for multiple reasons, but there have been multiple reports that one of the issues was a confrontation with a player.

• Illinois State junior forward Bobby Hill suffered a torn ACL for the second straight season. Last year it was in his right knee and this time in his left. Hill was a JC All-American when he transferred to Illinois State and was expected to be a key contributor for coach Tim Jankovich. In a statement, Jankovich called Hill's injury "the toughest news I can remember ever receiving. It is difficult for me to put in words how devastated I am for him."

A few quick hitters from workouts around the country:

• Washington coach Lorenzo Romar is already seeing the benefits of a three-guard lineup that will likely end games for the Huskies.

Romar might have the most difficult backcourt to pressure in the West with Isaiah Thomas, Venoy Overton and newcomer Abdul Gaddy. Romar said he's likely going to bring one of the three guards off the bench to start games, with the possibility that all three could be on the floor to finish.

"They all handle the ball so well, they're pretty quick and feisty, and all good basketball players,'' Romar said. "Whichever one doesn't start is going to be like a starter. They'll all bring something in their own special way. If one of them isn't contributing then we're not a complete team."

Thomas led the Huskies in scoring last season with 15.5 points a game. The 5-foot-8 guard from Tacoma is a "fantastic scorer,'' according to Romar.

"He brings that swagger offensively for us and he takes big shots,'' Romar said. "In late-game situations, he's good with the ball, too."

The 5-11 Overton can push the basketball and get the Huskies into an up-tempo game. But his forte is defense.

"He's got to be one of the best on-the-ball defenders in the country,'' Romar said of Overton. "We do agility skills and you can watch his feet and see he might have the quickest feet I've ever seen. He can cause problems on the defensive end.''

Romar said Overton could change the game with his deflections and alter the rhythm of the game defensively.

The Huskies had a point guard in Justin Dentmon last season. So, it was imperative to find a replacement who could coexist with the scoring of Thomas and the defense of Overton. That's where Gaddy has been the perfect playmaker for this team. Gaddy originally committed to Arizona, but the turmoil with the Wildcats put the 6-3 Tacoma native in play.

"He's the purest point guard of the three,'' Romar said. "He's the tallest, too.''

Romar said the Huskies will still start sophomore forward Darnell Gant at one forward and senior Quincy Pondexter at the other. Pondexter, who was on the bronze-medal-winning U.S. World University Games team in Serbia over the summer, has made a commitment to be the rebounder that Jon Brockman was last season for the Huskies. But expecting Pondexter to grab double-figures in boards like Brockman (11.5) might be too much to ask. Still, Romar said Pondexter's leadership is proving to be quite valuable so far in workouts.

Romar isn't apologizing for the schedule. He said the Huskies were a bit worried about the opponent in the Wooden Classic on Dec. 12 but was thrilled when Georgetown signed up to play the Huskies in Anaheim.

Romar said the Huskies had no idea which team they would draw in the Pac-10/Big 12 Challenge; Washington got Texas Tech. And while the game is in Lubbock, the Red Raiders aren't expected to be a contender in the Big 12. If the two leagues were attempting to match potential contenders, they should have pitted Washington against Texas.

Texas A&M has the potential for bubble status and thus should be a quality opponent for the Huskies. Playing Portland in Seattle should be a challenge as well, considering the Pilots beat the Huskies there last season and should be Gonzaga's toughest competitor in the WCC.

So, the Georgetown neutral-site and home Texas A&M and Portland games are probably Washington's best three nonconference games. The one sleeper game on Washington's schedule is the opener on Nov. 13. Wright State is considered to be Butler's toughest challenger in the Horizon League and could be a bit of a thorny team for the Huskies to play to open the season. The rest of the slate: Belmont, Portland State, San Jose State, Montana, Cal State Northridge, San Francisco and Seattle should be wins for the Huskies.

Ultimately, this schedule could see Washington begin Pac-10 play with possibly only one loss overall.

• Louisville senior guard Edgar Sosa said that the story so far in early-season workouts has been the play of Samardo Samuels.

"He's shooting the ball real well and that's not something he was doing last year,'' Sosa said of the sophomore big man. "Everything last year was on the block for him. He's developing a good midrange jump shot.''

Sosa said freshman guard Peyton Siva is "fast" and should give the Cardinals some "good minutes" with fellow guards Jerry Smith and Preston Knowles. Meanwhile, Sosa said forward Terrence Jennings hasn't worked out much because of a sprained ankle but freshman forward Stephan Van Treese has proven to be quite a banger inside; the hope is that he can be the rebounder the Cardinals will need in the absence of Earl Clark and Terrence Williams.

"Losing those two guys, we're going to have to make things up everywhere,'' Sosa said. "The biggest thing will be on defense.''

• Maryland senior guard Greivis Vasquez reports that junior guard Adrian Bowie has had a tremendous summer.

"The way he's playing right now, his shooting ability, all has improved and he'll be a real threat in the ACC,'' Vasquez said.

He added that forward Landon Milbourne has been a "warrior" in workouts with the way he has sacrificed to become a more efficient player. The key for the Terps may be how freshmen forwards James Padgett (6-foot-8) and Jordan Williams (6-10) develop in the coming weeks. Vasquez needs to continue to be confident that they can finish his passes.

"The one thing they do well is catch the ball,'' Vasquez said. "They can finish. They're working on their strength and to be more explosive. They don't have that killer mentality yet. That will come out of their personality. But they have two big bodies to help us out a lot and score in the paint, get rebounds, set good screens and play an important role for the team."

• Notre Dame coach Mike Brey said having the experience of transfers Ben Hansbrough (Mississippi State) and Scott Martin (Purdue) has made the early-season workouts go smoothly. He said Martin has added 15 "good pounds" through strength training.

"They've played in big games,'' Brey said. "Every SEC coach told me when Ben transferred that he will make big shots."

Brey said senior forward Luke Harangody has shown tremendous leadership in his goal to get the Irish back to the NCAAs after a one-year hiatus.

"We keep telling our guys that we can get one of the bids out of our league,'' Brey said.

Brey said seniors Harangody, Jonathan Peoples and Tory Jackson are focused on winning at least 23 games to become the winningest class in Notre Dame history, breaking the record of 92 games that was set in 1978. Brey was quick to point out that winning 93 games in the Big East is quite a different feat than doing it during the "age of independency" when Notre Dame wasn't in a conference in the 1970s or '80s.

• The Big East decided not to change its tournament format for 2010, a league spokesperson said Friday.

Seeds 9 through 16 will still need to win five games to claim the title and play on the Tuesday of Championship Week at Madison Square Garden in New York. Seeds 5 through 8 will start play on Wednesday and need to win four games to win the title. The top four seeds will continue to get a double-bye into Thursday's quarterfinals. The semifinals and finals remain on a Friday and Saturday schedule.

Army athletic director Kevin Anderson extended Jim Crews' contract for three years with a two-year option over the summer, but an issue came to his attention that he couldn't ignore and pushed him to terminate Crews' contract this week, Anderson told ESPN.com on Thursday.

"There was this one thing that came to my attention that I definitely couldn't overlook," Anderson said. "There were things, and there was one thing in particular that came to me that was overarching that led me to my conclusion."

Multiple sources close to the situation told ESPN.com that Crews yelled at a cadet. Anderson said that incident wasn't "the tipping point but contributed."

Anderson said Crews had a typical coach's contract, with clauses in it that could allow for termination. Anderson said negotiations with Crews are ongoing and that he would "do what's best for all parties." He also said there isn't a settlement as of now, but he didn't say whether there would be one in the future. He said he wasn't at liberty to say anything more because it was a personnel issue.

Calls to Crews weren't returned. But a source close to Crews who spoke with him this week said Crews was still trying to figure out why he was terminated. The source said Crews was aware of a cadet claiming he had disrespected him in the locker room but said that Crews had always modeled himself to be a man of honor and wasn't an "angry coach." The source said the disagreement in the dismissal would be whether he was fired for cause, which could mean Crews wouldn't get paid.

The source said Crews was disappointed over his relationship with Anderson having gone sour. Anderson didn't hire Crews; he was hired seven seasons ago by former Army athletic director Rick Greenspan, who in 2008 ultimately lost his job as AD at Indiana after NCAA sanctions arose against Kelvin Sampson, whom Greenspan hired, and the IU program. Crews, who played on Indiana's 1976 undefeated team coached by Bob Knight, coached for 17 seasons at Evansville before going 60-139 with the Black Knights.

The source said Anderson called Crews to a meeting a few days ago to inform him that a change was occurring.

"If there was something egregious that occurred with Jim, that would absolutely shock me because it's not him," said the source, who had worked with Crews before in Division I. "He can push kids, he can be intense, but I would put Jim Crews down as one of the great guys in the business."

Crews went with a number of present and former college basketball coaches to Iraq in August to coach soldiers in a basketball tournament.

Anderson is attempting to move swiftly to replace Crews and met in Chicago on Thursday with Tulsa associate head coach Dave Cason, according to multiple sources. Anderson wouldn't confirm the meeting Thursday.

Anderson has also reached out to St. John's assistant coach Fred Quartlebaum, who coached at the Naval Academy, Arizona State associate head coach Dedrique Taylor and former Army player and Duke director of basketball operations Chris Spatola, the son-in-law of Army grad and Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski. According to a source, Anderson met with Wake Forest director of basketball operations Walt Corbean, a former Army assistant under current Wake coach Dino Gaudio when Gaudio was the head coach of the Black Knights, on Wednesday in Greensboro, N.C.

Another person Anderson could talk to is Ohio State video coordinator Kevin Kuwik, who served two missions in Iraq with the Indiana National Guard. He was also an assistant at Ohio and last season was the director of basketball operations at Butler.

Anderson appointed his deputy athletic director Gene Marshall to be the interim coach overseeing workouts while a head coach is found. Marshall played for UConn coach Jim Calhoun while Calhoun was the head coach at Northeastern in the late 1970s and early '80s.

Anderson said he informed assistants Jeff and Jim Platt and Kendrick Saunders and director of basketball operations Sean O'Keefe that he would honor their contracts for this season. He said they would have the option to stay under a new head coach, with practice beginning Oct. 16.

"I'm aware this wasn't the best time to go through this, and I'm not going to be hasty in my decision," Anderson said. "If we find the right person, we'll move forward. If we don't, then I'm not going to hire somebody to hire somebody. I'm not going to set somebody up to fail."

Anderson said Marshall may not be the interim coach for the season if a permanent head coach can't be found, leaving it open for one of the assistants to possibly take that tag.

Anderson, who is African-American, said he was irate over the insinuation in a published report that he was going to hire only a minority coach.

"I'm going to hire the best person for the job," Anderson said. "I'm offended by that."

Anderson said he has been leaning on a number of resources in the business, including Krzyzewski and Pitt coach Jamie Dixon. Dixon and Anderson are extremely close since the passing of Dixon's sister, Maggie, who led the Black Knights women's team to an improbable NCAA tournament appearance in 2006 before she died of a heart ailment on April 6, 2006 at 28.

Multiple sources told ESPN.com that whoever takes the Army head-coaching job has to understand he can't complain about the job when the cadets are going off to war in either Iraq or Afghanistan. One coaching source with experience at one of the military academies said, "the next coach has to understand the quality of life there and can't bitch about it. He has to embrace the mission of the school is far greater than the mission of the basketball program and deal with it."

Anderson said that this is true but added losing isn't acceptable, either, when in the global theater a loss means the end of life.

"Losing in Iraq and Afghanistan isn't an option, so we have to establish the importance of winning," Anderson said. "Our three pillars we're trying to develop here are the academics, the military and the leadership. If we accept losing, then we go off [to war] weak. We've got to develop effective and great leaders."

Anderson said he doesn't want a coach who can't win, or would shortchange the men on the team.

But that's why Anderson said he's not married to hiring a coach who has worked at one of the military academies. Maggie Dixon didn't.

"If I focus on that [previous military academy experience], then I won't find Maggie Dixon," Anderson said. "It's still a deep, deep pain in my heart. When I first hired her [when Dixon was an assistant at DePaul], everybody thought I was crazy. But she had that innate leadership quality. People were shocked to see how she had us playing, but she brought out the best in those women and they're doing great things in the Army today."

Anderson said he's not using a consulting firm for the impromptu search because he wants to be proactive if he's going to do this search quickly.

The Black Knights return four seniors and should be one of the upper-echelon teams in the Patriot League this season after losing at American in the conference semifinals last season.

"I do believe, regardless of this change, that we have tremendous leadership in our upper class," Anderson said of the Black Knights, who won 15 games in 2006-07, 14 in 2007-08 and 11 in 2008-09. "My expectations are that we can keep everybody together and they will continue to be competitive. We've seen progress the last three seasons but it hasn't been where I've exactly wanted it to be."

Ben Howland's right side had been bothering him for about a week. But it wasn't pressing enough to keep him from traveling during a recruiting period.

So, the UCLA men's basketball coach plugged on and flew to Portland and Detroit before coming back on Sept. 13, when he realized the ache was now a pain that wasn't going away.

Howland met with a doctor on the morning of Sept. 14, had a CT scan, and then headed to Las Vegas to Bishop Gorman High School. Still not sure about what was going on with his side, he went back home and waited for word on his results. He visited another recruit on Sept. 15 in Los Angeles. The Bruins were scheduled for their first team workout on Sept. 16. Howland was running around and didn't pick up his phone until noon.

"The message was that there was something with my CT scan, the appendix was infected," said Howland late Tuesday night as he and assistant Scott Garson drove back from a recruiting visit in San Diego. Howland said he had to go to Seattle for another recruiting assignment on Sept. 17.

Not quite.

"The message was I had to call the surgeon right now," Howland said. "I found out at 12:15 p.m. and I was in surgery by 4 p.m."

Howland had laparoscopic surgery on Sept. 16 to remove the appendix.

"It didn't break, it didn't burst and that's great news," Howland said. "I'm just taking it slow. I'm a little bit tired still."

Howland will attempt to take things slowly, but he was slated to work out the Bruins on Wednesday and then leave for a six-day recruiting trip on Friday to Seattle, Portland and Detroit.

What Howland will find when he convenes the Bruins is a team that is extremely thin on the perimeter. The Bruins have essentially three guards to rotate in with sophomores Malcolm Lee and Jerime Anderson and senior Michael Roll. Howland said freshman wing Mike Moser will have to play, as well. Freshman forward Reeves Nelson will need to play small forward, too.

The shortage of perimeter players is a result of the loss of Jrue Holiday, whom the staff wasn't prepared to see leave after one season in Westwood.

"College basketball teams are playing four guards and a big anyway a lot," Howland said. Howland cited former Bruin Luc Richard Mbah a Moute as an example of a big guard who had to board in college and as a result got to the NBA.

Freshman forward Tyler Honeycutt has been bothered by a back injury, and it's still unclear how much he'll be able to help the Bruins this season. Meanwhile, sophomore forward Drew Gordon isn't showing any effects of a knee injury that kept him out of the USA Basketball under-19 trials for all but one practice in Colorado Springs in June. Howland expects Gordon to gobble up a lot of minutes with James Keefe, J'mison Morgan and Nikola Dragovic, the only returning starter. Dragovic is nursing a thumb injury and will be kept in check in some of the early workouts.

The Bruins aren't projected to win the Pac-10, a first in five years. Cal and Washington are projected to win the league. But the Bruins are expected to be talented enough to make the NCAAs.

• Clemson's Oliver Purnell and Notre Dame's Mike Brey wanted to make sure legislators remembered cancer victims in their ongoing debate about health care reform. What neither Purnell nor Brey -- or for that matter fellow coaches Ed DeChellis of Penn State, Tubby Smith of Minnesota and John Thompson III of Georgetown, who were also on the Hill on Tuesday -- needs is to make his appearances political. All of the coaches have fans who are on both sides of the debate, but the one thing that is hard to dispute is the victims in this issue need help.

"Everybody says they're for health care reform but they disagree on how to do it,'' said Purnell. "We were there to say to get something done; get it done now. Waiting for cancer patients is not an option."

Purnell met with the South Carolina delegation, including outspoken members of Congress Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., and Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C. Purnell was with a prostate cancer patient and another cancer victim "whose insurance was so high that she couldn't afford it and it was bankrupting her. She couldn't get insurance. We were there to tell their story."

"The easy thing is to put it off, but if you look through the lens of a cancer patient, putting it off is not an option,'' Purnell said.

Purnell said DeMint and Wilson said they were willing to talk about it and come up with something.

"They said there is agreement to a certain level, but the tough part is to bridge the level of disagreement and come up with something acceptable,'' Purnell said. "The problem is that everyone wants health care reform but they can't get an agreement. They need to get a bill that they can agree on, that would pass and that then the president would sign it.''

Brey said there were 700 volunteers working with the American Cancer Society, lobbying members of the House and Senate. He said after the coaches did a news conference, they then split up to work with various state delegations. He said they met with Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius as well as Minnesota Democratic Sens. Al Franken and Amy Klobuchar and Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., at a rally that was co-sponsored by the American Cancer Society's Cancer Action Network.

"We were there in the midst of the reform debate and the craziness,'' Brey said. "We just wanted to make sure they didn't lose sight of the cancer patients and to show the progress research has made. We're not in the middle of the debate but we want to keep pushing for a cure to the disease.''

Brey said you could feel the intensity of the debate on health care while walking through the Capitol.

"It was hovering, it was right there,'' Brey said. "This is an interesting time.''

• Quick: Name the top six Big East all-time winningest coaches by victories in conference games.

The first five are easy: Syracuse's Jim Boeheim (356), Connecticut's Jim Calhoun (282), former coaches John Thompson of Georgetown (231), Lou Carnesecca of St. John's (139) and Rollie Massimino of Villanova (123).

I would have never guessed who is No. 6 on this list. Would you?

Well, it's former Villanova coach Steve Lappas (97), who coached the Wildcats for nine seasons, but hasn't coached in the league for eight seasons. But Lappas' hold on No. 6 is fading. Notre Dame's Mike Brey is next at 92. Former Seton Hall coach P.J. Carlesimo is at No. 8 with 90 wins, but he'll be eclipsed this season by Rick Pitino, who has 88 wins at Providence and Louisville, Villanova's Jay Wright (85) and Pitt's Jamie Dixon, who has 81 wins in just six seasons. Georgetown's John Thompson III has 61 wins, good for 17th on the list.

The rest of the current Big East coaches' win totals are: St. John's Norm Roberts (27), West Virginia's Bob Huggins (25), DePaul's Jerry Wainwright (21), Seton Hall's Bobby Gonzalez (19), Cincinnati's Mick Cronin (18), Marquette's Buzz Williams (13), Providence's Keno Davis (11), Rutgers' Fred Hill (8) and South Florida's Stan Heath (7).

Maybe no team needed a summer trip more than Davidson, as the Wildcats attempt to get through a season without Stephen Curry.

Taking the trip to Italy and Slovenia in August allowed the Wildcats to learn to play without their former All-American. So when Davidson convened for the first team practice last week, there was no reason for introductions of new roles.

"We got a taste of what it was going to be like," coach Bob McKillop said. "We needed that then, rather than find that out in November. The timing of having to understand how to play without Stephen was good."

In Europe, Will Archambault led the Wildcats with 18.5 points a game, with Bryant Barr scoring 15, Aaron Bond 14.3 and Brendan McKillop 12.1.

"We learned we're going to have to have an equal opportunity offense," McKillop said. "We can't have guys stand around waiting for Steph to shoot it. They all have to swing the bat."

McKillop originally was slated to coach the Under-19 USA Basketball team in the FIBA World Championship in New Zealand. He coached the U.S. to a silver medal in Argentina the previous summer. But McKillop opted to stay home once Curry declared for the NBA draft. He needed to figure out how his team was going to respond without its superstar.

Steve Rossiter, who will be the team captain, averaged 7.8 points and nine rebounds a game on the trip, and his leadership was noted by McKillop. Rossiter was a classic role player to Curry a year ago and didn't hesitate to take over the more vocal aspects of being a team captain this summer.

"He was a valuable role player on the [2008] Elite Eight team and has experience winning games," McKillop said.

A number of players on this squad were a part of the Elite Eight team and have been consistent winners in the program. That shouldn't change, although Davidson won't be picked to win the league with College of Charleston being the likely favorite.

McKillop, who is a proponent of taking a foreign trip every four seasons and has the full backing of the administration on these trips, said the Wildcats might never have another star like Curry.

"But we never had that in my 20 years at Davidson outside of Stephen," McKillop said. "We have tremendous balance and we will have experience and now we have six games under our belt [the Wildcats went 4-2]. We have an understanding of what it takes."

McKillop isn't slinking back into things with the schedule, either. Davidson isn't a marquee squad without Curry, but there is still interest. Davidson is in the Charleston Classic with teams such as Miami and Penn State, is in the Holiday Festival with St. John's, is playing Gonzaga in Seattle, travels to Butler, and plays host to UMass and Rhode Island.

"It's an aggressive schedule," McKillop said.

The hope is that Frank Ben-Eze, who played in 22 games and averaged 7.6 minutes and 1.3 points, will be cleared for practice on Oct. 16. He didn't make the trip to Europe because of a knee injury. The Wildcats need Ben-Eze to be a vital part of the board work inside.

Easing the pain of losing Curry for McKillop is how much the team has become his family, with son Brendan expected to be a major player for the Wildcats in his junior season, and son Matt on the bench as a full-time assistant coach.

"I've got one on the bench, one on the court," McKillop said of his sons. "I'm pretty lucky to have this opportunity to share it with my boys."

• North Dakota State will unfurl its NCAA tournament banner and hand out its NCAA rings at its Midnight Madness ceremony Oct. 16. The Bison were a classic March Madness story last season, earning their bid in the first season they were eligible. NDSU coach Saul Phillips and former coach Tim Miles had the plan to redshirt a class, knowing that in the seniors' fifth season of eligibility they would be primed for a Summit League title run. Senior Ben Woodside was the key member of this class, averaging 23.2 points a game.

"We graduated the No. 1, 2 and 7 all-time scorers, but we've still got four seniors left on the roster and we're still thinking of redshirting players again," Phillips said.

Oakland will be picked as the favorite to win the league, but the Grizzlies and Bison have different approaches to scheduling. Oakland plays a crazy slate of games at Wisconsin, Kansas, Memphis, Michigan State, Oregon and Syracuse in a 30-day period. Meanwhile, the Bison play a much more manageable slate with road games at Utah Valley, UC Davis, Fresno State, Wichita State and Iowa State. They might not win more than two of those, but this team shouldn't lose any confidence. Phillips is doing a solid job of getting some home games, too, with improving Idaho of the WAC and Horizon League teams Green Bay and Milwaukee making the trip to Fargo, N.D.

• The Spokesman-Review of Spokane, Wash., put out the good word from Gonzaga and the Zags' staff confirmed Tuesday that Canadian Bol Kong is enrolled on campus and eligible for this season. The Zags have anxiously awaited Kong's arrival since the former Sudanese national had visa issues going from Canada to the United States. Kong, a 6-7 forward, is expected to be a talent for the Zags, but his role will be a complementary one. Meanwhile, the bigger get is that German Elias Harris, who is expected on campus this week, is eligible, as well. Harris, who was playing with the German national team, could be a starter this season. Harris, a 6-7 forward, is the talk among the staff. He is a scorer who won't steal the headlines from Matt Bouldin or Steven Gray but is expected to be a major contributor from the opening tip. Kong had to be on campus and enrolled in class by this past Friday to make the deadline to be eligible this semester (12 class days after the semester starts). Harris received an exemption because he was playing on his national team.

• Blue Ribbon put out its Missouri Valley predictions, and if Wichita State is the seventh-best team in the Valley, it could be another banner season for the league. The rankings were hard to argue against at the top with Northern Iowa, Illinois State, Creighton and Southern Illinois as the top four. Indiana State and Bradley were five and six before the Shockers at No. 7. Drake, Evansville and Missouri State wrapped up the bottom three. WSU coach Gregg Marshall has the Shockers on the verge of being quite a pest this season, and they could cause some havoc in the CBE Classic when they play Pitt in the semifinals in Kansas City, Mo. Don't be surprised if Iowa, not Wichita State, is the team that leaves the event winless. Texas plays the Hawkeyes in the other semifinal.

PROVO, Utah -- The first thing you notice about BYU is how much the Cougars want to run, run and run some more.

BYU started team workouts last week with the intent of getting the team confident enough to push the basketball as much as possible.

If Thursday's snapshot of the Cougars is any indication, there is hope that they can pull it off this season.

Sure, the program lost leading scorer Lee Cummard to graduation. But junior guard Jimmer Fredette can push the ball and so too can senior wing Jonathan Tavernari, who played in four games this summer for the Brazilian national team during the FIBA Americas Championship. And there is a sleeper amid the group in sophomore guard Charles Abouo, who played in 33 games last season and averaged 2.9 points.

"Charles had a great summer, working on his body and his jump shot," Fredette said. "He's going to come in and really, really help us. He can be a double-digit scorer -- watch out."

"Charles is going to be the surprise," Tavernari added. "Everybody is going to see."

The Cougars do have size with the return of 6-foot-11 senior Chris Miles (7.1 ppg, 4 rpg), 6-10 sophomore James Anderson (2.5 ppg) and 6-8 sophomore Noah Hartsock (2.4 ppg). But in Thursday's practice, BYU coach Dave Rose was praising the development of 6-9 freshman Brandon Davies. He can run the floor well and is developing effective post moves and an aspiring mid-range game that was apparent Thursday.

Freshman guard Tyler Haws was a big-time scorer and two-time Mr. Basketball in the state of Utah, and sophomore guard Michael Loyd Jr. is coming off a redshirt season. If Loyd can stay in control when he's pushing the ball, he can be a valuable contributor. Rose said the biggest issue may be shot distribution, because Fredette (383 attempts last season), Tavernari (451), Abouo (75) and even players like Haws are volume shooters (read: need shots).

"I haven't played with this many experienced guys since I've been here," Tavernari said. "We've got size, all-conference players, and we're bigger and stronger."

The Cougars should be the favorite for the Mountain West title, with UNLV and San Diego State lurking. But the odds are in BYU's favor as no other team can boast the experience and leadership of players like Fredette and Tavernari. If the Cougars can be a disciplined running team, they have a shot to cause havoc come March.

And there might not be a team in the country that has as much motivation as BYU. You could tell how much this team wants to rally around Rose's cancer fight. They listen to every word, pick up the pace when he commands and then gladly show respect to him at the end.

"It's an act of God that Coach had such a rare form of cancer," Tavernari said of Rose's pancreatic cancer, which on average afflicts only about five people per million. "He fought through it when we thought he was going to die. But he's here now and if we don't use that simple fact as motivation, then we don't deserve anything. We have huge motivation to do everything for Coach and win, enjoy and seize every moment for him. If we don't, then we've disrespected him."

The Cougars have been a rock of consistency since the Steve Cleveland-Dave Rose combination took over in 1997 after the program had gone 1-25 the previous season. Rose served as an assistant for eight seasons and was named head coach in 2005 when Cleveland went back home to Fresno State.

The Cougars have reached the postseason in nine of the past 10 seasons, including six NCAA bids, the past three under Rose.

"The one word that describes this program is stability," BYU associate head coach Dave Rice said. "We've had an even-keel program. No big ups and no big downs. We've been consistently a regular-season champ [at least a share of the MWC the past three seasons]. We're the only team that has a winning road record in the Mountain West and have won 51 conference games in four seasons. San Diego State and UNLV are next with 43."

Rice said the team -- with the good news that Rose's cancerous tumor didn't return in his scan Friday -- can focus on the season at hand.

"We're here to go for another championship," Rice said.

It's plausible, and so is an NCAA at-large berth with a nonconference schedule that has some potential power-rating pop.

Like most Mountain West teams, BYU has the same scheduling struggles every season. Rose said the Cougars contacted 37 power-six conference teams and failed to lock in a new one, even though they were willing to do a series with the return games being at Energy Solutions Arena in Salt Lake City (BYU has done a deal like that with Michigan State in the past). Arizona had already agreed to a series in that manner. The Cougars go to Tucson on Dec. 28 this season and the return game in 2010 will be in Salt Lake City.

The Cougars play the annual rivalry game at Utah State, a possible WAC champion. Winning in Logan would certainly give a boost to the Cougars. Arizona State could finish near the bottom of the Pac-10, so beating the Sun Devils this season at home won't mean as much but is necessary nonetheless (ASU won a controversial game against BYU last season in Glendale, Ariz., when a BYU basket at the buzzer was disallowed).

The key for the Cougars will be winning a tournament in Las Vegas just before Christmas. The first game is against Nevada, another WAC contender. The second game will be against either Nebraska or Tulsa. It would probably mean more if the game were against the Golden Hurricane, since TU is one of the favorites in Conference USA.

Playing at Hawaii and Fresno State at the Galen Center on USC's campus won't drive up the power-rating points on their own, but victories away from Provo always help.

But the most critical game of all could be at UTEP on Jan. 9. The Miners, like Tulsa, are a Conference USA favorite, and few teams, if any, will go into El Paso and pick up a win this season.

The one strike against the Cougars under Rose is that they haven't been able to win an NCAA tournament game. Getting a team other than Texas A&M would help, since the NCAA tournament selection committee oddly pitted the Cougars and Aggies in consecutive first-round games. Texas A&M won both.

"Hopefully if we get there we'll get someone else," Tavernari said. "What we want is for this to be a continuously ranked top 25 team. That's something we can do for coach. We don't want to just get ranked and stay there for one or two games. I think we have the talent, we're deeper, stronger, quicker and more athletic for this to be a special season."

• In 2010, BYU needs to be in either the Coaches vs. Cancer tournament or the Jimmy V Classic.

There's really no argument against putting the Cougars in one or the other unless the four host slots in the 16-team CVC (the four hosts automatically go to New York) or the four teams in the Jimmy V have already been selected. And the odds it has happened are slim.

There's no reason to balk at putting Dave Rose's Cougars in either event. The intended thrust of both events is to benefit cancer research. No coach in America is dealing with more of a public fight against the horrific disease than Rose. Sure, his tumor is surgically removed, but there is the chance that it could return and that's why he will continue to get cancer scans for the next two years.

Ratings shouldn't be an issue. You can't tell me that ratings are the only factor with all the teams that are in these events. Besides, BYU does have a following that can reach all over the globe because it is a school run by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Having Rose in either event would make sense, but the Jimmy V is actually even more appropriate. Rose was on Houston's Phi Slama Jama team that lost to Jim Valvano's NC State Wolfpack in the dramatic 1983 final. Valvano is now more renowned posthumously for the cancer research that bears his name.

And don't think BYU doesn't make sense in New York, either. BYU's Jimmer Fredette, one of the top guards in the Mountain West, is from Glens Falls, N.Y., and would bring his own cheering section for his senior season.

I'll get off my soapbox now. But unless the events are already filled, there's no excuse not to include BYU. There would be no better ambassador for cancer research than Rose. He needs to coach in one of these games.

College basketball practice officially starts in a little less than a month, but all across the country, coaches are quietly working with their teams on campus within the two-hour-a-week limit for each player.

Wide-eyed freshmen are among those players. This year's class of newcomers isn't loaded with as many one-and-done players as the one two seasons ago. It's more likely to produce only a handful of players who could and should bolt if they're ready.

Kentucky's John Wall certainly heads this list and is the current favorite to be the top pick in 2010 NBA draft if he lives up to the hype. While the Wildcats have a potential SEC player of the year in junior forward Patrick Patterson, the strength of this squad will be with its newcomers, led by Wall, DeMarcus Cousins, Eric Bledsoe, Daniel Orton and Darnell Dodson.

If you were to pick five freshmen and examine what they must do over the next six to eight weeks to ensure success, you could stop with Kentucky. But there will be plenty of time to dissect the Wildcats this season.

So let's take a look at five other freshmen whose play is crucial to their teams' success this season. When judging potential impact on their respective teams, you could pick out countless others, such as Washington's Abdul Gaddy or Oregon State's Roberto Nelson or Texas' Avery Bradley, just to name a few.

But for now, here are five fresh faces who will be fascinating to track:

Noel Johnson, 6-6 wing, Clemson

Johnson signed to play at USC, but the allegations against Tim Floyd in the spring that he had paid $1,000 to O.J. Mayo's handler scared away Johnson from the commitment. When Floyd resigned, it was an opportunity for the Georgia native to look elsewhere and remain in the South. And the Tigers were desperate for another player on the perimeter after suddenly losing Terrence Oglesby in the spring to a European professional contract.

"He's already showing he can have an impact," Clemson coach Oliver Purnell said. "The biggest thing for us is to have our freshmen fit our pressing style. Can they mentally do what we need on the defensive end of the floor? He's got the body, but will he put the energy in there defensively as much as he will on the offensive end for us?"

Purnell doesn't doubt Johnson's ability to answer that challenge. But when it comes to defense, high school to college is quite a leap.

The Tigers will be driven by Trevor Booker's power game in the post, but plenty of pieces in the freshman class will have to produce -- the highly touted Milton Jennings, for one. But how Johnson handles his role of providing a scoring pop next to returning players Andre Young, Demontez Stitt and Tanner Smith may determine whether this is an NCAA or NIT team. The Tigers lost not only Oglesby, but also 3-point threat K.C. Rivers.

"The 3-point shot won't be as much of a weapon for us," Purnell said. "There will be more of an emphasis on the speed and running game and high-percentage baskets. We'll get Booker more touches."

That's all fine and well. But they'll also need Johnson to produce from day one if they're going to find a way to emerge from a muddled middle pack in the ACC.

D.J. Richardson, 6-3 SG, Illinois

The Illini leaned heavily on Chester Frazier on the perimeter a season ago. Trent Meacham and Calvin Brock were also staples on the perimeter in helping the Illini get back to the NCAA tournament after a one-year hiatus.

But had sophomore forward Mike Davis and junior center Mike Tisdale not emerged as scoring threats, it wouldn't have mattered what happened on the perimeter. Illinois needed those two to produce, and they did. There's no reason why they won't again, with Davis back from a broken foot that kept him out of the USA basketball trials this spring. Tisdale tried out for the World University Games but didn't make the team. He did gain oodles of confidence, however.

Still, if the Illini are going to get out of the middle of the Big Ten, the onus isn't as much on Tisdale and Davis as it is on a freshman like Richardson. His toughness has already caught Illini coach Bruce Weber's eye in the pre-preseason.

"He's as good a defender as I've ever watched," Weber said -- quite a compliment, since Dee Brown did wonders for the Illini in the middle of this decade. "He can guard."

Weber said he was fearful of losing Frazier because he did a slew of "little things" that were hard to replace. But he said Richardson will become the stopper, the player who will push the basketball and become the energy player the Illini need to get the orange-clad faithful pumped up at Assembly Hall. This isn't to diminish the potential impact of fellow freshman Brandon Paul, who could be a better scorer. Richardson is expected to be the grinder that Weber covets and may have more of an overall impact.

Paul has proven at times to be one of the best players on the court during individual workouts, but the defensive end might not be his forte. He can take over games offensively but doesn't match Richardson's toughness and consistency.

Lance Stephenson, 6-6 SG, Cincinnati

The Bearcats were one of the surprise teams in the Big East last season. In Deonta Vaughn, they had a scorer who didn't get the necessary pub in a star-quality league -- not to mention a big man on the rise in Yancy Gates.

Cincy was playing the season without projected starting point guard Cashmere Wright, who tore his ACL in the preseason. Wright is back to lead the backcourt. Had the Bearcats stopped right there with Wright's return, they still would be on the edge of the NCAA tournament, likely with enough pop to sneak into the field.

But Cincinnati coach Mick Cronin and assistant Tony Stubblefield were quietly recruiting Stephenson while the New York prep legend was getting through the NCAA's amateur checklist and awaiting the outcome of an assault case from his senior year at Brooklyn's Lincoln High. Stephenson avoided any jail time with a plea deal and is on target to be an impact player with the Bearcats.

He got to Cincinnati in early July, allowing him to get six weeks of training in with the team and begin adjusting to the physicality of college basketball. His conditioning and weight lifting might make him look as though he's ready for graduation rather than matriculation.

"His adjustment was smooth because he's such a good athlete," Cronin said. "He goes so hard with everything he does. He'll bypass the normal physical adjustment. He's such a big, strong guard."

Stevenson simply needs to pick up Cronin's defensive demands and ensure that he meshes with the team. So far, that hasn't been a problem. What the Bearcats were lacking was a player who could take someone off the dribble on the perimeter and get to the hole. Stevenson can deliver in that aspect.

"He can help us in creating offense and take pressure of Deonta and Cashmere," Cronin said. "He'll make us harder to defend."

If he does, the Bearcats can make that steady climb into the top 6 in the Big East and earn an NCAA bid.

Dante Taylor, 6-9 PF, Pittsburgh

Panthers coach Jamie Dixon knew DeJuan Blair was likely headed to the NBA after his sophomore season.

Sure, there could have been a meltdown, an injury, something that would have kept him in Pittsburgh. But Dixon went hard after Taylor, and Taylor committed, knowing full well he could come in and make an impact. The difference between Blair and the new guy is this: No one expected Blair to be a star and off to the NBA in two seasons. Taylor? He comes in as a McDonald's All-American with a lot of hype.

"Nobody was writing about DeJuan as an impact freshman," Dixon said.

The Panthers will likely pump up Taylor in the preseason, and they should, but Dixon isn't going to put too much pressure on him. He arrived at the USA Basketball trials in Colorado Springs last June for the team that Dixon ultimately coached to the gold medal at the Under-19 World Championships in New Zealand. Playing a few days there was a good experience, but Taylor wasn't ready to make the squad and was not in the best shape possible.

"He was a little heavy then at 250, but he's lost about 15 pounds," Dixon said.

The Panthers did receive some bad news this week when their one returning starter, senior guard Jermaine Dixon, broke his right foot again; he will be out for the next eight weeks. Pitt was already down a wing after Gilbert Brown was deemed academically ineligible by the school for the first semester. Still, the experience Ashton Gibbs had on the gold-medal team this summer and the return of scorer Brad Wanamaker still make the Panthers a threat on the perimeter. But if they're going to make it back to the NCAA tournament for a ninth straight year, Taylor will have to produce in the post.

"He needs to rebound," Dixon said of his prized recruit.

If Taylor rebounds, he'll score. This is a good year to come into the Big East as a freshman big man. The league suffered a big-man vacuum in the offseason as forwards Hasheem Thabeet and Jeff Adrien of Connecticut, Dante Cunningham of Villanova, Blair and Sam Young of Pitt, and Earl Clark and Terrence Williams of Louisville all left for the pros. There are still plenty to deal with, such as Gates, Georgetown's Greg Monroe, Notre Dame's Luke Harangody, Marquette's Lazar Hayward, St. John's Anthony Mason Jr., and Syracuse's Arinze Onuaku and Rick Jackson. But Taylor has the body to compete with all of them.

"He's got good hands, he runs well, his post-moves are developing, and he's a great kid," Dixon said.

If he can handle the hype and board -- score on plenty of putbacks -- he'll be even more celebrated by March.

Derrick Favors, 6-10 PF/C, Georgia Tech

If you're looking for a lock on this list to leave after one season, it's not Stephenson. It's Favors. That is, if he lives up to his billing of being one of the top 3 players in this class.

Favors spent the summer around the program, and his conditioning and weight lifting is already a major plus. He has gone up from 234 to 246 pounds and should be a beast next to Gani Lawal, who declared for the NBA draft but returned to school once it was clear he wasn't a top-20 lock.

Georgia Tech coach Paul Hewitt, who has had success handling elite players who might be on campus for only one season, said Favors has a tremendous work ethic and is picking things up quickly.

The Yellow Jackets will look to pound the ball inside to Lawal and Favors throughout the season. While Hewitt said the inside game wasn't a concern last season with Lawal and Alade Aminu, adding Favors makes them even more daunting.

Tech won only two ACC games in 2009 but was consistently one of the toughest outs throughout the conference season and had the talent to be at the very least a .500 team. The Jackets are the sleeper pick to contend near the top of the league, be a regular in the Top 25 and get back to the NCAA tournament after missing out the last two seasons.

The leadership in the backcourt with the return of Iman Shumpert and Moe Miller means Lawal and Favors should get the ball at the right times within the offense.

Injuries to D'Andre Bell (who is back) and Miller left the Yellow Jackets leaning on the perimeter last season. That added to the team's inability to close out games. With a full backcourt and two studs inside, Tech should be much more of an offensive team this season.

Having a star attraction in Favors means the attention will be on him, which should open up more opportunities for everyone else. So far he has done everything Hewitt has wanted. If everyone stays healthy and Favors produces the double figures he's capable of, there's no reason why this team shouldn't be in the NCAA tournament.

Shortly after being named the new NCAA president, Myles Brand asked Wally Renfro to come back to the organization.

Renfro, the former NCAA spokesperson, wasn't sure what Brand's idea was of the NCAA.

"So I asked him, what did he hope to accomplish as the president of the NCAA? Do you have a thought in mind what this will look like in some period of time?" Renfro recalled.

"I do," the former university president at Oregon and Indiana responded, "Do you want to hear it?"

"I do," Renfro said.

"I want to change the way people think about college sports," Brand answered. "I want them to understand this is a phenomenal piece of American culture -- that this doesn't exist anywhere else [in the world] in higher education. I want student-athletes to be students. I want them to graduate, to be involved in intercollegiate athletics and make it a part of the college experience."

Renfro said he was hooked as soon as Brand finished the quote.

"Since [Brand took over the NCAA], nothing has changed from that," Renfro said. "For the next six and almost seven years, nothing changed. That's the way he went in with it and that's what he stuck with."

Renfro was deeply saddened Wednesday night over the death of his good friend, contemporary and confidant Myles Brand, who lost his battle with pancreatic cancer at 67.

"I was just really, really happy to help him, to be a part of that, to give him some council from time to time," Renfro said.

Brand did change the way the NCAA should be viewed. He put a face on it. There was always an Oz-like feeling about the NCAA. Maybe it had something to do with the office initially being located in Kansas. But more than any other previous president, Brand reached out to the members and their coaches, telling his staff to make sure they opened up more lines of communication to cast away the curtain that had been shrouding the national headquarters.

Walter Harrison, the University of Hartford president who was a former chair of the NCAA's Executive Committee and worked closely with Brand on the Academic Progress Report that makes coaches and programs accountable for the academic standing of their players, said Brand always reminded college presidents that college athletics came under the umbrella of universities.

"He always led you to the proper role of college athletics," said Harrison, who was a close friend of Brand's. "His lasting impact will be there in all sorts of different ways. But he always put intercollegiate athletics in the right perspective, whether that's for students, coaches, fans or faculty."

Harrison said Brand was open to how much college athletics were a fundamental part of the university, but he also knew it was big business.

"I always admired that he never sounded like an apologist," Harrison said. "He sincerely believed in the best interest, acknowledged the flaws and promoted what he thought was good."

"He would take you places that you never thought about going if you were willing to go on an intellectual ride," Renfro said. "He was very pragmatic and down-to-earth in terms of problem solving. I was blessed to have the opportunity to work with him."

From the Bob Knight "zero tolerance" press conference I attended in 2000 to my meeting with him at Conseco Fieldhouse soon after he was tabbed as NCAA president to the time when he came to ESPN to open up more dialogue, Brand was always willing to listen. You might not have agreed with every point, but he was a good listener and a good soul. A thoughtful person who didn't rush into decisions.

"What you saw was a moral man, a man who paid attention to the differences between right and wrong," Renfro said. "He changed the way we talk about intercollegiate athletics. We talk about the collegiate model of sports and the uniqueness of that. He caused people to think about it in relationship to higher education more than in relationship to professional sports."

While college sports mushroomed into a mega-billion-dollar business, Brand fully embraced the delicate balance of the cash cow and the need to make sure higher education wasn't embarrassed. He wasn't perfect at this craft -- no one would be. But he honestly made the attempt. It's hard not to see the parallels in the SEC's hiring of lawyer and fellow pragmatist Mike Slive as its commissioner. Like Brand, Slive knows he has a product he must sell, but his position of attempting to make sure no one on his watch makes a mockery of the institutions isn't far from his sphere of influence. Slive has an easier time trying to control 12 institutions than Brand could ever have with hundreds. Still, Brand never stopped trying.

"I saw it over and over again in the way he connected with audiences and delighted them in surprising them with information about college sports, counter to what they thought it was," Renfro said. "He loved to say that on average, student-athletes graduated at a higher rate than the rest of the student body. He loved to talk about that fact. He also said that if participation was good for all these years for the men then it should be just as educationally sound for women."

Brand challenged the coaches' groups if an argument didn't make sense. He was open to other alternatives, but he wanted solutions, not just rebuttals.

The trail Brand left at the NCAA will be hard to fill, but it's likely going to be someone of the same mindset. The influence of the presidents on the membership likely means one of their own will follow Brand. There is too much at stake for a strictly "sports person" to take over the organization and deal with everything from contracts to student welfare to Congress. It needs to be someone who has proved him- or herself in the higher education world.

Brand was the first college president to head the NCAA, and he likely won't be the last. There is a chance that someone from the public sector like former Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice, who was the provost at Stanford and a noted fan of intercollegiate and professional sports, could be approached. One source said if former U.S. Senator George Mitchell had not taken a position as Middle East envoy in the Obama administration, he would have been a natural, too. But it's unlikely that an athletic director would be tabbed to make the jump to the president's office in Indianapolis.

The NCAA's executive committee, chaired by Georgia president Michael Adams, knew this day was coming. Renfro said they were sensitive to the timetable Brand's doctors set for him since the diagnosis. A source with knowledge of the process said there is expected to be a search committee put forth, with the chance that an interim president may be put in charge during the search.

No matter who gets the permanent job, he or she would likely look to carry Brand's legacy of ensuring there is accountability for student-athletes across the membership.

"Myles understood what the odds were with his disease," Renfro said. "He didn't flinch from that. He understood it was a very progressive disease. He didn't dwell on his legacy. He focused on those things that were critical in the continuation of college athletics in this country. His energy was focused on trying to get people to understand college sports in the context of higher education."

• A final thought from my colleague Jay Bilas: The passing of NCAA president Myles Brand caught me a bit off-guard. I knew how ill he was and how serious a battle pancreatic cancer is, but somehow I did not process that he was indeed a sick man for whom the end was so near.

His fight was punctuated by dignity and toughness. This was a man who continued to go to work during this terrible disease, shifting the focus from his illness to his work. Brand was a man of uncommon intelligence and a common touch. While reasonable minds may disagree over his views and policies, Brand was never disagreeable. He was a man of thoughtful judgment and principle, and he listened and thought carefully before he spoke. In just six years, he brought a much clearer direction to the too-often directionless NCAA bureaucracy and became a true leader in what could easily have been a figurehead position.

Perhaps the most poignant tribute to Brand would be contemplative silence. Because when the question of who can successfully succeed Brand is asked, contemplative silence will meet that query.

If you want to familiarize yourself with a number of this season's top storylines, don't leave your house on Nov. 17.

If you can stay awake, there will be plenty to peruse during ESPN's second-annual 24-hour hoops marathon. Let's take a look at the lineup …

(NOTE: All of the following games on ESPN/ESPN2 can also be seen on ESPN360.com.)

Cal State Fullerton at UCLA, midnight ET (ESPN): This is a chance to see how the Bruins respond without Alfred Aboya, Josh Shipp and Darren Collison for the first time in three years. And you can determine if UCLA's Malcolm Lee is really the star that so many have made him out to be.

San Diego State at Saint Mary's, 2 a.m. (ESPN): SMC coach Randy Bennett is trying to downplay the potential impact of Australian freshman Matthew Dellavedova, but he is on the Australian national team and has a shot to play alongside former Gael Patty Mills in 2012. He clearly has some talent. As for the Aztecs, they might be the sleeper pick to win the Mountain West Conference with the addition of JC transfer Malcolm Thomas and incoming freshman Kawhi Leonard.

Following the Aztecs-Gaels matchup will be Northern Colorado at Hawaii at 4 a.m. (ESPN). The Warriors are playing host to the 4 a.m. game for the second straight season, having defeated Idaho State in a tight 67-64 contest in 2008.

After that comes two games in two time slots that ESPN has literally never filled with live college hoops: Monmouth at St. Peter's at 6 a.m. (ESPN) and Drexel at Niagara at 8 a.m. (ESPN). Over the past 30 years, ESPN has broadcast more than 8,200 live college basketball games. These matchups will be the first two at those hours.

You'll especially want to keep an eye on the 8 o'clock game. Niagara, which quietly won 26 games last season, is expected to challenge Siena for the MAAC title. If that's the case, then playing Bruiser Flint's game Drexel squad this early should be a quality test for the Purple Eagles.

Clemson at Liberty, 10 a.m. (ESPN): After you're done trying to figure out why Clemson is playing at Liberty, you'll see how imposing Trevor Booker can be in the post and you'll see the impact former USC signee Noel Johnson makes on the perimeter. So why is Clemson playing this game? Last year the Tigers were desperate for a home game on Sunday, Dec. 7. But the Flames had a conference game against Gardner-Webb on Dec. 6. Former Liberty coach Ritchie McKay, now an assistant at Virginia, said the Tigers agreed to not only charter the Flames to Clemson for the Sunday game but also travel to Lynchburg, Va., the following season in return for Liberty's help. McKay said Clemson coach Oliver Purnell has never been afraid to go on the road for a nonconference game, even to a lower-level program.

Northeastern at Siena, noon (ESPN): The Huskies should be in the thick of the race for the Colonial title and the Saints are the new NCAA darling after consecutive first-round tournament wins over Vanderbilt and Ohio State. Those inside the Siena program believe the Saints may even be better than a season ago.

Arkansas-Little Rock at Tulsa, 2 p.m. (ESPN): OK, so you're not tuning in to see UALR. But the Golden Hurricane could be the team that unseats Memphis from its Conference USA perch. And this is the first shot to see one of the top centers in the country. The Wooden Award committee didn't put Jerome Jordan on the preseason top 50 list, but it should have. Tulsa originally talked to San Diego State about playing on this date, but the two sides couldn't agree on the series, thus the insertion of UALR and the inclusion of the already-scheduled San Diego State-Saint Mary's game into this event.

Temple at Georgetown, 4 p.m. (ESPN): The Owls lost Dionte Christmas, so they will likely struggle to return to the NCAA tournament. But the Hoyas may be the sleeper to win the Big East with the return of Greg Monroe and an improved Chris Wright and Austin Freeman on the perimeter.

Binghamton at Pitt, 5:30 p.m. (ESPN2): The Panthers lost Levance Fields, Sam Young, DeJuan Blair and Tyrell Biggs. The debut of Ashton Gibbs as the true point, going against Binghamton's big-time scorer D.J. Rivera, should be one to watch -- along with the arrival of McDonald's All-American Dante Taylor in the middle.

NIT Season Tip-Off game at Duke, 6 p.m., (ESPN): The matchup will be determined based on the previous day's Charlotte-Elon game, but regardless of the opponent, this will be the first chance to see a Duke lineup that is bigger and longer than in the past. The Blue Devils may move Kyle Singler to more of a wing with a glut of bigs that need minutes.

Starting at 7 p.m, there will be a women's doubleheader in San Antonio involving four traditional powers. The first game will be Tennessee versus Texas Tech (ESPNU) and the second will be defending national champ Connecticut versus Texas (ESPN2).

Arkansas vs. Louisville in St. Louis, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN2): The Hogs have one of the more impressive point guards in Courtney Fortson, and according to the Arkansas staff, stud freshman Marshawn Powell could be one of the top forwards in the SEC. Oh, and it's Rick Pitino's season debut on national television after a tumultuous summer. Whether the trial in this case will have been concluded by the time the game occurs is anyone's guess.

Gonzaga at Michigan State, 8 p.m. (ESPN): The Spartans are the pick to win the Big Ten and get back to the Final Four with a healthy Delvon Roe, a big-time leader in Kalin Lucas and a determined Raymar Morgan. The Zags continue their annual brutal nonconference slate with what should be another perimeter-based team with Matt Bouldin, Steven Gray and Demetri Goodson. The Zags' staff is also banking on major contributions from German Elias Harris and Canadian Bol Kong.

The next two games are Northern Illinois at Illinois at 8 p.m. (ESPN360.com) and Duquesne at Iowa at 9 p.m. (ESPNU). The Dukes are a sleeper in the Atlantic 10 and will be quite a challenge for a Hawkeyes team that has been hit with graduation and defections in the offseason.

Memphis vs. Kansas in St. Louis, 10 p.m. (ESPN): The top-ranked Jayhawks get to unveil heralded recruit Xavier Henry, who was supposed to go to Memphis before John Calipari jettisoned himself to Kentucky. KU's Cole Aldrich and Sherron Collins are national player of the year candidates and will make their initial case on this night. Meanwhile, Josh Pastner makes his nationally televised debut as a head coach. The Tigers still have talent, especially with the addition of Duke transfer Elliot Williams and the return of Roburt Sallie, Doneal Mack and Willie Kemp. But the lack of depth inside game will be trouble against Aldrich.

The evening concludes, like it started, with a Pac-10 game as Arizona State hosts an opponent to be determined in the NIT Season Tip-Off, at 11:30 p.m. (ESPN2). Life without James Harden begins for Herb Sendek and the Sun Devils, who will face either TCU or Cal State Northridge in this matchup.

• The Wooden Tradition, which in previous years has been a single-day doubleheader at Conseco Fieldhouse, is in a desperate situation. Purdue is signed up for the Indianapolis event, but there is no opponent. The game is scheduled for Dec. 19, but the organizers at Pantheon International, a company based in Guilford, Conn., are scrambling to find three more teams.

Purdue coach Matt Painter said he has no idea who the Boilermakers will play in the game, but there has to be a game, according to Pantheon's Jim Sperry. The odds of landing a high-profile team at this juncture seem remote. Sperry said there were three potential teams looking at playing Purdue but all have since backed out of the game.

"I don't think these teams wanted to play Purdue,'' Sperry said.

He said the projections that have the Boilermakers contending for a Big Ten title and a spot in Indianapolis for the Final Four may have scared away a few teams. The Boilers are in the Paradise Jam in St. Thomas and have the potential to play Boston College in a semifinal and Tennessee in the final. The ACC-Big Ten Challenge game against Wake Forest on Dec. 1 is certainly a quality game and will produce high power-rating points. A road game at Alabama (Dec. 12) shouldn't be as much of a scare since the Tide is rebuilding, but it's still a true road game. And a game against West Virginia on Jan. 5, one of three possible Big East title contenders, improves the nonconference schedule even more.

So if the Boilermakers have to play a lower-profile team in the Wooden Tradition, it won't crush their nonconference power rating (although it'll be interesting to see what it does to ticket sales). The previous Wooden games have been good gets for them, however. Purdue played Davidson in the event a year ago, Louisville in 2007, Butler in 2006, Xavier in 2005, Cincinnati in 2004, Louisville in 2002, Stanford in 2001 and Arizona in the inaugural event in 2000.

The event has been a doubleheader every season (including Duke-UCLA, Purdue-Louisville in 2002), but likely won't be this time, with the chances of Sperry landing three teams in late September highly unlikely. Saint Mary's played Southern Illinois in the undercard a year ago.

Pantheon did hit a home run with this season's Wooden Classic in Anaheim, Calif., which it also runs. On Dec. 12, UCLA takes on Mississippi State and Washington tussles with Georgetown. Last year's event wasn't a headline day with UCLA playing DePaul and Saint Mary's-San Diego State as the undercard. Just one of those teams made the Big Dance. But this year's field could and should have four NCAA tournament teams.

Ole Miss coach Andy Kennedy said there has been a renewed emphasis on good hygiene after the university's football team was racked with symptoms of the swine flu the past two weeks.

"So far we're good, but the problem comes in when there are close quarters on one team. That's when it spreads," Kennedy said. "We've been very careful and continue to bring awareness. We're making sure they don't share towels or cups. It's different with football when they're out there sweating, cutting, bleeding and it's inevitable that they will share bodily fluids. It's in the nature of the sport."

Kennedy said the practice that a number of players have of handing off towels to each other when replacing one another in games will have to be readdressed. Sharing the sweat, which does occur during the course of the season, will need to be curtailed.

"We've been pretty lucky so far and it looks like football is getting out of it," Kennedy said of the flu bug. "Hopefully, though, it won't just jump on us."

Meanwhile, the Rebels are only waiting for guards Trevor Gaskins and Zach Graham to be cleared, which Kennedy said would happen sometime in the next week, for the entire team to be deemed healthy for the season.

Gaskins tore his ACL a year ago in preseason practice after making the All-SEC freshman team the previous season. Graham is coming back from offseason surgery to repair a partially torn patella tendon. Graham averaged 8.5 points and started 23 of 31 games last season.

Chris Warren, who enters the season ranked eighth in school history with 128 3-pointers, was averaging 19.6 points a game last season before suffering a torn ACL in the 11th game against Louisville. But Warren was cleared to participate in individual workouts. So, too, was Eniel Polynice, who played in one game last season before needing left knee surgery to repair cartilage damage.

If the Rebels put out on the floor a healthy Warren, Polynice, Gaskins and Graham to go along with potential All-SEC first-team guard Terrico White, they should have one of the deepest and most talented perimeters in the SEC.

Kennedy said the Rebs will get out on the floor for the first time Wednesday as a team to start to work on the different combinations. The NCAA allows limited weekly team workouts beginning Tuesday, prior to the official start of practice Oct. 16. Each player is allowed two hours a week to be instructed on the court by the coaching staff (not including strength and conditioning). A team workout would count toward that two-hour period for each player.

"There are so many mix-and-match lineups we could try," Kennedy said. "We could try with four of them on the court at the same time since they all have perimeter size."

Ole Miss did lose Malcolm White and his 5.7 rebounds a game. So who could be that forward to play with the guard-oriented lineup and board with the best of the SEC? Well, if the first few weeks of individual workouts are any indication, there could be a freshman stud ready to assume the role.

Kennedy doesn't want to hype him too much, but he can't resist placing the expectations on 6-8 freshman Reginald Buckner out of Manassas High in Memphis, Tenn. Buckner, who holds the Tennessee high school record for blocked shots, has a "skill set that can help extend everyone out on the perimeter defensively," according to Kennedy. Kennedy said the Rebels got Buckner early, ultimately away from Missouri, UTEP and Kentucky.

"It was just like when we got Terrico," said Kennedy of another Memphis high-schooler who ended up blossoming during his senior year and commanding more recruitment. "We evaluated early and got it done."

The Rebels do return 6-7 Murphy Holloway (6.6 rpg) and have hopes that 6-9 JC transfer DeAngelo Riley and 6-9 DeAundre Cranston (4.2 rpg) will be effective in the post. But let's not fool anyone into thinking this will be a frontcourt-led team. The Rebs are focusing on being a perimeter-based team with a Buckner-led presence in the middle.

Kennedy went aggressive with the nonconference schedule, banking on his team contending for an NCAA tournament berth after it finished 16-15 (7-9 SEC) during an injury-riddled 2008-09 season. Ole Miss has the SEC's longest NCAA tourney drought, having not competed in the Big Dance since 2002.

Ole Miss will face a strong field in the Puerto Rico Tip-Off Classic Nov. 19-22. Let's assume the Rebels take out Indiana in the first round. If they do, and Kansas State knocks off Boston University, a matchup against K-State would provide long-term power-rating pop. The top half of the bracket is loaded with likely NCAA teams Dayton and Georgia Tech in one game and Big East favorite Villanova against CAA contender George Mason in the other.

Playing at Arkansas State should be a win, but it is still a true road game. The Rebels also play in nearby Southaven, Miss., against UTEP (Dec. 16), one of the favorites in Conference USA. The game is on a neutral court, although the arena will lean heavily toward Ole Miss. Former Memphis assistant Tony Barbee was looking for a game near Memphis to get players with ties to the city (Randy Culpepper, Arnett Moultrie, Gabriel McCulley and JC transfers Myron Strong and Jeremy Williams) back to the region and he wasn't sure with an unbalanced schedule if UTEP was going to play at Memphis this season (but the Miners actually do, playing the Tigers on Jan. 20 in the only game the two teams play this season). Hosting Southern Miss (Dec. 5), a possible sleeper in C-USA, also won't be a walk for Ole Miss.

Playing at Big East title contender West Virginia on Dec. 23 is a monster matchup for the Rebels, too. If the projections hold and Ole Miss plays two NCAA-bound teams in Puerto Rico, then it could come out of the nonconference schedule with four games against NCAA teams.

The unbalanced schedule in the SEC also provides this team with plenty of difficult stops against the SEC East. Ole Miss has to go to SEC East favorite Kentucky (Feb. 2) and likely second-place Tennessee (Jan. 16), but does get projected NCAA teams South Carolina (Jan. 20), Vanderbilt (Feb. 18) and Florida (Feb. 20) at home.

"If we can get through practices unscathed this year, we've got the pieces," Kennedy said. "We'll just see how they fit, but it's going to be very competitive in practice."

Angel Garcia hasn't played a minute for Memphis since he arrived a year ago.

Yet, the news that he tore his ACL made headlines across the country, including on the front page of ESPN.com.

"I had never heard of the kid, I wasn't aware he was on the roster," Houston coach Tom Penders said. "[Former Memphis coach John Calipari] is a good friend of mine and he had never talked about him."

Meanwhile, the Tigers received two high-profile commitments for 2010-11 over the past few months -- one earlier in the summer from the top shooting guard on the ESPNU Top 100, Will Barton (Brewster Academy, Baltimore, Md.), and one last week on the same day as the Garcia injury, from the No. 5 point guard in the class, Joe Jackson (White Station High School, Memphis). And with each commitment the Tigers were the only headline from Conference USA.

"We don't announce commitments until they're signed," said Penders. Memphis didn't announce the commitments but the news, like many items about top players, tends to leak out.

The Calipari-less Tigers, now led by Josh Pastner in his first head-coaching gig, still are the team of record in Conference USA. It doesn't matter what they do, the news follows them. And nothing done by Houston, Tulsa or UTEP -- arguably the three schools that could make a strong case to be tabbed as favorites this season instead of Memphis -- seems to matter.

Tulsa was ranked No. 21 in my latest preseason top 25. Memphis was not ranked.

"They've done it, they've got stuff UTEP, Tulsa and Houston don't have and that doesn't bother me at all," Tulsa coach Doug Wojcik said of the Tigers' national recognition, NCAA tournament appearances, NBA arena and passionate fan base that does top the league.

"Nothing is going to change until something happens on the court," UTEP coach Tony Barbee said. "All of the news and the offseason articles [about Memphis], well none of that will change. Wins and losses change the perception."

Wojcik disagrees a bit. He said the publicity Tulsa received in the offseason has changed the perception of the Golden Hurricane. The word is out that Tulsa will likely be tabbed as the conference favorite.

"There's no doubt it has shifted for me a bit," Wojcik said. "But we've all got to go out and win some games in the nonconference. Memphis did play for the national title. You can't forget that."

Conference USA has had a serious image problem for the past few seasons. Memphis has dominated the conference the past three seasons, winning 58 straight league games. C-USA hasn't had multiple bids to the NCAA tournament since 2006, when UAB got in with Memphis, one year after the league lost marquee members Louisville, Cincinnati and Marquette to the Big East.

The conference could have done a better job of lobbying for its most marketable player in Tulsa senior center Jerome Jordan, a lock for the NBA first round. Jordan wasn't named one of the top 50 preseason Wooden Award candidates, something that befuddled Wojcik.

The change in thinking about Conference USA won't occur in the preseason. It might not happen until March. But it could happen in February if Tulsa can pull off an upset at Duke. Barbee said he likes the Duke game for Tulsa and Conference USA, but only if Tulsa wins.

Wojcik jumped at the chance to play at Cameron Indoor on Feb. 25 on ESPN. Wojcik, who was an assistant to Matt Doherty at North Carolina, knows the importance of playing in Durham late in the season. He said he wanted the experience for his seniors Jordan and Ben Uzoh.

"I love it, why not play that game in November, December, January or February?" Wojcik said. "It will give them a lifetime memory. That will be a huge RPI game for us, on national TV, and will prepare us for the tournament. I love that game."

He's right. Rarely do teams that are possibly on the bubble get a game like Tulsa's at Duke in late February. The BracketBusters event doesn't produce a matchup like that. Tulsa plays host to Oklahoma State, a likely NCAA team out of the Big 12 on Dec. 2, and based on the rest of the nonconference schedule the Cowboys might be the only NCAA-bound team the Golden Hurricane play prior to the Duke game.

Wojcik added the last piece to a team that won 25 games last season when Donte Medder joined the team. Through individual workouts Medder has been everything Wojcik hoped for with his "old-style game" and his strength at the point that allow Uzoh to move to shooting guard. Jordan Clarkson, a 6-foot-4 shooting guard out of San Antonio, the No. 63-ranked guard on ESPNU's list, is Wojcik's Joe Jackson-like recruit -- a potential game changer even though few outside of the region have noticed the commitment.

"[The changing perception] is not going to happen until someone else steps up on the national stage," Barbee said. "This is a high-level league and Tulsa and Houston have been a few wins away from getting over the hump. Someone else has to prove it. If you look at Memphis' roster they still have the talent to win the league."

While Pastner did add Duke guard Elliot Williams for this season after he was granted a waiver to play immediately due to an ailing relative in his hometown of Memphis, Pastner is quick to point out not everything has been going smoothly. The Tigers did lose expected frontcourt contributor Latavious Williams to an overseas contract. The Tigers will lean on Willie Kemp, Doneal Mack and Roburt Sallie, all returnees but none of them stars yet, to lead a depleted roster (eight scholarship players) this season.

Memphis' season isn't affected by the ruling by the NCAA's committee on infractions that its wins in the 2007-08 season, including the national finals appearance, had to be vacated for the use of an ineligible player (Derrick Rose). Of course that was a headline for weeks and deservedly so. But the Tigers are the team of record in Conference USA, regardless of what is occurring on the other contenders' campuses.

"All of this is a credit to what Coach Cal built at Memphis, making this an elite program," said Pastner, who worked one season for Calipari as an assistant. "We don't want there to be a drop-off. Our assistants are doing a super job in recruiting so far. We know this is a really good league and we want to be right there."

The Tigers do have four high-profile nonconference games that are leftovers from the Calipari era. Memphis will play Kansas in St. Louis on Nov. 17 in a rematch of the 2008 title game; play Tennessee on Dec. 31; are at Syracuse on Jan. 6; and host Gonzaga on Feb. 6.

"Josh has the toughest job in the country," Penders said. "There's no question he does. But he had to take the job [when Calipari went to Kentucky]. People forget about the Tic Price or Larry Finch stuff before Calipari. Memphis has had good players, but there is no Tyreke Evans or Derrick Rose. But I hope they are still good for all of us. We need them to be."

Putting Houston near the top of C-USA wouldn't be a reach, either. The backcourt of Aubrey Coleman and Kelvin Lewis averaged a combined 37 points a game last season. Sophomore point Desmond Wade was just the sixth freshman to reach triple digits in assists (113).

And Penders, never shy promoting his squad, said even Coleman and Lewis are being pushed for playing time by "the new guys." Penders was referring to JC transfers Adam Brown and Maurice McNeil. He said two freshmen, power forward Kirk Van Slyke and guard Nick Haywood, are impact players, too.

"We've got a lot of good pieces," Penders said. "I know how good we are. It's the best team we've had."

If that's the case then Houston needs to win games like its matchups against Oklahoma in the first round of the Great Alaska Shootout Nov. 26, against top-25 team Mississippi State at Hofheinz Pavilion on Dec. 19, and versus Sun Belt favorite Western Kentucky in Bowling Green, Ky., on Feb. 9.

The league finally moved the tournament out of Memphis and shifted it to Tulsa. The advantage is now for the Golden Hurricane.

"The chances are greater for getting more than one team in the tournament if someone else wins the league and Tulsa wins the playoffs," Penders said.

But if Conference USA is going to shake the news blackout outside of Memphis the change may come from UTEP. No player entering the league this season has had more written about him during his college career than Derrick Caracter, the much-maligned former Louisville center. Caracter will be eligible in mid-December. Caracter is now listed at 6-9, 275. Barbee said he arrived last January at 300 pounds.

"He's been the most impressive player I've ever seen skillwise in individual workouts," said Barbee, who was a Calipari assistant prior to getting the UTEP job in 2006. "He's been great the last two weeks."

Louisville coach Rick Pitino had issues with Caracter's conditioning. Barbee said that hasn't been a problem for him.

"Whether he's looking at this as a second chance or last chance, he's highly motivated right now," Barbee said.

Once Caracter is eligible, it will be hard to find a more imposing tandem of big men in the league than Caracter and 6-11, 240-pound Arnett Moultrie. Moultrie was a key big man for the gold medal-winning U.S. under-19 world championship team in New Zealand last July.

"[Moultrie] came back with the confidence I thought he would return with," Barbee said. "He's put on [nearly] 20 pounds. He knows he belongs."

Arizona State transfer wing Christian Polk, who Barbee said is playing with a bit of a chip, and the return of one of the more maligned backcourts in the country in Randy Culpepper and Julyan Stone give the Miners a possible C-USA championship lineup. The Miners did lose 24-point scorer Stefon Jackson off a 23-win team last season. But the newcomers and the returnees make the Miners a formidable option atop the league.

UTEP's schedule has the potential to produce power-rating points if Ole Miss (in Southhaven, Miss., on Dec. 16), Oklahoma (in Oklahoma City on Dec. 21) and BYU (Jan. 9) live up to expectations of being NCAA-bound teams.

Clearly, the rest of the league -- UAB, Southern Miss, Central Florida, Tulane, SMU, Rice, Marshall and East Carolina -- can't be in power-rating purgatory if the image is going to change this season.

The window is open for UTEP, Houston and Tulsa to grab the league from Memphis and make this a multiple-bid conference in March and ensure that there are headlines from the members other than the Tigers from January to March. If it doesn't happen this season, if these squads can't make themselves relevant now, then the league will have an even harder time convincing television executives that there is more to see here. The NCAA tournament selection committee will have the final say in March. But there are no gifts. The opportunity is now to earn the bids and make the news themselves.

STORRS, Conn. -- The Connecticut basketball team had finished playing pickup for at least 30 minutes Wednesday, but Ater Majok was still on the floor working on his face-up game.

He continued for a few more minutes, doubling everyone else's workout time.

Majok, a bit of a mystery a year ago, has since become one of the more recognizable names on the Huskies -- but not for all the right reasons.

Majok is from Sudan, spent time in Egypt and eventually settled in Australia, and he wasn't able to become eligible in time for last season. He arrived in the United States this past December in time for the spring semester, and the NCAA clearinghouse granted him partial eligibility in January. He can practice with the team but won't be able to play until the end of the 2009 fall semester.

"I was just waiting and waiting and waiting," Majok said of his eligibility hang-ups. "Then one day Coach [Jim Calhoun] called me and said I was good to go. So I said, 'Where's my uniform?' I just wanted to play. But then he explained the whole situation to me that I couldn't play until next December and to do well in school."

When Majok is eligible after Connecticut's Dec. 9 SEC-Big East Invitational game against Kentucky at Madison Square Garden, the Huskies will have at their disposal a developing, athletic 6-foot-10 forward who should flourish in finishing on the break but will need time to improve his skill in the post.

"I'm going to fill the needs of what Coach wants me to do, work hard, score the ball, block shots, defend and rebound," Majok said. "I can help our defense and bring energy."

If he does all that, and there are no more lingering issues with his eligibility, Majok will be worth the wait.

The eligibility issue still lingers, however. Majok sat out, and as the Huskies marched toward the Final Four, he was swept up into the growing controversy surrounding former agent/manager Josh Nochimson's involvement with the program.

Yahoo! Sports originally reported that Nochimson was tied to former UConn signee Nate Miles and created the blueprint for the NCAA enforcement staff to investigate illicit phone calls on the matter, an investigation that is ongoing. ESPN.com then reported that Nochimson set up Majok's inclusion in the Kentucky Derby Festival Basketball Classic, a high school all-star contest in Louisville, in the spring of 2008. That mention prompted Majok to go through an NCAA enforcement interview about his amateur status.

"They asked me a lot of questions, and I answered them honestly," Majok said. "I had nothing to hide. I told the truth. I don't know what was going on at the time. I was really confused and locked myself in my room because everyone on campus was asking me. I kept saying, 'I don't know who this dude is. I'd never seen him.'"

Majok said he didn't know Nochimson and the agent didn't get him to Louisville.

"I met a lot of people in Louisville," Majok said. "I'm not a rude person. I said hi to a lot of people."

Majok said Calhoun asked him whether he knew Nochimson, and he answered he didn't. He said Nochimson didn't get him to UConn, but assistant coaches Andre LaFleur and Patrick Sellers did, recruiting him while he was playing on a traveling team while in the United States in 2008.

"Coach asked me and I said, 'I don't know him.' I know it's against the rules to know an agent. I don't know him," Majok said.

Majok said he was interviewed by the NCAA after the story came out in March and hasn't been approached on the subject since.

Still, Majok raised questions about whether he was running from something when he surprisingly declared for the NBA draft in April. Majok worked out during a group session at the Golden State Warriors' practice facility and then later for the Chicago Bulls. He withdrew from the draft right before the June 15 deadline.

"I learned a lot and helped my game a lot," Majok said. "I did it to get experience and thought I might as well put my name in to get better and get workouts under my belt, because I knew the Big East would be tough. I found out that I need to run hard, play hard."

NBA personnel who watched Majok said he wouldn't have been drafted if he hadn't withdrawn.

"I know I can play in the league one day," Majok said. "It takes a lot of hard work, which I'm doing."

Majok didn't say when he would declare for the last time or whether he'll stay for the rest of his college career. He said he plans to earn a law degree at some point.

If there are no hiccups for him, Majok has the potential to be a good player. He's still figuring out his position as a flying 4-man who can finish on the break but probably would struggle in a traditional half-court game. He's not an intimidating shot-blocker and doesn't have the beef of being a rebounder -- yet. That could come if he continues to commit to developing his game.

• During the 2008 NCAA tournament, word had spread quickly at the Denver Regional that then-Stanford coach Trent Johnson had been ejected from a game in Anaheim against Marquette. Soon after, I relayed the news to a well-respected veteran official. The official's answer was, "I bet it was Curtis Shaw [who had ejected him]." It was.

Obviously you can debate whether Johnson deserved to be tossed from that game for walking out and challenging Shaw with his body language during a timeout. But other officials weren't surprised that Shaw would have a quick trigger to eject a coach.

The numbers back up the point. According to StatSheet.com, which tracks referee statistics dating back to the 1996-97 season, Shaw has called 584 technical fouls and handed out 26 ejections during that time. No other official has assessed even 400 technical fouls, and only six other officials had given at least 10 ejections. Steve Welmer ranked second with 15.

It's no wonder he's referred to as "Quick Draw" Curtis Shaw in some parts. During a Tulane-Rice game last season, Shaw even ejected Sammy the Owl. Yes, that Sammy the Owl. The Rice mascot.

"He loves to be in control," said a coach from a major league.

"He doesn't have much tolerance," another Division I coach said.

"He doesn't mind putting people in their place, and he watches to see your reaction to him," a third coach said.

The control that Shaw exhibits in a game is exactly the reason the Big 12 tabbed him to replace Dale Kelley as the conference's director of officiating for the 2010-11 season. Shaw will observe Kelley in his final season on the job before taking over the assignment. He is forbidden from officiating once he becomes the coordinator. Big 12 commissioner Dan Beebe said Shaw won't work any Big 12 games in his final officiating season as he observes the conference, but he might work for other leagues.

Beebe knew Shaw from when Beebe was the Ohio Valley Conference commissioner and Shaw worked games in the conference.

"I've observed him for a long time, and he manages the game the way it's expected," Beebe said. "He doesn't let one coach or player get away with the rules. He's highly regarded, and that's why he did the finals last year. He is a strong official who doesn't let coaches or players cross the line."

How that translates into his coordinating Big 12 officials will be a good watch. Will more technicals be called in the league in 2011? It's hard to say. But clearly the statistics back up that Shaw won't tolerate any talk back and may ask his officials to handle situations as he did.

"Curtis is demanding of the officials, like coaches are demanding of their players," Beebe said. "We feel he'll be the same as a coordinator as an official. There will be no excuses on how they should behave in calling the game. We want him coaching the officials as much as coaches coach their players."

Beebe said the coaches were well aware of Shaw's record. He said three Big 12 men's coaches, whom he would not name, were on the selection committee with himself, three athletic directors and Big 12 associate commissioner for men's basketball John Underwood.

• Mississippi State freshman forward Renardo Sidney is still waiting to be cleared by the NCAA Eligibility Center as it reviews his amateur status after a Los Angeles Times story detailed his family's high-rent living near Fairfax High in L.A. Sidney's attorney, Birmingham, Ala.-based Donald Jackson, said the NCAA continues to demand that Sidney's parents and grandparents produce additional financial information. He said they are not required to do this and will not produce the asked-for documents. Jackson also said the NCAA hasn't established that there is a violation of Sidney's amateur status, and he has requested that it produce facts that a violation has occurred. Jackson said he expects the fight for Sidney's eligibility to continue to linger.

• Gonzaga is waiting for the arrival of Canada's Bol Kong, who has been in Vancouver awaiting a visa to enter the United States. Kong is originally from Sudan and has lived in Canada since he was 7. Kong has 12 days from the start of the fall semester to be admitted and eligible. To make that deadline, Kong would have to be on campus by the end of next week.

• USC coach Kevin O'Neill was searching this summer for a point guard. He couldn't find one. So that means Donte Smith will be the Trojans' point, with two-time transfer Mike Gerrity (Pepperdine, Charlotte) as the backup once he becomes eligible in mid-December. Smith played in 24 games last season, including 12 of the Trojans' 18 Pac-10 games, averaging 1.2 points and five minutes a game.

That lack of playing time is understandable considering Daniel Hackett was the starting point guard. The Trojans were caught short at the position when Hackett declared for the draft a year early and Tim Floyd's resignation depleted the recruiting class, including the departure of point guard Lamont Jones to Arizona. Meanwhile, O'Neill said sophomore Leonard Washington, who had issues becoming eligible from the end of his senior season at Washington-Marion High (Lake Charles, La.) in 2007 to the fall of 2008, isn't eligible for the first eight games of this season. Washington was a force early last season, averaging 9.8 points and 6.7 rebounds in the first 10 games before he suffered an ankle injury.

Arkansas head coach John Pelphrey was on the road recruiting Wednesday as his world seemed to be spinning out of control.

Even though University of Arkansas officials were hopeful that the three unnamed basketball players would not be charged after being accused of rape by a female student at a fraternity, there was naturally anxiety that the program had taken a body blow.

The first news early in the afternoon was that an investigation was being conducted into rape allegations involving the players at the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity house Aug. 27. That story was all over the Internet and on local television news in the state. Hours later, local prosecutor John Threet would tell The Associated Press that no charges would be filed because the statements from the woman didn't prove she was unaware a sex act had occurred or that she was unable to say no. Both distinctions were important aspects of the case that could have led to a sexual assault charge, the prosecutor said.

"There was a lot of damage control, communicating to a lot of people about the information," Pelphrey said. "It's been a very, very unfortunate situation. We're trying to get to a number of spots [in recruiting] and we're trying to communicate."

What Pelphrey had to do was squash any rumblings about a program gone wild. How he and the university handle the situation going forward might tell a lot about the future of this season and this program.

The prosecutor's statement cleared the players of any charges. Late Wednesday, Arkansas vice chancellor and director of athletics Jeff Long issued a telling statement. After saying no charges were filed against the students, Long added that the school cooperated in the investigation and that these were "very serious allegations and we treated them as such." He made sure everyone knew the matter is hardly closed.

"Now that the criminal legal process has been completed, we will review the available information to determine if any athletic department rules or policies have been violated. Following that review, we will take appropriate action."

Pelphrey can't afford for his players to act in a questionable manner, even if it's not criminal. Long will make an attempt to determine if further action will be taken against the three players. Pelphrey has no choice but to support any decision Long makes.

In Pelphrey's brief two seasons, the list of issues he has had to deal with is more than the SEC wins he picked up last season (two).

This spring, fifth-leading scorer Jason Henry was suspended before the SEC tournament for a violation of team rules. He is no longer on the squad.

Star freshman point guard Courtney Fortson was suspended for his malcontent behavior last season. He missed one game -- a home game against Kentucky -- before he was reinstated.

"We still feel like he has the potential to do more," Pelphrey said. "For him to achieve more, he's got to be the hardest worker every day and be able to handle adversity."

Sophomore Marcus Britt, who averaged 18.9 minutes a game last season, was was suspended after being charged with driving while intoxicated in May.

Freshmen Andre Clark and Brandon Moore played sparingly last season and then transferred.

Last season, Montrell McDonald quit the team in December and senior Marcus Monk was declared ineligible in late January, ending his basketball career. In addition, Moore and McDonald joined Fortson and Henry as players that sat through in-season suspensions.

This doesn't even include the mess with Patrick Beverley, whom Pelphrey didn't recruit but did coach for one season. Beverley was suspended in August 2008 and later left the university to pursue professional opportunities. He later said someone wrote a paper for him.

Clark, Moore, Henry and McDonald were a part of the 2008 recruiting class.

In a move to help the school's standing in the Academic Progress Report, Henry stayed on until he finished the semester. Moore stayed through the summer and left eligible. He is going to Florida International and was there the first part of the summer, but returned the second part of the summer to help the APR. McDonald's departure was a playing-time issue. Clark apparently didn't fit in to Arkansas' plans and now attends a junior college in Illinois.

Remaining are Fortson (14.8 ppg, 5.9 apg), a possible all-SEC guard, and sharpshooter Rotnei Clarke (12.2 ppg, 39.3 percent on 3-pointers). They are now sophomores, joined by returning forward Michael Washington, who withdrew from the NBA draft despite averaging 15.5 points and 9.8 rebounds a game as a junior.

The Hogs also return Stefan Welsh, who averaged 11.5 points a game. So they do have four double-digit scorers returning. And staff expects the players coming in to be better than the ones that left.

Much is expected of 6-7 incoming freshman Marshawn Powell. He is termed a "beast" for his frontcourt ability and expected to be a future NBA player. The staff has looked at Powell as someone who will "shock a lot of folks."

Newcomers Delvon Johnson, a long shot-blocker, and athletic wing Jemal Farmer are expected to contribute immediately. Defensive-minded forward Glenn Bryant may not be ready to step into a role yet, and point Julysses Nobles will back up Fortson.

Those newcomers will need to be effective in the SEC this season, with Mississippi State and Ole Miss expected to challenge for an NCAA berth out of the SEC West. Five of the six teams in the East -- Kentucky, Florida, Tennessee, Vanderbilt and South Carolina -- should be in contention for a tourney bid.

But last season, after igniting enthusiasm by beating Oklahoma and Texas in nonconference play, the Hogs finished a disappointing 2-14 in the SEC, 14-16 overall. And then the off-the-court issues continued to pile up.

"We'd all like to live in a world where we don't have to deal with this, but as a coach you'll probably have to deal with something like this," Pelphrey said. "We'd love to have smooth sailing but when something comes our way we deal with it. We have enough checks and balances in place to handle it."

Pelphrey said the offseason of workouts has gone well and reiterated there have been good things happening for the program.

But there now need to be results during the season to move beyond the negativity that can permeate a program when off-court issues arise. Beating Texas and OU last season raised expectations for the program, only to see them fall flat in SEC competition.

"I understand the excitement in the program and the passion that we have here," said Pelphrey, who has seen that level of pride in a program as a player at Kentucky and then as an assistant at the beginning of the basketball renaissance at Florida under Billy Donovan.

"We knew the situation when we took over and the challenges that lie ahead of us. We're so excited about the opportunity to build it back up and to do something to repeat the success of the past, since our history here is tremendous."

Seton Hall coach Bobby Gonzalez expects his team to challenge for an NCAA berth. He anticipates the Pirates will finish between sixth to 10th in the Big East, a usual qualifier for being in the conversation for a possible postseason bid.

But to do that, Seton Hall will have to lean heavily on a rugged Big East schedule after failing to secure a number of high-profile nonconference games.

Seton Hall, like every other Big East team, will release its schedule Thursday when the conference office unveils the league slate. What you'll see is a SHU schedule that has road blocks -- like at Ivy League champ Cornell and possible sleeper games against rebuilding Temple and UMass at home -- but mostly games the Pirates should win without much power-rating pop: at Monmouth, St. Peter's, Long Island, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Hartford, Navy and VMI.

There is one more game the school finalized just last week to finish the schedule, against a possible postseason team in Virginia Tech. Strangely enough, the game will be played in Cancun, Mexico, on Jan. 2. It'll be televised by ESPN2.

While the opponent may not do wonders for the Pirates' NCAA chances, the timing of the game will give the program a week of something they can either whiff on or embrace -- national attention. On Dec. 26, Seton Hall opens the Big East season at home against West Virginia on CBS. Ohio State was the original WVU opponent for that date but the game with the Buckeyes was moved to Jan. 23.

On consecutive weekends, Seton Hall will be a featured team when most of the attention is focused on football. But for those that will want their hoop fix, the Pirates will be in your view. Sure, on Jan. 2 there is a monster game at Rupp Arena between Louisville and Kentucky that will dominate the day in college basketball. But the Pirates have a chance to be recognized with the two national TV contests around the holidays -- and that means something.

"There's no question that this could give us early notoriety and exposure,'' Gonzalez said. "We've got to do something with this opportunity. We've won 17 games two years in a row and we feel like we're definitely better. We've got some BMWs, a Benz now on our roster and that means more pressure on myself and more expectations -- and that's a compliment to our players and this program because this is where we want to be.''

Like Cincinnati, which added hyped newcomer Lance Stephenson to an already surging squad led by Deonta Vaughn and Yancy Gates, the Pirates are one of the more intriguing teams in the Big East. Gonzalez has added transfers Keon Lawrence from Missouri, Herb Pope from New Mexico State and will have Jeff Robinson from Memphis available in December. Those are additions to a roster that returns its top four scorers: Jeremy Hazell (22.7 ppg), Robert Mitchell (14.7 ppg), Eugene Harvey (12.5 ppg) and John Garcia (8.0 ppg). So the Pirates should be in the thick of the race for an NCAA bid out of the Big East.

Seton Hall was 7-11 in the conference last season, three games behind West Virginia and Providence for seventh, one game behind Notre Dame and Cincinnati.

"I definitely feel like we're one of those teams,'' Gonzalez said. "Everybody has been talking about Cincinnati, and I can see that. I can see St. John's, with all of their juniors coming back and Anthony Mason Jr. Maybe we don't belong in one through six, but we do in six through 10. We could be in there somewhere. If we can get these guys to play together and have the chemistry going well, I think we can be right there.''

As far as the weak nonconference schedule is concerned, Gonzalez said it wasn't for lack of effort. He made a run at playing Siena but the dates didn't align. According to Gonzalez, no one else was enthusiastic about signing up for Seton Hall.

"I know this sounds like I'm crying the blues but no one would play us,'' he said. "We were willing to go on the road. Maybe people were afraid. We won 17 games, return four starters, and with Herb Pope, Keon Lawrence and Jeff Robinson, people said, 'Screw them, we're not playing them.' We had a hard time getting games.''

The road game against Cornell and standout Ryan Wittman is certainly dicey, but the Pirates may need to be undefeated going into the marquee Big East opener against a league title contender like West Virginia.

"That's huge for us -- to open the Big East season after Christmas," Gonzalez said. "Here's my philosophy: We didn't get a nonconference schedule we needed to get. If we're good enough in the Big East we'll be good enough to get in the NCAA. We'll have to play our way in, get into the top six or seven and prove that we're good enough.''

That's true. But what everyone has learned recently with unbalanced conference scheduling is who you play, where you play and who you beat determines a bid. Despite a 10-8 league mark, Providence didn't get a bid last season out of the Big East. Yet 10-8 West Virginia did.

Why? Providence's only quality conference wins came over then-No. 1 Pitt at home and Syracuse at home -- the only two wins out of 10 that were against teams above the Friars in the standings. Providence didn't beat an NCAA team in nonconference play. Meanwhile, West Virginia beat Pitt and Villanova (and Providence) for quality wins in the Big East and in the nonconference took out Ohio State on the road by 28 points. Ultimately, that was enough to push the Mountaineers in the field.

For what it's worth, Gonzalez said the Pirates will play in the Paradise Jam in St. Thomas during the 2010-11 season, in addition to a spot in the SEC-Big East Invitational and likely games against Minnesota and Dayton.

"It should be an unbelievable schedule,'' Gonzalez said.

But the focus for now is on making the 2010 NCAA tournament and not securing marquee games could bite the Pirates. As usual, the Big East schedule isn't kind. Seton Hall plays West Virginia and Pitt twice and goes to Georgetown, Villanova and Connecticut without a return. But getting Notre Dame, Louisville, Cincinnati, Syracuse and Marquette at home without having to go on the road to those courts should balance out the schedule. Winning those home games could be critical to any kind of bid come March.

Gonzalez is entering his fourth season, which means the Pirates need to start winning more than 17 games. The previous SHU coach, Louis Orr, was fired a week after his fifth season ended with a second NCAA tournament appearance (his third postseason bid).

Gonzalez is 47-46 since arriving -- 18-34 in Big East play -- and has yet to crack the postseason. So this is the year the Hall needs to be at least on the NCAA bubble, if not make the tournament, especially with the plan to add four-year transfers like Pope, Lawrence and Robinson. Gonzalez also took a chance on Melvyn Oliver, a 6-foot-11, 340-pounder that Gonzalez said is "Shaq or Eddy Curry-like in the middle."

"He's clogs it up and will take the pressure off Garcia,'' Gonzalez said. "He's a big dude. But we've got to get him in shape. If we can kick his ass the first six weeks of practice and then in the 11 nonconference games and get him ready for the Big East to have a wide body, that will help. We were getting killed last year in there.''

Adding Robinson after Dec. 19 (in time for the Temple, Navy, West Virginia and Virginia Tech games) should help get the team ready for the Big East. So far in individual workouts, Gonzalez has seen the transfers score and score and score. If former starter Robert Mitchell can adhere to a sixth-man role as the newcomers sponge up the minutes, there is hope the team will mesh early and often. If Oliver and Pope can board, something the Pirates were adverse to last season, the team has got a shot to contend with anyone in the league on a given night.

The NCAA tournament selection committee focuses on games that a coach can control. No one wants to hear the excuse that the coach couldn't schedule quality games. Too often "Power Six" schools will go easy in November and December because they anticipate they will have a monster few months in the conference. Seton Hall fits that description. But the Pirates' rare chance to be on the national stage around the holidays could offset that perception -- if they win.

"Look, I'm not trying to say something about Rutgers, but there were 55,000 people watching Rutgers play Cincinnati on Labor Day and they got beat 47-15,'' Gonzalez said. "We're not Louisville. We're not Connecticut. When we have those types of games, big games, we've got to do something with them -- plain and simple.''

• Virginia Tech coach Seth Greenberg said he agreed to play the Seton Hall game in Cancun because the Hokies aren't playing in a tournament at some other exotic locale. Tech will make a long weekend out of the excursion to Cancun.

Meanwhile, Greenberg is experimenting with some new techniques to get the team to bond earlier this season. The Hokies did a ropes-course trip last week, with the team and coaches climbing trees and dealing with other problem-solving.

"It was out in the wilderness and it was good for them to see the coaches taking risks like the players,'' Greenberg said. "It was challenging and fun. We're trying to do things differently.''

Greenberg said the Hokies are also looking at doing a paintball experience, too.

"We're trying to find out things where we can develop a trust and a bond and have fun doing it,'' Greenberg said. "In this league, it's all about winning close games. We're trying to help gain a trust with each other.''

• Andre Dawkins was cleared by the NCAA Eligibility Center and is ready to be an integral part of Duke's perimeter a year earlier than expected. Dawkins, who finished his high school requirements over the summer at Atlantic Shores Christian School (Va.), is expected to rotate in with Jon Scheyer, Nolan Smith and Kyle Singler along the perimeter. Dawkins replaces Elliot Williams, who transferred to Memphis to be with a sick relative. Williams was granted a waiver to play immediately for Josh Pastner's Tigers.

"He can really shoot the ball,'' Duke assistant coach Chris Collins said of Dawkins. "He's a 3-point threat. He's a really good athlete, too.''

Duke isn't counting on Dawkins to be a savior, but he will be rotating in for significant minutes. Last season, Williams wasn't used as much until the last third of the season. Dawkins will be leaned on earlier but his major contributions might not be felt until the heart of ACC play.

The Blue Devils are anticipating being a bigger, longer team this season with Singler moving to small forward and the Blue Devils rotating in big men Lance Thomas, Brian Zoubek, Mason and Miles Plumlee and Ryan Kelly.

• Individual workouts are just starting around the country, but this is college hoops' version of spring training. And in spring training every team has hope. If a few workouts are any indication, the national perception of Miami may need to change. Jack McClinton is gone, but the Hurricanes are hardly devoid of big-time talent.

The Hurricanes, who finished 19-13 last season and advanced to the NIT's second round, return most of their team from last season, with Dwayne Collins anchoring the middle. He has a chance to be an all-ACC forward.

And coach Frank Haith is giddy about the prospect of his newcomer class of guards, Durand Scott, Antoine Allen and Garrius Adams, as well as power forward Donnavan Kirk.

"It's the best recruiting class we've had here,'' Haith said. "They can all score. They're talented, long and athletic. Durand and Garrius are big-time shooters and Antoine is like a junkyard-dog type of guard. Donnavan Kirk is long, athletic and runs the floor like a deer. This freshmen class is really good.''

The coaches' ethics committee has no legislative power, no ability to directly change the way coaches do their jobs.

But its members are hoping they'll have some sort of influence.

In its first serious conference call tackling issues that arose over the summer, the ethics committee focused on a few hot-button items in the hope it can influence some legislation or behavior going forward.

"We are not an extension of the enforcement staff," said committee chair John Beilein, head coach of Michigan. "But we're trying to communicate the problems and make strong suggestions."

Joining Beilein on the ethics committee are: Boston College's Al Skinner (ACC); Oklahoma's Jeff Capel (Big 12); Vanderbilt's Kevin Stallings (SEC); Pitt's Jamie Dixon (Big East); Stanford's Johnny Dawkins (Pac-10); Saint Joseph's Phil Martelli (A-10); former South Carolina and Wake Forest coach Dave Odom (an emeritus-type position); Butler's Brad Stevens (Horizon); Tulsa's Doug Wojcik (Conference USA); UC Davis' Gary Stewart (Big West); Detroit assistant Derek Thomas (assistant rep); St. John's assistant Fred Quartlebaum (assistant rep); and Reggie Minton, associate director of the National Association of Basketball Coaches. All but Stallings, Dixon and Quartlebaum were on the call.

One of the first agenda items was tickets for conference tournaments. The committee wanted to make sure no coaches felt any pressure to distribute the allotment of tickets for coaches to AAU coaches. Tickets that Beilein would receive for the Big Ten tournament should be used for his family and friends, not handed out to summer league coaches as payback for helping Michigan get a player.

"You can't gift those tickets," Beilein said. "Those tickets should be off limits."

The cost of summer packets for tournaments was also a major issue. A number of the tournaments across the country, notably in Las Vegas, tie admission for coaches to paying for a booklet of names and numbers of the players in the event. The cost of those booklets can range well into the hundreds of dollars. Admission for the general public can be as little as $10. The AAU Super Showcase in Orlando, Fla., in July chose not to charge coaches for its packets. Organizers of more independent events have argued over the summer that they need to charge to cover the overhead of expenses (rental of facility, officials, insurance, trainers, etc.).

Beilein said the committee wants to have the certification process for these tournaments include some sort of consistency in payments. The other problem for coaches was not getting advance knowledge of how much the booklets would cost. Coaches would arrive and be expected to produce cash to gain admittance into some of these events.

Beilein said the way elite camps are run also needs to be governed. Beilein said Michigan ran an elite camp and only the Wolverines' staff worked the camp, not AAU or high school or any other summer league coaches. He said his goal in running the elite camp was to show what a college practice would be like for the players. He said the elite camp fee was $40 for day campers, with about 50-60 attending.

"There is a concern that the mission of the elite camp is lost," Beilein said. "If the camp is 20 or 40 dollars you shouldn't be leaving with $100 worth of gear. There shouldn't be high school or AAU coaches working the event. You can't compromise these events."

Elite camps have been used of late to produce unofficial visits for recruits. Beilein said that the unofficial visits are allowed only before and after the camp, not during the camp -- a point that Beilein said can be reinforced.

Beilein said the inconsistencies of contact/evaluation periods from the spring to the summer to the fall need to be readdressed so coaches know when the changes occur.

"We need to prepare them so they're not faced with ethical dilemmas," Beilein said.

How all this information from the meeting is disseminated is still unknown. The ethics committee is attempting to get the information out through the NABC.

• Time to temper the enthusiasm a bit for a pair of Australians.

Well, at least that's the spin coming out of the West Coast. Australian Brock Motum came highly touted to Washington State. The 6-9 freshman out of the famed Australian Institute of Sport was expected to be an impact player for the Cougars. He still may get there, but WSU coach Ken Bone wants to scale back the expectations. Bone has no issue with Motum's work ethic. He has listened well and wants to get better. But his lack of foot speed and athleticism, as well as strength, needs to improve. So, too, does his range on his shot.

Meanwhile, the West Coast Conference was ready to pump up Saint Mary's freshman Matthew Dellavedova as the next Patty Mills. But the Australian combo guard is hardly in the Mills category yet. SMC coach Randy Bennett was quick to point out that Dellavedova isn't Mills and may not ever be. Sure, Dellavedova (along with Motum) played on the Australian national team at the under-19 world championships this past summer. Yes, they were both productive. But Dellavedova isn't ready to be handed a starting job for the Gaels yet. Bennett wants to temper the enthusiasm for his newcomer until he can get into a groove at Saint Mary's. He'll be in the top-seven rotation, but isn't being handed anything yet.

• Bone said forward DeAngelo Casto is still a month away from joining the Cougars on the court. The sophomore had surgery to repair torn ligaments following the U.S. gold-medal victory at the world championships in New Zealand.

The University of Kansas' past two national championship teams had staff members who were the fathers of players Danny Manning and Mario Chalmers.

Washington, D.C., native Dalonte Hill initially went to Kansas State in advance of Michael Beasley, but has since opened up quite a pipeline to the DC Assault AAU program in helping the Wildcats stay in the chase for an NCAA berth out of the Big 12.

Then-Memphis coach John Calipari hired Milt Wagner when DaJuan Wagner arrived.

Coaches who have ties to players joining staffs has happened for decades. It's not going away at any juncture. Some choose to do it and hope to land a star player, like Baylor's attempt last year to get John Wall by hiring Dwon Clifton, one of Wall's AAU coaches. (It didn't work for the Bears, as Wall went to Kentucky.) Some schools like North Carolina don't need to do it, and others like Gonzaga choose not to even mess with their staff or create positions simply to find a way to add to the staff.

So Louisville's hiring of Indianapolis Pike High assistant coach Shabaka Lands to its growing staff (11 people including head coach Rick Pitino, with almost a one-to-one ratio with scholarship players) is hardly a new phenomenon. But it's worth nothing nonetheless.

Lands' job description has been termed "special assistant to the head coach." Pike High is the home of one of the nation's top recruits for 2011 in Marquis Teague, named the top point guard in the class by ESPNU's Super 60 and the No. 4 player overall. Teague is the younger brother of current Atlanta Hawk and former Wake Forest guard Jeff Teague and the son of Shawn Teague, a former player for Pitino at Boston University.

On the surface, it looks like Pitino hired Lands to get Teague, or at the very least to land a high-profile recruit in the wake of Pitino's scandal involving Karen Sypher's alleged extortion of the coach after their 2003 extramarital indiscretion. But Pike High head coach Phil Spoljaric said there are at least two reasons to dismiss the perception, even if the timing is suspicious: Spoljaric was informed that Lands was going to Louisville in July (before Pitino's police interviews on the Sypher "encounter" were made public), and if Lands and Teague were a package deal, then the commitment would already be done.

"Is Louisville where he'll end up? I don't know, but I don't think it will affect it in the end," Spoljaric said. "Shawn [Teague] played for Pitino; that's more of a deal than Shabaka going there. Marquis' uncle, John, also played for Pitino at BU. The connection to Pitino was already there before this."

Spoljaric said Lands befriended Pitino's son Richard when he was recruiting Teague. Richard is now an assistant at Florida under former Pitino assistant Billy Donovan. Spoljaric said Lands, who is single, had the mobility to move to Louisville without reservation and has created a buzz about his coaching after shepherding players such as Jeff Teague, Robert Vaden and Courtney Lee through Pike High during his tenure as an assistant. Lands was the assistant under the previous two coaches at Pike.

"He doesn't have ties to Indianapolis, so it doesn't surprise me that he would be drawn to go to a college, and it's not a surprise to me that college coaches would be drawn to him after being here for eight or nine years," Spoljaric said.

Spoljaric said he was never approached to go to Louisville or any other college in the attempt to land Teague. He also added that he has a family, so any attempt to package him with Teague or any other player -- what he termed a gamble -- wouldn't appeal to him.

"I don't always agree with that practice, but that can be part of recruiting," Spoljaric said.

Still, the Teagues scoff at the notion that Lands' arrival means Marquis is sure to follow. Shawn Teague is adamant that Louisville is still among a group of schools that includes Purdue, Indiana, Ohio State, Cincinnati, Wake Forest and Kentucky. Marquis Teague has already visited all seven.

"It has no bearing on Marquis' decision, even though a lot of people think otherwise," Shawn Teague said. "I didn't find out about this until July. There was no connection with me. I know everyone is trying to connect the dots and think it's a shoo-in deal."

Teague reiterated the family's independence from the Lands hire.

"We're not looking to get into a situation where there is some sort of package deal; we're not into that game at all," Teague said. "It's a good fit [for Lands]. I like Coach Pitino. I played for him. I followed him throughout his career."

Lands was the freshman coach for Jeff Teague and has been with the family at Pike throughout the boys' tenure at the school. So there is a clear relationship with Lands and the family. Marquis Teague ideally has his sights on a pro career, and Lands' location is likely irrelevant. This is a family that has just gone through two years of a high-profile situation at Wake Forest with Jeff Teague, an NBA early-entry decision, a draft-day experience and now has another son preparing to possibly follow the same path.

Would they really need someone to hold Marquis' hand in college?

"In most cases it's not necessary to have someone there to make sure he's comfortable," Shawn Teague said. "I don't think you need someone to watch your child or cater to them. But it does happen in recruiting."

Shawn Teague said his understanding is that Lands has always wanted to be in a college setting. Sure, jumping from an assistant high school coach to a position on the Cardinals' staff is quite a leap. This is hardly a low-level program. And even though the NCAA technically only wants coaches to be on the floor, there is no way all these "special assistants" on a staff stay put and never do any coaching throughout the course of the season. Most of them are former coaches who are pigeonholed into different gigs because there is a limit on the number of "coaches" on a staff.

That's fine. Having more voices on the floor is hardly a criminal offense.

We may never know if Pitino truly believes hiring Lands will get him Teague, or how much that played into the decision to hire him. But Shawn Teague and Spoljaric didn't hesitate to say Marquis is hardly in need of an umbilical cord when he heads off to college.

The attempt by St. John's to climb back to relevance and respect begins this weekend in Canada.

If the Red Storm can find itself becoming an aggressive, trapping defensive team, as sixth-year coach Norm Roberts wishes, the quest to finish in the single digits in the Big East standings might not be so far-fetched. Since he arrived to pick over the pieces left behind in the post-Mike Jarvis era, Roberts has never been this effusive with praise of his team.

The shadow of NCAA probation and a dearth of big-time talent plagued Roberts early in his tenure. The Red Storm finished under .500 in all but one of the five seasons, although they did earn a postseason berth last season, losing to Richmond in the first round of the College Basketball Invitational despite having a 16-17 record when the invite arrived.

But the pessimism about the productivity of this program has subsided. There is a sense from the administration down through the staff to the players that the Johnnies legitimately can be a factor in the Big East chase to finish in the top 10 and finally -- yes, finally -- make Madison Square Garden a destination for Red Storm fans in the metropolitan area, not just for fans of other Big East teams that might play on the hallowed court.

"We're going to be a real good team, top 10 in the Big East this year, if not higher," said senior Anthony Mason Jr., who missed 31 of 34 games last season with a torn peroneal tendon in his right foot. "It all starts this weekend."

The Red Storm have been practicing the past week in preparation for the four-game, three-day sojourn to Quebec, where they will play McGill and the University of Quebec on Saturday in Montreal and then Carleton University and the University of Ottawa on Sunday in a pair of back-to-back doubleheaders in Ottawa.

The NCAA membership recently changed the rule regarding Labor Day trips. They are now banned beginning this fall unless a school (such as SJU) had already signed a contract for a tour. St. John's was supposed to go to on a Labor Day trip last year, but the excursion to Cancun was canceled due to Hurricane Gustav.

"The timing of getting the extra practice time and the games couldn't be better," said St. John's athletic director Chris Monasch. "A lot of things are falling in line. We had young teams in the past, but now we've got a veteran team with the parts in place. There are high expectations for this year."

Yes, St. John's expects to finish in the top 10 in the Big East -- and that's not a crazy concept. The 16-team league isn't as top-seed-loaded as it was a year ago with Connecticut, Louisville and Pitt. But the depth remains strong from 1 to 14, so if St. John's is to move up from finishing in the bottom six (6-12 for 13th last season), someone will have to fall.

That means a team out of the group of Villanova, Georgetown, West Virginia, Syracuse, Louisville, Connecticut, Pitt, Notre Dame, Cincinnati, Seton Hall and Marquette isn't finishing in the top nine if St. John's is sliding into that spot. Projecting Providence, South Florida, Rutgers and DePaul in the bottom four, meanwhile, isn't a reach.

"It's been a hard climb," Roberts said. "Nobody knows how hard. And every time we felt like we could climb, we've had some things we've had to recover from."

The reason there is measured optimism? The Red Storm brought in four newcomers, which include two junior transfers who give Roberts his most experienced team since he arrived in Queens. The team has six returnees with significant starting experience, as 97.2 percent of the scoring and 95.1 percent of the rebounding return to a team that won 16 games and registered the school's first Big East tournament victory since 2003.

Also back and healthy are Mason Jr., Malik Boothe (out nine games with a torn tendon in his thumb) and Justin Burrell (played with a face mask after breaking a facial bone in December).

If the Red Storm were to finish in the top nine -- or, gulp, seventh or eighth -- that presumably means they would automatically be in the NCAA tournament discussion out of the Big East. It's a little early for that kind of talk, though. Roberts knows it. Mason knows it. Everyone knows it.

Still, the approach to this weekend has remained intense.

"I really want to get out of this trip to play aggressive defensively, to trap ball screens, to rotate and press all over the place," Roberts said. "I haven't been able to do that in the past because we haven't been as athletic or deep. We've got a great opportunity to do those things now."

Roberts said the Big East window is open for the Red Storm. The league was gutted of a number of its star players by the NBA draft. There is actual hope that a team from the bottom six can climb this season.

"It's our turn to step up," Roberts said. "No game will be easy, but with our depth and experience, this is the year we've been pointing to. We want to make something happen."

No one is pressing for a renaissance in Queens more than Mason Jr., who scored 24 points in his second game of last season against Cornell and 12 against BC before the season-ending injury. The Memphis, Tenn., native won an appeal to get a fourth year of eligibility back in his fifth year in school.

"I can't wait," said Mason Jr., whose father Anthony Mason was a high school teammate of Roberts, and later a New York Knicks fan favorite. "I haven't played in a year. I love practice now. That's how much I've missed it. This is my last year. I think I want it more than a lot of people. I want [Madison Square Garden] to be rocking and for everyone to say St. John's this and St. John's that. This is our city. It ain't been seeming like our city, but we can make noise and bring it back."

Monasch is a bit more realistic with the Garden. He wants MSG to be a house teams fear, but when it's near capacity. St. John's has averaged under 6,000 fans at home the past two seasons and in three of the past four.

The first indication the program had drifted from relevance in the Big Apple came last year, when the New York-centric NIT Season Tip-Off (even under NCAA control) sent St. John's to Boston College for opening-round games instead of hosting the games in Queens. SJU lost to the Eagles and didn't qualify for the Thanksgiving week semifinals.

The next slap came in the promotion of the SEC-Big East Invitational. On Dec. 9, St. John's will host Georgia; the game will be the clear undercard on the Red Storm's own home court. Following that game will be a showdown between Kentucky and Connecticut.

"Yeah, we got downgraded," Mason Jr. said. "It's all about Cal [Kentucky head coach John Calipari], Kentucky and Connecticut. People want them. They're not talking about the St. John's game."

The school will once again play a limited number of games at MSG this season. According to Monasch, the Red Storm plays Georgia, the two-game Holiday Festival just before Christmas and likely six of nine Big East home games there. The school played nine regular-season games at MSG last season, and it appears it'll be the same amount this season.

"Our goal is to play as many games at the Garden as possible, but with some non-league games and a game or two in the Big East on campus for those fans and because we made a financial commitment to our arena," said Monasch, referring to the ongoing renovation of the on-campus Carnesecca Arena.

"It makes sense to have some of those games in Queens. But at the end of the day, once we get the program back to the level with the ability to generate revenue [at MSG], then there is more upside for the whole athletic department. The TV people like us playing there, and so does the Big East. But it has been a business decision to play on campus."

But the interest has to exceed Carnesecca, driving the demand to MSG.

How can the Red Storm make itself matter to New Yorkers when the Big East tournament arrives in March? Winning early-season games would help. Roberts said a Dec. 5 game at Duke and the Georgia game at home four days later could be the indicators of what is to come.

"That will be a huge situation for us," Roberts said, "to see if we can win those games and get some notoriety and get everybody excited."

The scores from Canada won't matter. How the Red Storm plays, whether or not they have issues scoring (see: 10 games last season scoring 60 or fewer points) and if they can be a crazed defensive team that is a pest to play will be the real measuring sticks for Roberts over the next six weeks.

"A lot of people are going to look at this tournament to see how this season will go," Mason Jr. said of the four games in Canada. "People may want to know, 'What are they doing up there and how did they handle their business?' Well, defense is going to be our key. We've got length, tall guys, quick guys, athletic guys where we can get into the passing lanes. We'll be very defensive-minded. People won't want to play us because of our defense."

The junior class should dominate this squad and this weekend with classmates Paris Horne, D.J. Kennedy, Dwight Hardy, Sean Evans, Rob Thomas, Dele Coker, Justin Burrell and Justin Brownlee all having plenty of experience.

Monasch said Roberts could have gone for a quick fix with four-year transfers and junior college transfers when he arrived. But, he said, "We wanted Norm to do it the right way, and he's done it that way." Roberts has a five-year contract that has a rollover every year, which means every year is essentially the start of a new five-year deal. That doesn't mean there won't be some pressure this season if the Red Storm struggle.

Monasch said the games like Duke, Georgia and the Philly Hoop Group Classic are all critical, but how the Storm performs over an 18-game Big East schedule will ultimately be the barometer for how this team is perceived and whether it gets an NCAA bid.

"We hope to create excitement, but how we do in the Big East will determine that," Monasch said.

"[Roberts] has held up good with a straight face," Mason Jr. said. "He doesn't hold his head down. He keeps it positive and keeps us confident. He keeps pushing us. He's held up, especially after a lot of [job security] stuff was said about him and this team. We've all handled it good, and that's why we're doing it for him, too."

In a league with heavyweights like Kansas and Texas, Nebraska can't compete by going about the traditional way of recruiting.

The Cornhuskers have to mix and match their roster to be highly competitive. That means sprinkling in high school seniors, transfers and foreign players. That also means taking chances, even if the news on the eligibility of a foreign player isn't always known.

The Huskers tried that approach with Germany's Christian Standhardinger. The questions arose about his amateur status and how he would be classified by the NCAA. According to Nebraska coach Doc Sadler, the school was told that Standhardinger's grades (based on the grading scale from Germany) meant that he was not a qualifier when Nebraska went to an NCAA seminar in the spring on the subject of foreign admission.

However, Sadler said the information was a year old and Standhardinger was actually eligible. But that news didn't get to Nebraska until after it had committed to giving one-time UAB signee Adrien Coleman a scholarship in July. Coleman signed to play at UAB in November 2008 but failed to be admitted to the university, releasing him to sign a financial aid agreement with another school. Coleman's addition meant the Huskers were at the NCAA limit of 13 scholarships.

"We were trying to get Christian to a prep school to get the three courses he needed when we got the information last week that he was eligible,'' Sadler said.

Once it was clear that a mistake was made, the Huskers were at 14 scholarship players. Nebraska and the NCAA came to a unique agreement which allows NU to move up to 14 for this season -- with a condition. The Huskers could have only 13 players available on scholarship. They would have to redshirt a player.

Well, Sadler wasn't planning on redshirting anyone -- that is until sophomore center Christopher Niemann tore his ACL and was ruled out for the season. So, in a cruel twist, Sadler lost one German for the season but gained another. But there was also a catch with the 6-8 Standhardinger. He has to sit 50 percent of the team's games this season because he played on what was termed a German professional team.

The Huskers have had their issues before with eligibility, losing Roburt Sallie to Memphis after he was denied admission on a Big 12 rule. Sallie took a class at Nebraska, but then wasn't eligible so he left for junior college. But under an obscure Big 12 rule, a player who takes one class at a Big 12 school cannot reattend if he's deemed a nonqualifier and leaves. Sallie played last season at Memphis, averaging 5.8 points in 36 games, including scoring 35 in an NCAA tournament first-round win over Cal State-Northridge.

Finally, now that the eligibility issue is done, Sadler said he has a Big 12-level squad.

"This is the first time that I felt like athletically and sizewise, we can compete in this league,'' said Sadler, who had the 7-foot Aleks Maric his first two seasons but not much else in terms of size around him. "We've got size on the perimeter and inside now.''

But the Huskers are young at the wrong time in the league. They have 11 freshmen or sophomores on the roster for a season in which the Big 12 boasts two potential No. 1 seeds in Kansas and Texas and a host of possible NCAA teams led by Kansas State, Oklahoma State, Oklahoma, Texas A&M and possibly Missouri.

But lost among Nebraska's problems and relative anonymity nationally are the numbers Sadler's teams have produced in his first three seasons. It's hard to dismiss that he has had three straight winning seasons and improved in league play each time, going 17-14 (6-10) in Year 1, 20-13 (7-9) in Year 2 and 18-13 (8-8), capped off by a second straight NIT berth, in Year 3. Two late-game losses to Texas A&M and Oklahoma State last season really hurt NU's chances for the Big Dance.

This season the Huskers are rebuilding with talent that Sadler is convinced can win in the Big 12. Games against Oregon State and USC and a tournament in Las Vegas with BYU, Tulsa and Nevada should reveal how much this squad needs to mature before conference play.

"I think with this group, down the road, in the next two or three years, we can compete [for a top spot in the Big 12],'' Sadler said. "We can compete now, and even though we've been a seventh- or eighth-place team in the Big 12, that's not our goal. Being an NIT team is not our goal.''

• Rhode Island was ready to replace Florida International if the Golden Panthers had withdrawn from the Coaches vs. Cancer tournament. The Gazelle Group, which organizes college basketball's season-opening event, had URI ready to replace FIU and was going to send the Rams to North Carolina for a Nov. 9 date and then have them host the three games set for FIU against North Carolina Central, James Madison and Murray State.

URI coach Jim Baron said the issue is moot now that FIU has agreed to play at UNC, but the Rams are likely going to be given an opportunity for a Gazelle-sponsored event in 2010 or 2011 for offering themselves as a replacement. Meanwhile, the Rams already have a unique nonconference game against Oklahoma State in a Jan. 2 event at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Conn. The game is a return for URI playing the Cowboys last season in Oklahoma City.

Baron recently returned from Turkey, where he was getting his son, Jimmy, situated for a pro career, before going to Worcester Academy (Mass.) to get his other son, Billy, set for his post-grad year. Jim Baron was noncommittal as to whether Billy Baron, who is being recruited by some Big East schools, will play for him like Jim did so well.

"I want to let him breathe for a bit,'' the elder Baron said. "Jimmy won 63 games here. It was tremendous. We had two postseasons, two coach of the years, it was a tremendous run. It was a fabulous experience and one that we will treasure the rest of our lives."

• FIU athletic director Pete Garcia and coach Isiah Thomas cited the American Cancer Society and the benefit of the program playing in the event as the reason they abided by the contract. Garcia said there was a miscommunication with the Gazelle Group about playing Ohio State as opposed to North Carolina. "What's gone on has actually given more exposure to the American Cancer Society,'' Garcia said. "What's great is that Isiah ended his college career against North Carolina and now he'll start his college coaching career against North Carolina."

• Mississippi State coach Rick Stansbury said Renardo Sidney, who is awaiting clearance from the NCAA Eligibility Center on his amateur status, has been able to practice in individual workouts. Stansbury said Sidney needs to get in shape and "toughen up." But the skill set is in place. John Riek is also working on his conditioning, getting his slender frame up to 245-250 pounds, according to Stansbury. Riek, a one-time NBA draft entrant and Cincinnati recruit, has been a tease but unable to deliver for two years. He should be ready to play once he sits out the first nine games of the season, per an NCAA decision. "He's got size and a work ethic that you can't teach,'' Stansbury said.

• Mississippi State, which always seems to be searching for games late into the summer, finalized its schedule with an opener against Wright State. That's not an easy opener, considering the Raiders should be the second pick behind Butler in the Horizon League. The Bulldogs will play eight of their 14 nonleague games away from Starkville, playing at Western Kentucky, at Houston, at San Diego, against DePaul in Tampa in the SEC-Big East Invitational, against UCLA in the Wooden Classic in Anaheim, against Louisiana Tech in Jackson, Miss., and against Richmond and likely Missouri in a tournament in South Padre Island, Texas. The Bulldogs will make two trips to California within a span of three weeks to play San Diego and UCLA.

• The Pitt staff doesn't appear to be too moved by the ineligibility of Gilbert Brown for the fall semester. Brown has been limited by injuries the past three seasons and averaged just 5.4 points and shot 28.2 percent on 3s.

• Every case of discipline is unique, but it's not hard to see why there is some grumbling within the Big East that Joe Mazzulla was reinstated by coach Bob Huggins for the season after he was suspended in the offseason for a violation of team rules, while Brown will miss the fall for academics and Reggie Redding at Villanova will miss the first semester of games for possession of marijuana.

Mazzulla was out for most of last season with a shoulder injury, but then was suspended in the offseason for an altercation at a Morgantown bar, which was his second arrest in nine months. He pleaded no contest to disorderly conduct and was sentenced to community service.

Fellow Mountaineers point guard Darryl Bryant is still awaiting his fate for the fall semester. On Wednesday, it was announced he would not face any jail time in two court cases involving traffic accidents this summer, but a university spokesman said Bryant is still indefinitely suspended from all basketball-related activities.

Late Saturday and Sunday night, Thad Matta heard his players running through the Canadian woods playing "capture the flag" near Kingsville, Ontario.

When Ohio State arrived in Canada on Thursday night, card and board games started within 20 minutes of walking into their Pigeon Bay Cottages.

Minutes earlier, when Matta arrived at the camp area, he said he was searching through the "pitch-dark night with a flashlight," leading the seniors to pick out the cottages they wanted to reside in for the three-night stay.

"It was a lot of fun," Matta said Tuesday after OSU's four-day trip to Ontario. "It was awesome -- three cottages on Lake Erie, just us and nature."

The idea to make this kind of sojourn instead of a more traditional summer trip to a European destination was formed by Matta years earlier when he was at Butler. He said former coach Barry Collier had planned a trip to Italy, but the trip was switched to Finland. He said the Bulldogs stayed in "the middle of nowhere" and the team drew closer because of the quarters.

"We did things that you don't normally do with a basketball team," Matta said. "We were fishing, playing cornhole, the guys were running through the woods at 1 a.m. playing capture the flag."

The Buckeyes, who don't start school until later this month, are a team that has a legitimate shot to challenge for a top-three Big Ten finish and an extended NCAA tournament run. So there was basketball, too. OSU played three games, beating the University of Windsor twice and Western Ontario once.

Matta experimented with All-American guard Evan Turner at the point. Turner had 13 points, eight rebounds and six assists in a 90-39 win over Windsor.

"It went well," Matta said of Turner at the point. "I didn't have a ton offensively in, but I was perfectly fine with it. The shot clock [24 seconds] forced us to push the ball. I wish we had a 24-second shot clock in college. I think [Turner] did a pretty good job with the point."

Matta also used Jon Diebler, William Buford and David Lighty as playmakers. He plans on rotating all of them, as well as using P.J. Hill (18 points in the Friday win over Windsor) and Jeremie Simmons in the role. The Buckeyes will be guard/wing-heavy this season, with all but Buford (a sophomore) from this group either a junior or senior.

Dallas Lauderdale (21 points in a 103-68 win over Western Ontario) -- a 6-foot-8 junior who will anchor the inside -- boarded well, as expected. So too did Kyle Madsen, who was Greg Oden's practice buddy in 2006.

The only disappointment on the trip was center Zisis Sarikopoulos, who didn't play much due to a knee injury. But the hope is that he will be good to go for the season. Sarikopoulos is a 7-foot center from Greece who sat out last season after transferring from UAB.

Matta, who was sitting in his backyard Tuesday morning looking out at what he said was a bald eagle, will give the players a few weeks off before school starts later this month. The Buckeyes open up against Alcorn State on Nov. 9 in the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic.

• If you're looking for an example of the new world of recruiting at an elite level, J.P. Tokoto is one to examine. Tokoto, who was scheduled to start school Tuesday as a sophomore at Menomonee Falls (Wis.) High School, can boast to his friends and teachers about a summer filled with travel.

Ritchie Davis, executive director of the Wisconsin Playground Warriors (the AAU team Tokoto plays for in the summer), said the 6-5 small forward has already been to the Wisconsin advanced instruction camp, Kansas' elite camp, Duke's high-performance camp, Indiana's elite camp and Marquette's elite camp. Oh, and on the way to Duke, he went to visit with the North Carolina staff.

This is hardly unusual for a player who is ranked in the top 20 nationally. Tokoto is ranked No. 16 in the class of 2012 on ESPNU's Terrific 25.

According to Davis, who said Tokoto's parents are declining any interviews, Tokoto drove to all of the camps except for a separate flight to Kansas and then one to North Carolina that was already planned because the family was going on a vacation. The date of the vacation, though, had to be moved, according to Davis. He said for the trip to Kansas the family used miles which allowed only Tokoto and his father to fly.

Remember now, Tokoto is only 15 years old and is going to be a sophomore. He has already visited six schools.

"And he's got scholarship offers from every school except the University of North Carolina," said Davis, who added that Tokoto isn't taking any more trips in September. But it's clear Tokoto could make an informed decision about where he will go to school earlier than most in the general student body.

As one high-major assistant said Tuesday, "the process has sped up aggressively early. The unofficial visit has taken the place of the home visit. The home visit is a non-entity in the process. The official and home visit are just icing on the cake for a high-major level."

This is yet another example of why Rick Pitino can survive a home visit based on his scandalous situation: He doesn't need to make home visits. Home visits and official campus visits happen so late in the process in today's recruiting environment. Tokoto is just one of many in the top 20 who are jetting around the country for elite camps and instructional camps to get a head start on meeting the coaching staffs. The basketball aspect of the elite camp isn't even the objective.

"Yes, the elite camp is the new thing, but these kids are playing against their peers for 11 tournaments in the spring and summer," Davis said. "They don't need to do it in a one- or two-day camp. They need camp stations and drill work. It seems to be the schools bring them in because they're interested and that school might offer. That's the case for J.P. He went to Kansas and was offered a scholarship. He went to Duke and was offered a scholarship. It's the same thing wherever he went [except for Carolina]."

• My condolences go out to former Missouri basketball coach Norm Stewart, whose 29-year-old granddaughter, Jennifer Stewart, was killed in a one-car crash at around 3 a.m. Sunday in Columbia, Mo. According to The Kansas City Star, services are set for 10 a.m. Thursday in Columbia. Norm Stewart, a cancer survivor who helped formed the Coaches vs. Cancer organization, has been through quite a lot in his life. Our thoughts are with him and his family.

The Pac-10 was looking at ways to contain costs and somehow decided that foreign tours ought to be trimmed across the whole NCAA.

The NCAA had already passed legislation that prevents Labor Day trips outside the United States beginning this fall (unless a team already had a signed contract for a trip). But to cut out all travel over the summer -- even after summer school -- for all sports?

The Pac-10 office said former commissioner Tom Hansen and former Oregon athletic director Pat Kilkenny were the two officials who were pushing the bill. But both are now retired, meaning that the amendment -- 13.11.1.3 -- is going through the legislative cycle without a lobbying effort. Still, legislation with a rationale that "saving the costs of such tours seems to be logical in difficult economic times'' might catch the eye of administrators looking to trim any possible fat.

That's the danger here. These trips aren't an elite opportunity. IUPUI and Bethune Cookman went to Costa Rica this summer. Vanderbilt went to Australia, after Commodores coach Kevin Stallings filled the financial void by paying for the trip when the university could not afford the bill. Butler went to Italy. Pitt is planning to go to Ireland next summer. A year ago, Notre Dame went back to its roots with a tour of Ireland.

As you can see, there is a broad spectrum of schools here with varying budgets. Raising the money for these trips shouldn't be legislated. Foreign trips can only be taken once every four years, so it's not like this is a yearly budget issue. And since newcomers can't go on the summer trip, a lot of coaches choose to stay home even when they have the opportunity to go overseas.

The rationale starts off with, "While visiting foreign nations is a part of the learning experience, foreign tours are viewed by many institutions as an additional opportunity to get a head start on the ensuing season." Is this true? Yes. A team gets 10 practices to use before a trip. But let's be honest here. Did Notre Dame get an advantage in going to Ireland that it benefited from in March? No. The Irish flamed out and didn't make the tournament. So it's hard to make some argument that by going on a trip overseas, suddenly that school will be light-years ahead of the rest.

That argument of the practice and head start might fly with squeezing in a three-day jaunt to Canada or the Bahamas over Labor Day. But the trips for 10 to 14 days overseas in August aren't the same. Vanderbilt assistant Brad Frederick said the trips overseas are the first time a number of the players have been out of the country. Frederick said he has talked to a number of coaches both in men's basketball and other sports who said they raise the money.

To think these are just junkets is short-sighted. Butler coach Brad Stevens offered even more insight into the overall experience.

"Travel abroad is a terrific educational experience,'' said Stevens, who played at DePauw and went to Europe during his freshman season. "I remember being in awe of Paris. To this day, one of my goals is to take my family over there when my kids are older, so that they can get the privilege of seeing firsthand the architecture, the history, the language and the culture.''

Going overseas during college, most of the time for a semester, is commonplace for the mainstream student body. It doesn't matter the level of institution. There are opportunities for students to go all over the globe.

"If I wasn't a basketball player, I would have loved to do a semester abroad,'' Stevens said. "However, because the season spans both semesters, that isn't an option, so the summer tour at least gives our players a chance to briefly experience a new country."

Going overseas for a few games and sight-seeing can be beneficial if they want to play professionally but aren't NBA-level. Familiarizing them with the foreign game, albeit for only a few games, is also worthwhile.

This summer, IUPUI's Ron Hunter took his team to Costa Rica at the same time as Bethune Cookman and Bowling Green. Hunter gave away 2,000 shoes in his continued effort to put shoes on shoeless children around the globe.

"I just came back from the NABC board and we decided to be against this legislation,'' Hunter said. "I don't care what happens in the games. The experience they had being in another country and delivering shoes. We don't have to mandate to do that, but there should be an educational and humanitarian aspect."

Hunter isn't worried about it because he doesn't think the legislation has legs.

"I don't think it's going anywhere, but now that we've drawn attention to it, let's not just have just 10 days of practice and play. Let's do something to make the country better. If you want to give away shoes then do it -- find something to do."

Hunter said his players enjoyed the distribution of the shoes more than the games.

"I would have been devastated if something like that happens,'' Hunter said of the legislation. "None of my kids could afford that trip, and none of the kids at Bethune Cookman could afford to do that. Let's leave these countries with them thinking that American student-athletes are terrific and made [their] country better."

The legislation will work its way through the membership and come up for a vote sometime during the 2009-10 legislative calendar. Voting out foreign tours without an exception over the summer would make no sense. The cost-cutting is minimal and isn't across the board for every school. There are plenty of other areas where fat can be trimmed out of a budget that each individual school can address.

Legislating budget control when all budgets aren't equal doesn't equate. And judging by the names of the schools going on the trips, it's obvious that some schools value taking the trip, even if they are in a lower level of Division I.

• Coaches usually don't like to float out injury updates until the final diagnosis is known. That's why it was a bit surprising that Clemson's Oliver Purnell tweeted about Trevor Booker's right foot injury before an official diagnosis. Purnell tweeted Aug. 28: "Waiting to hear the results of Trevor Booker's MRI on his foot. The Doc's suspect a Stress reaction injury or a fracture. Shoot!" Obviously that sounded ominous. Two hours later, Purnell tweeted: "The results just came in. Book has a low grade stress fracture and a bone bruise. It could have been worse." There was a third update Sunday that said: "I spoke to Doc Bowman about Trevor's foot. He thinks Book will be out for a very short period of time in the preseason."

"I'm still trying to figure out how to use it,'' Purnell said on the phone. "You try to show your personality, and I know that Clemson people and people in the ACC would be the ones following it. So I try to give them a little bit of what I'm like and feel. So when I said, 'shoot,' people who know me, know that I'm a little bit concerned, but not a lot. I knew I was going to come back and hear a little bit later from the trainer."

Booker is the top returning scorer and rebounder for the Tigers. He's likely an all-ACC first-team player. He was an enforcer for the World University Games squad that won bronze in Serbia. A broken foot would have crushed the Tigers.

The question going forward will be, how would coaches like Purnell handle injuries during the season? Will there be updates after a tweaked ankle in shootaround? Indiana coach Tom Crean was quick to tweet Monday that Maurice Creek was cleared by the NCAA Eligibility Center. That's good news. But will Crean and other coaches tweet when a player is injured? Suspended?

• The NCAA tournament selection committee should use Western Kentucky's Ken McDonald as someone who understands how to schedule into the NCAA tournament out of a non-"big six" conference. McDonald's Hilltoppers will be the favorite to win the Sun Belt, but he has positioned himself to get a possible at-large berth. WKU is in the NIT Season Tip-Off with a legitimate chance to get to New York since it's in a bracket at rebuilding LSU. Western Kentucky also plays at South Carolina and Southern Illinois; hosts Tulane, Evansville and Houston (in February); and goes to Louisville, plays Vanderbilt in Nashville and hosts Mississippi State. Tulane and Evansville are solid home games for a team out of the Sun Belt. The other games are all against teams that could be in the postseason with South Carolina, Louisville, Vandy and Mississippi State projected to be in the NCAA tournament.

"It's aggressive,'' McDonald said on the first day of school Monday in Bowling Green. "A year ago we rolled the dice and we weren't supposed to be very good [losing to Gonzaga on a buzzer-beater in the second round of the NCAA tournament]. We've got good young talent coming in and we're going to test them early.''

The beauty of this schedule is that none of the games is a one-shot deal. The Vanderbilt game in Nashville is part of the Sun Belt Classic and is likely going to be a rotating scenario with Tennessee and Middle Tennessee State. The hope is that the four teams will switch in 2010 with Tennessee playing Western Kentucky and Middle playing Vandy.

The Louisville game is the second of a four-year deal. Western Kentucky beat Louisville last season in Nashville. This year's game is at Freedom Hall, the game in 2010 is in Bowling Green, and the final game of the contract is at Louisville's new arena. The Mississippi State game is the end of a two-year deal with the Bulldogs.

The contest with South Carolina is the first of a four-year deal that Darrin Horn has to own up to after leaving WKU for South Carolina. Horn's exit contract called for a four-year deal with Western if he left for a BCS-level school. It's the same thing that happened to Dennis Felton when he went from Western to Georgia. Horn is entering his second season at South Carolina. The contract was pushed off for a season after the two teams couldn't agree on a date in 2009. McDonald also hopes he can continue the SIU series. A year ago, Western Kentucky lost to Houston and Mississippi State but beat Southern Illinois, Louisville, Georgia and Tulane in key nonconference games.

• Former Sacramento Kings and New Mexico State coach Reggie Theus was finishing up the negotiation of his assistant contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves over the weekend. Theus was frustrated this offseason by the way the job searches ended at Arizona, Memphis and USC. He was certainly qualified for all of them, but USC was the only one that granted him a formal interview. Coaching under Kurt Rambis with the T-Wolves should help Theus rehab quickly for a head-coaching job in either the NBA or college.

Jeff Bzdelik likely would have gone to Minnesota had the offer come earlier in the summer.

He met with Timberwolves executive David Kahn in Las Vegas. The discussion was about making Bzdelik a top assistant coach to be the nuts and bolts inside, while whomever Kahn selected to be the head coach would be the face of the team. But the head-coaching search dragged for weeks and into August before Kahn selected Lakers assistant Kurt Rambis for the gig.

Bzdelik didn't wait for Kahn or Rambis or anyone else from the Timberwolves organization to make a play, if they were going to do so after the hire was official. He knew he had to renew his commitment to Colorado. He had invested too much the past two seasons with the Buffaloes, suffering through a 9-22 season last year (1-15 in the Big 12) while losing eight games by five points or fewer and one game in overtime (by nine points) to Texas. Colorado went 12-20 in 2007-08.

If Colorado was ever going to get out of the dungeon of a conference in which Kansas, Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Oklahoma State, Kansas State and Texas A&M hold a firm grip on the talented top half of the league, Bzdelik had to stay. The school couldn't afford another coaching turnover, even if it may have gone to well-respected associate head coach Steve McClain, who had done a decent job at Wyoming.

"This school has been through some bad situations," Bzdelik said Thursday as he prepared for a team workout. "The football program has gone through some things. We had to build back up the academic integrity, the APR, the competitive spirit. We had to create a culture that would be rock-solid.

"Yeah, last year, we won only one game, but we did that with only one senior and one junior," Bzdelik said. "Most of the time, we had three freshmen and a sophomore on the court. We weren't mature enough or experienced enough, and that's the truth."

Bzdelik didn't suddenly lose his ability to win games at CU. He led Air Force to a No. 11 ranking in the country after taking over a program that had been on quite a run from the Joe Scott-Chris Mooney Princeton-style revival. He was 50-16 in two seasons at the Academy, leading it to the NCAA tournament in 2006 and the NIT in 2007. Bzdelik, 56, coached for 31 years prior to CU, including taking the Denver Nuggets to the NBA playoffs. His two-year win total of 50-plus wins at Air Force was the best two-year period in Air Force basketball history, and he guided the Falcons to a 31-1 home record.

Bzdelik is coveted in the NBA. But he has been able to bridge the NBA and college game because of his wealth of knowledge and spending quality time early in his career at Davidson with Eddie Biedenbach (now at UNC Asheville), Bob McKillop (now the head coach at Davidson) and Rick Barnes (now the head coach at Texas). That was before he went to work for Wes Unseld and Pat Riley in the NBA.

"I've learned to coach at every level from great people who teach the game," Bzdelik said. "There's a balance there. And then I did inherit a junior- and senior-laden Air Force team."

The Air Force run appears over in the Mountain West, as the Falcons have won 16 and 10 games, respectively, in the two years since Bzdelik left and Jeff Reynolds took over.

But even Air Force in the Mountain West isn't comparable to Colorado in the Big 12. No one would argue that taking Air Force to the top of the MWC is harder. The MWC doesn't have national title contenders in the league, while the Big 12 does. The state of Colorado, home to both schools, doesn't produce elite talent. The most notable of late is senior Matt Bouldin at Gonzaga and sophomore Reggie Jackson at Boston College. Neither player is deemed a lock to be a pro.

The facilities at Colorado pale in comparison to those of the rest of the conference. The Buffaloes don't receive special treatment like other members of the league.

The abyss from which Colorado retreated included Bzdelik's flirtation with the NBA and rumors that Cory Higgins, who averaged 17 points per game, wasn't going to return for his junior season. Rumors were hot in the summer that Higgins would bolt. Bzdelik heard them and had to investigate.

"There were some coaches who approached him," Bzdelik said. "But he's rock-solid. He's a heckuva player."

The Buffaloes will need point guard Shannon Sharpe and Australian center Shane Harris-Tunks to contribute, and the expectations are low outside of Boulder. But there is certainly hope inside the basketball office. That's why Bzdelik said he called up Dick and Tony Bennett, formerly of Washington State, and Herb Sendek at Arizona State to see how they were able to resuscitate their programs. The Washington State example is probably more akin to Colorado, with a recruiting base that is hardly fertile.

Bzdelik said he has in his contract that by Year 3 a practice facility would break ground. It hasn't yet as Year 3 begins. But Bzdelik is committed to staying at CU.

"I realized last year, when the Chicago Bulls called me and when Minnesota called me, that I know I can do better here," Bzdelik said. "I can't say I've taken a team to the Final Four, but I've been to the NBA playoffs nine times [as an assistant or head coach]. A lot of people can't say that, including some of the big names in college. I have an opportunity here. I'm committed to the players. We dug ourselves a big hole, and now we're peeking out over the horizon to see what we can do. If it doesn't work, somebody else will be coaching here."

But to make it work in the near future, Bzdelik has to stay. A turnover every few years won't work at a place like Colorado. Bzdelik made the commitment to stay. We'll see if it pans out with a commitment from the school and, more important, players who can help turn around a program that hasn't been relevant for some time.

• Kentucky held its first individual workout this week, and the overall opinion of coach John Calipari is this: "What I saw is that we don't have any bad players; every guy can play," Calipari said late Thursday night. "Even Mark Krebs, who we just gave a scholarship to, can play. He can shoot. He's not bad. I don't know what all this means because we are still inexperienced."

Calipari didn't break down every player but added a few quips, saying that freshmen DeMarcus Cousins and Eric Bledsoe need to pick up their conditioning; that Darnell Dodson can score but has to be stronger; that Daniel Orton still isn't 100 percent in both legs after dealing with a knee injury last year; and that he was impressed with Ramon Harris' shooting, the activity of Perry Stevenson and the overall skill development of Patrick Patterson.

As for that other guard, the one who is hyped as the top pick in 2010 -- John Wall. Well, Calipari said he's more verbal than his last elite guard, Derrick Rose (at Memphis), but is just as much a leader. "Neither one would reprimand a teammate. They'll defer to their teammates to make sure they get better," Calipari said.

• The Memphis case brought up Duke's 1999 Final Four appearance in a valid way. The case, presented by a few columnists at CBS Sports, was made that if Derrick Rose was ruled ineligible after the season once he was already cleared by the NCAA to play for the Tigers, and Memphis still had its season vacated, then why shouldn't Duke's 1999 season suffer the same fate after reports emerged of Corey Maggette receiving funds from his former AAU coach, Myron Piggie?

The charge of favoritism is certainly felt among a number of other programs. But there is a distinct difference in the cases. Whether you believe there was special treatment or not, the basic fact is this: Rose was ruled ineligible after the season when his test score was invalidated in May 2008. Maggette, according to Duke, was never ruled ineligible. You may believe that he should have been ruled ineligible. But he wasn't, and that remains the main difference between the two cases.

At the 2004 Final Four, an event in which Duke participated, NCAA vice president of enforcement David Price said at the time that the NCAA and Duke "conducted a fairly lengthy joint investigation" into the allegations that Maggette received illegal payments from his summer-league coach (Piggie) from 1997 to 1999. Maggette spent one season at Duke (1998-99) before declaring for the NBA draft.

"Our executive regulations specify that if an individual plays while ineligible in the NCAA championships, we can either vacate the team's participation in the championship and/or assess a fine for the money that they received." Price said in an April 2, 2004, Boston Globe article. "The standard for that is whether either the institution knew or should have known that Maggette was ineligible or if Maggette himself knew that -- or should have known that he was ineligible."

Price went on to say that the NCAA came to the conclusion that there was "insufficient evidence to determine that Maggette knew or should have known, and we believe firmly that the institution did not know and should not have known. Consequently, we have notified the institution that there will be no action taken by the NCAA."

The NCAA eligibility center was clear in stating earlier this year that regardless of when a player becomes ineligible, he's ineligible and that the center has the right to review new information when it comes to light. The same standard is likely going to be applied to O.J. Mayo if the allegations of agent-related payments prove correct. Mayo was cleared to play for USC, yet he might be deemed ineligible after the fact, and the Trojans may end up vacating wins from his one season in L.A.

Duke contended this week that it didn't know about the payments to Maggette, since it didn't start recruiting him until the fall of his senior season.

Had Maggette deemed ineligible by the NCAA -- even years after his one season at Duke -- then the Blue Devils would have had to vacate the Final Four season. If Maggette had been deemed ineligible after he completed his one season and the NCAA didn't vacate Duke's season, a charge of favoritism would have rung from every other Division I institution.

Billy Gillispie still had a chance to get another head-coaching gig in 2010.

The lawsuit against Kentucky was sensational and certainly could be perceived as a negative when candidates were compared.

Suing your former employer isn't exactly going to put one candidate ahead of another when there is a close call for a job. But contractual rifts can occur, even if this one seemed to be a bit extreme: Kentucky fired him thinking it wouldn't have to pay his $6 million salary, but Gillispie felt he deserved the money even though he never formally signed his long-term contract and was basing his case on an internal memorandum.

Despite all that, he could've survived.

What likely has forced Gillispie to the assistant route before landing another job as a head coach was his arrest early Thursday morning on a charge of driving under the influence. Coaches who get fired find it incredibly difficult to be recycled in the next coaching carousel. Most have to become assistant coaches again to find their footing before proving themselves worthy of head-coaching positions again.

But Gillispie was coming from Kentucky, one of the premier jobs in the country. He was a proven success in his brief tenures at UTEP and Texas A&M, where he had done a marvelous job of turning each into a legit program. The Kentucky gig didn't go as well on the court in his second season in Lexington, but the recruiting wasn't the issue.

Let's remember that Gillispie beat out Florida's Billy Donovan and Duke's Mike Krzyzewski to get Patrick Patterson, who may well be the SEC Player of the Year this season for new Wildcats coach John Calipari. Gillispie is also the one who secured Daniel Orton, a big-time get who should flourish under Calipari this season.

But the DUI charge is the clincher for Gillispie. This is not the first time he has faced such a charge. He was arrested in 1999 on charges of driving while intoxicated and use of an improper lane in Tulsa, Okla. He pleaded guilty to reckless driving, and the other charges were dropped.

In 2003, when he was the head coach at UTEP, Gillispie was arrested again, this time on suspicion of drunken driving. The charges were later dropped because of a lack of evidence that his blood-alcohol level was above the legal limit.

The damage has been done with Thursday's arrest.

One athletic director who is well connected in the Midwest and West and would have considered Gillispie for an opening in the future, said Thursday that as soon as he saw Gillispie's name back in the news: "I found myself thinking, 'Can this guy be hired?' I think an AD would have to think long and hard about the community he's in. Drinking and driving is such a big issue."

The athletic director, who asked to remain anonymous, said the DUI charge is the one transgression that could keep Gillispie from being hired.

"Lawsuits and litigation happen; contracts can have ambiguity, and there can be different interpretations," the athletic director said. "To me, the DUI is much more problematic. There's no question that if a job came open and you had two candidates, it would be hard to hire him. There are so many good candidates out there with less baggage.

"But who knows, someone may take a chance on him. My guess is that it will be a while and it won't be the job he wants."

Gillispie could have remained in College Station for a decade-plus. The Aggies were winning, and he was at home in his native Texas. It was hard to turn down Kentucky, though, considering all the job has to offer -- from the prestige to the recruiting advantages to the money. But since he took the job, the star Gillispie has been on has plummeted and created a crater he will now need to crawl out of in the near future.

Gillispie has good friends in the business, is a likable soul and has a passion for the game. He has proved to be an intense, passionate and productive coach. But now is the time for him to make sure he makes decisions that will allow him to get back to what he loves doing instead of dealing with the embarrassment of a mug shot that will haunt him for some time.

• Louisville coach Rick Pitino made a point in his monologue at a news conference Wednesday that the Cardinals haven't been hurt in recruiting and will continue to bring in top-10 classes. He's probably right. Recruiting has changed. The days of a traditional recruiting experience in which an elite coach goes into the home to pitch the school are over.

Louisville, like a number of elite programs, gets players through a variety of ways and notably through connections. Pitino is still viewed as a coach who can land NBA-level players. He won't have to be in a family's home to convince a player and his parents that he has high moral standing and that they should come play for him. By the time he gets to a home visit, the decision to go to Louisville likely already has been made.

Decisions are made so early, often well before a home visit, that the sitdown with the family generally has become nothing more than a rubber-stamping of the decision.

Quick hitters for Wednesday:

• The contract the sports marketing firm Gazelle Group has with Florida International doesn't have much wiggle room. It simply states that "the participant [FIU] will play one away game, on one of the above dates, at either the University of North Carolina or Ohio State University."

Let's take a little deeper look at this.

FIU is getting three home games out of this event -- North Carolina Central (Nov. 20), James Madison (Nov. 22) and Murray State (Nov. 23). The Panthers have to play one road game -- as far as Gazelle is concerned, at North Carolina, not Ohio State.

A year ago, FIU was in the CBE Classic and played three home games (Cleveland State, Toledo and non-Division I West Georgia) and then played at Washington. So in two seasons, FIU -- I repeat, F-I-U -- received six home games and just two road games from the organizers. That's rather generous considering the Panthers haven't really done anything on the court to justify being a relevant figure on the college basketball map.

If FIU athletic director Pete Garcia follows through on his threat to break the contract and play someone else, he'll have a hard time finding three home games. The NCAA allows tournaments like the Coaches vs. Cancer to count four games as two. So FIU would have to find only two games to fill its schedule. But it's hard to believe teams are lining up to play at FIU's 5,000-seat arena, especially in September.

Rick Giles, founder of the Gazelle Group, isn't backing down with the plan that calls for FIU to play at North Carolina to open the college basketball regular season on Nov. 9.

Thomas said late Tuesday night that the Panthers were planning on playing a road game at Monmouth after the trip to Columbus and that it would be made more difficult going from Chapel Hill. He said there is a chance FIU might squeeze in a game at Tulsa, too.

ESPNU was slated to televise the FIU-UNC game, giving the Panthers exposure they don't normally receive. This is a rebuilding season for Florida International, but the exposure would help. Thomas said he knows that switching the Ohio State-UNC sites isn't about competitive imbalance. He said he understands that Carolina returns one of five starters and Ohio State can claim the opposite with a veteran team that has all its major contributors returning, save reserve big man B.J. Mullens.

Sure, Carolina should be more of a contender later than Ohio State and has more NBA-level talent. But for a first game, playing UNC makes more sense for both parties.

Still, the Panthers are irritated by the way they received the news, despite the contractual agreement. If FIU plays hardball, they would lose three home games -- something that most teams in the country wouldn't dare do.

• FIU's second-leading scorer, Freddy Asprilla, isn't expected to show up for school, which started Monday. Thomas said that once the 6-foot-10 Asprilla (13.7 points and 9.2 rebounds per game last season) didn't show up, he was free to go anywhere. Asprilla was supposed to go home to Colombia and renew his visa so he could attend Miami Dade Junior College.

• Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim has won Olympic gold and been around every big name in basketball. But he's still an overall sports fan, and that's why one of his biggest thrills was walking 18 holes Monday with Tiger Woods to play in Notah Begay's charity event at Turning Stone near Syracuse.

"It was unbelievable,'' Boeheim said. "He hit every fairway, every green.'' Asked if Woods would help Boeheim's game, Boeheim said, "No. What he does wouldn't help me."

"It was cool," added Boeheim, who said golf is a close second for him in his love of sports, "one of the coolest things I've done."

• Syracuse starts school next week, and Boeheim continues to pump up the eligibility of Iowa State transfer wing Wesley Johnson. "He's the real deal; he's pretty good,'' Boeheim said. "He'll be a little rusty, but eventually he'll be great. He's so talented. He can shoot. He'll get a lot of shots."

The Orange will also move into a new practice facility adjacent to Manley Field House on Sept. 22. "It's got everything for us; it's a spectacular place,'' Boeheim said. "We're one of the few programs [in the Big East] that has had to share a multipurpose place with everybody. We've needed a place for a while."

• Miami opens the ACC regular season at Boston College on Dec. 6. It sounds incredibly early to start a conference season, but there is precedent. Just three seasons ago, the ACC opened on Dec. 3, with Miami playing host to Georgia Tech and Virginia hosting NC State. In the ACC's first season, in 1953-54, the league opened with games on Dec. 2 (Maryland at South Carolina), Dec. 3 (Maryland at Clemson) and Dec. 5 (Maryland at Wake Forest). In the 1950s and '60s, the ACC opened the conference schedule a number of times in the first week of December.

• February may seem like a lifetime from now, but circle a potential key game for a possible bubble team: Duke hosts Tulsa on Feb. 25. The Golden Hurricane, the favorite in Conference USA, could be in the position of needing a quality power-rating game at that late date.

The BracketBuster is a sound idea that matches two similar mid-major bubble teams. But rarely does a non-BCS league team get a chance to pick up a major win against a top-20 club two weeks before Selection Sunday. Playing the game will certainly help Tulsa; winning could clinch a bid.

Memphis will not be able to retry its case with the Committee on Infractions as it attempts to win an appeal on the penalty of vacating the NCAA-record 38 wins and 2008 runner-up appearance because of the use of an ineligible player.

Colonial Athletic Association commissioner Tom Yeager, a member of the COI from 1997-2006 and chair of the committee from 2001-04, said Memphis will have to prove the COI erred in its decision.

"They are not going to start over," Yeager said. "The appeals process is a very narrow process. They have to focus on a few items and show inconsistencies."

Yeager said when he was first on the COI, the appeals went to the NCAA council -- and since they weren't experts on the rules, the council rarely overturned the COI's decision. But recently a separate appeals committee was created. Yeager said that two members of the COI, who didn't participate in the hearing but were observers, would be involved in the appeal process. He said each entity would get a chance to give their side: the COI and the institution in the case (Memphis). And then the appeals committee will render a decision.

Conference USA commissioner Britton Banowsky, who is a member of the COI, had to recuse himself from the Memphis case since the school is a C-USA member. He also cannot represent the COI to the appeals committee on this case.

Yeager said the COI has a vested interest in these appeals. He said the COI will be just as anxious about the decision as the school that is appealing. Its work is on the line, too. Yeager said to keep an eye on how the appeal process handles the Florida State case, which is set for a Nov. 15 hearing in front of the NCAA Infractions Appeals Committee. FSU is seeking to overturn a decision that the school had to vacate wins in football after there was an academic-fraud scandal involving 61 student-athletes.

Yeager defended current COI chair Paul Dee in what appeared to be indifference as to why Derrick Rose took his challenged standardized test in Detroit instead of his native Chicago. Yeager said, without knowing the specifics of that aspect of the case, he anticipates that someone on the COI was privy to information on the matter. He said when he was on the committee they had a similar question with a standardized test when a New England prep school player took a test out of state. He said the player did so because the team was playing a game out of the region and decided to have the player take the test there since they were near a testing site.

• St. John's sports information director Mark Fratto has been a proponent of Twitter since the social-networking site began. In an effort to reach a new medium, Fratto is doing something his colleagues in similar positions in professional sports leagues have not -- embrace Twitter.

St. John's was scheduled to announce Tuesday that it is credentialing Peter Robert Casey for all of its men's basketball games. According to the school, Casey is believed to be the first primarily Twitter-based blogger anywhere in the country to earn a spot on press row.

Casey has more than 50,000 followers on Twitter, and Fratto has deemed that enough of a "circulation" of readers to credential him for all games. In terms of basketball-specific Tweeters, the Brooklyn-based blogger is among the top 10 in followers, behind only prolific posters such as Shaquille O'Neal, Dwight Howard, Chris Bosh, Charlie Villanueva and Kentucky coach John Calipari.

In its press release, St. John's included a quote from athletic director Chris Monasch promoting the addition of Casey to press row, saying "social media platforms like Twitter are what's hot right now, and very few people are connecting better with the online basketball community than Peter."

St. John's, which has moved the majority of its home games away from Madison Square Garden and to its Queens campus, is hoping to reach more fans through the new medium.