Howard Smith/US Presswire

After a health scare this summer, a reinvigorated Dave Rose is no doubt ready for the season to start.

10 offseason storylines

By Dana O'Neil
ESPN.com

1. Dave Rose's scare: The entire college basketball community was shaken when the BYU head coach was diagnosed with pancreatic neuroendocrine cancer in June. Shortly after a family vacation to Disneyland, Rose was rushed into emergency surgery, where doctors removed his spleen and part of his pancreas after the tumor was discovered due to internal bleeding. But what originally sounded like dire news instead turned miraculous when doctors declared Rose cancer-free shortly after the surgery. He's scheduled for his next scan next month, but already is back in control of the Cougars.

2. A new challenge: The Mountain West and Missouri Valley get into the mix of the preseason interconference battles this season. Rather than just randomly selecting matchups, this event smartly pairs teams based on their RPI in the previous season. It's a great way for both leagues to buoy their nonconference schedules and RPI as they try to receive more NCAA tourney invites.

3. Rebel with a cause: Coach Lon Kruger is understandably excited about his new point guard, Derrick Jasper. The Kentucky transfer, who would have started last season had he stayed at UK with Billy Gillispie, started the final 27 games of his freshman year, averaging 2.9 assists per game. Microfracture surgery held him out of 11 games his sophomore season, but he still shot 45 percent from behind the arc. That hot shooting, not to mention a 6-6 frame for a point guard, has Kruger and Runnin' Rebels fans anxious to see him on the court this season.

4. Rewarding success: Utah and Wyoming made sure the men who are orchestrating their current success aren't going anywhere. Jim Boylen, who has won 42 games in two seasons at Utah, has helped erase the sting of the two losing seasons that preceded him. With his name being linked to other jobs, including Arizona, the athletic department wisely signed him to a new five-year deal. In the meantime, Wyoming gave Heath Schroyer a two-year contract extension after the coach led the Cowboys to a 19-14 record and a CBI berth, their first postseason appearance in six years.

5. A facelift for The Pit: Offering one of the best home-court advantages in the country, New Mexico's historic arena is known for being exactly what its name implies -- a down-and-dirty, hard-to-play-in Pit. But even pits need to be cleaned up. So the Lobos are pouring $60 million into the 42-year-old building, adding club boxes and suites, wider concourses and more concessions. The one caveat: The seating bowl, which makes the Pit so unique, will remain intact. The renovations will continue through this season, but won't force the Lobos to find a new home.

6. Jonathan Tavernari sticks around: Not only did the forward eschew the NBA, withdrawing his name from the draft in late May, the Brazilian-born forward spurned multiple offers to play for some serious cash in Europe. Why? Because he knew with four starters back, this Cougars team could be even better than the three previous league winners.

7. Banged-up Carr: Despite missing several games with a groin injury, Colorado State's Jesse Carr led the Rams in assists and finished as the third-leading scorer among Mountain West freshmen. But that groin pain turned out to be a much more serious pelvis injury, which when announced in April, looked as though it would cause Carr to miss six to eight months. When and if the guard comes back will determine whether or not CSU can continue to steadily improve.

8. At last, Malcolm Thomas debuts: We think. The talented forward has had a twisted path to the Mountain West. Set to transfer to San Diego State from Pepperdine, he was instead declared academically ineligible and enrolled at San Diego City College. He poured in huge numbers at the junior college, good enough that he went so far as to submit his name for the NBA draft. But Thomas never signed with an agent and eventually withdrew his name. San Diego State coach Steve Fisher said Thomas is on track to enroll this fall.

9. What happens with Air Force? Like DePaul in the Big East, the Falcons waited until the conference tournament to beat a league opponent, edging Colorado State in the first round. Head coach Jeff Reynolds is optimistically looking at a boatload of rising sophomores who got a ton of experience last season, but the losing and the rigors of Academy life make it tough for quick turnarounds.

10. Replacing Chris Walker: Well-connected in Texas, Walker developed a pipeline from the Longhorn State to New Mexico. Five of the current UNM players hail from Texas, including a few who played for the T-Mac All-Star team Walker helped run before leaving for Albuquerque. Now Walker has bolted east to his alma mater, Villanova. Steve Alford replaced him with Wyking Jones, who spent the past two years working as a team manager with Nike. His roots are in California.

10 key players

By Dana O'Neil
ESPN.com

• Jimmer Fredette, BYU: Without Lee Cummard, the rising junior will need to contribute even more. Fredette, who finished fifth in the conference in scoring (16.6 ppg) as a sophomore last season, spent part of the summer at the NCAA-sanctioned King of Kings tourney in New York, where he dropped 41 in one game.

• Afam Muojeke, Wyoming: The league's rookie of the year last season will be asked to do even more now that Brandon Ewing has graduated. He can. Muojeke averaged 13.8 points and 5.5 boards last season.

• Zvonko Buljan, TCU: The Croatian junior-college transfer shone in his first season, earning the league's newcomer of the year honors. With the departure of Kevin Langford, the Horned Frogs' most reliable scorer, Buljan's role will be even more critical as Jim Christian tries to turn things around.

• Matt Shaw, UNLV: Out last season with a knee injury, Shaw's return to his usual self -- he averaged 7 points and 4 rebounds the season before -- will help the Runnin' Rebels get over the loss of Wink Adams. The forward also gives UNLV some inside presence to complement its savvy backcourt.

• JayDee Luster, Wyoming: He has yet to play a single minute for the Cowboys, but already the redshirt sophomore has been named team captain. Head coach Heath Schroyer has called him a born leader. A transfer from New Mexico State, the savvy point guard is expected to ease Wyoming's path as it transitions into its first season without all-time 3-point shooter Brandon Ewing.

• Andy Ogide, Colorado State: The Ole Miss transfer played well in his first season but will have to continue to get better in a hurry. Marcus Walker and Willis Gardner graduated and Jesse Carr is sidelined, putting even more pressure on Ogide to produce.

• Carlon Brown, Utah: Known for his highlight-reel dunk over Blake Griffin, the guard will have to be more than just a showman as the Utes try to replace their top four scorers. A top assist man, Brown has to look to score until juco helpers Jay Watkins and Matt Read get acclimated.

• Billy White, San Diego State: He can shoot the lights out, as evidenced by his 66 percent shooting from the field and perfect 12-for-12 night against Wyoming. The junior will have to be near perfection as the Aztecs replace five seniors.

• Noah Hartsock, BYU: The rising sophomore came on strong at the end of last season, scoring more points in his final two games than his previous 10. Will be interesting to see if he can pick up where he left off.

• Roman Martinez, New Mexico: With five seniors gone, Martinez -- the Lobos' top returning scorer and rebounder -- will have to be the anchor for New Mexico. He's a great shooter who finished third in the league from behind the arc, but he'll need to be a reliable scorer as well.

10 freshmen we can't wait to see

By Joel Francisco
Scouts Inc.

• Kawhi Leonard, SF, San Diego State: Leonard may have been the most underrated prospect on the West Coast in the Class of 2009. His length, huge hands and feathery shooting stroke should equate to immediate playing time.

• Anthony Marshall, SG, UNLV: Marshall is the quintessential glue guy whom all coaches covet. He isn't great at any particular skill, but he is an outstanding rebounder and has plenty of savvy for this game.

• Jeremy Olsen, C, Utah: Olsen is a multiskilled big who has a soft shooting touch in the paint area, including a nice left-handed jump hook. His frame should fill out nicely, but he needs to play with more intensity at both ends to reach his potential.

• Garlon Green, SF, TCU: Green, who is the brother of Gerald Green Jr. of the Dallas Mavericks, is the top sleeper of this bunch. His lengthy wing-type frame should fill out nicely and he has the athleticism to boot. If his perimeter skills continue to blossom, his ceiling is high.

• Chad Adams, SF, New Mexico: Adams has all the intangibles to be a standout scoring guard. He has long arms, elite quickness and can really bounce in transition. His jump shot will need to improve to keep defenses honest.

• Eric Lawton, SG, San Diego State: Lawton is an extraordinary athlete who may remind some of a poor man's Allen Iverson. He can get to the rim in a hurry and finish with a flush, but his jump shot is streaky.

• Jordan Finn, SG, Air Force: Finn is a terrific all-around basketball player. He will not wow you with elite levels of bounce and quickness, but you'll appreciate his high basketball IQ and passing prowess.

• Tyler Haws, SG, BYU: Haws is one of the most prolific jump shooters in the nation. His stroke is flawless and feathery. He should be deadly in the Cougars' offense due to his shooting prowess and passing ability.

• Trevor Williams, C, Colorado State: Williams is a major project, but he does have many of the intangibles coaches look for while evaluating big men. His frame is impressive with very long arms and soft hands. He is a tad mechanical around the basket, but that should improve with coaching.

• Carlos Lopez, PF, UNLV: Lopez could be the most versatile big man heading into the conference. His face-up skills are potent and he has the athleticism to take a defender off the dribble or shoot the midrange jump shot at the elbow.