ESPN Men's Basketball

1. Conference USA will take 15 of its 16 teams to El Paso now that Florida International has been banned for the 2014 postseason because of a poor APR score. New FIU coach Anthony Evans knew this could occur. CUSA coaches and athletic directors had just recently voted at the league meetings to send all 16 teams to the conference tournament. Teams will now slide up in the tournament seeding based on where FIU finishes. The league will likely only play three games on the first day of the tournament on Tuesday for seeds 10-15. The top four seeds will get a double bye.

2. Providence College coach Ed Cooley said he called as many schools as possible and could not schedule a home-and-home game out of the region. Providence has consistently had issues trying to get games, regardless of who their head coach is. There have been a few series with schools like Alabama and Texas, due to the connection of former coach Rick Barnes. PC also had one with Wichita State. That's why Cooley had to think out of the box with the new 18-game, round-robin Big East schedule. The Friars play Boston College at home, go to UMass (because Cooley said he was convinced the Minutemen would be a high RPI game), play Kentucky at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn and have the annual series with Rhode Island (this time in Kingston). They will also play in the Paradise Jam in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, against Vanderbilt and with La Salle as a possibility in the second round (Explorers play Morgan State). Maryland is on the other side of the bracket (with Northern Iowa as another player on that side). The Friars reached the NIT quarterfinals before losing to Baylor. Kris Dunn and Bryce Cotton give the Friars a shot to get back to the postseason and Cooley did a solid job of building a legitimate schedule to make the Friars potentially matter in March.

3. Memphis coach Josh Pastner knew when he took over for John Calipari he had to manage his staff as effectively as he did the team. He hired veteran head coach Willis Wilson. He later added former teammate Luke Walton during the lockout and also hired Damon Stoudamire. Stoudamire left and Pastner went back to his alma mater and hired former teammate Jason Gardner, who had been an assistant at Loyola. Gardner was on the 2001 national runnerup Wildcats and was one of the most competent four-year point guards in the last 14 years. He should immediately help the youthful backcourt for the Tigers. He's a winner and was a tough, rugged point guard. Meanwhile, Missouri coach Frank Haith added former Drake coach Mark Phelps on his staff. That gives Haith another former head coach on his veteran staff to go along with former DePaul and Virginia coach Dave Leitao.

1. Marcus Georges-Hunt led Georgia Tech in scoring last season as the only player in double figures. The Yellow Jackets, on a long climb back to relevance, finished 6-12 in the ACC, 16-15 overall. But Georgia Tech, along with Arizona, had multiple players trying out for the U-19 USA team that will play for gold in the Czech Republic next week at the FIBA Championships. Georges-Hunt made the cut list of 16, down from 26 (Tech's Robert Carter didn't make the first trim). He's trying to stay on the roster before the team leaves when it is trimmed to 12. The significance for Tech to have the 6-foot-6 Georges-Hunt this far is not lost on the Yellow Jackets. "This is great for our rebuilding process that we had two freshmen from our first recruiting class invited," said Georgia Tech coach Brian Gregory. "If Marcus could make the team, I think it could act as a spring board to a tremendous sophomore year. He is a very unselfish and team-oriented player, which is great. But we need him to be more aggressive and more assertive. Making the team would give him the confidence to do that. Finally, it would be big in our recruiting. Marcus was not a top-25 recruit, so his development at Georgia Tech in one year would be a selling point in our recruiting."

2. Oregon guard Damyean Dotson also made the list of 16 (see here for the roster information). Dotson is one of the main reasons there is a slew of optimism with the Ducks heading into next season. "Dot is so talented, works hard and competes so our expectations are high," said Oregon coach Dana Altman. "He is coachable and it would be a great experience for him to make the team. Sure hope it works out for him." The team will practice this week in Colorado Springs before a weekend of playing in Washington, D.C., in advance of the departure for Prague.

3. A few quick things from the past couple of days: As soon as Jerome Seagears told Auburn he wasn't going to stay after transferring, the odds-on favorite destination was a return to Rutgers. Auburn coach Tony Barbee said Seagears told him he needed to be closer to home. Well, Seagears' return is yet another sign the healing has begun at Rutgers with alumnus Eddie Jordan. The Scarlet Knights had their share of defections. To bring back a player who originally left after the Mike Rice debacle is symbolic of the potential return to normalcy for the Scarlet Knights. ... Oregon State unveiled its men's and women's practice facility last week. The cost was $15 million (of which $11 million was fund-raised). These facilities are a must to advance at the high level of recruiting in basketball. The majority of schools already have a separate area to practice. Oregon State, which is clearly the understudy to Oregon in the Nike chain in the state, has had to scrap for everything. This is a significant move forward for the two Beavers' programs.

1. In two weeks, the draft will be over and it will be easy to assess by reviewing the draft to see who made a mistake by coming out too soon from college. Late second-round picks usually don't get guaranteed money and not getting drafted means the player will have a harder time having to earn a spot. So much can change in the next two weeks but two players whose decisions appeared questionable may have been well-advised on their decisions after all. North Carolina's Reggie Bullock has the size and the quick shooting ability to make the transition. In watching him work out, he has solid first-round ability. He still needs to work on his ballhandling but can more than hold his own in a comparable position battle. The same could be true of New Mexico's Tony Snell. Bullock seems to be a lock for the first while Snell is making his case to be chosen late in the first round, too. There will be others who missed and some who surprise even more. But these two look like they made the right call.

2. Former Holy Cross and Seton Hall coach George Blaney retired Thursday at UConn after serving in a top assistant role for Jim Calhoun and then for Kevin Ollie in his first season as a head coach. Blaney was an unheralded person for the Huskies but a key behind the scenes during the rise to a title and then navigating through difficult times. Calhoun's health problems and suspension could have steered the program off course. But Blaney was always there as the sage adviser. Blaney had great command of his team, was well versed on the league and had a competent, realistic grasp on the current team. He was able to calm Calhoun down, offer respected advice and mentor the younger coaches on the staff. He should feel proud that he served the school well.

3. Northwestern coach Chris Collins said as a young head coach he wanted someone with experience to help him out. Hiring his former Glenbrook North High School coach Brian James, a longtime NBA assistant, who had worked with his father Doug, was a mature and intelligent move. Collins has played and coached, as an assistant, in high-pressure moments at Duke. But he had never been in those situations where the onus is on him to make the decision. Having James on his side will be a huge plus. Memphis coach Josh Pastner hired Willis Wilson in this capacity when he first got his job. Not every first-time coach makes the right decisions on a staff. There has to be trust and familiarity to make it work. This one should prove to be smart for Northwestern and Collins.

1. I want to make sure there is clarity in the NCAA tournament regional dome issue from Wednesday's 3-point shot. The NCAA is no longer mandating that a regional be played in a dome a year in advance of a Final Four at that site. The committee and the new leadership under Vice President Mark Lewis would rather the atmosphere be in arenas over domes in regionals. But that doesn't mean they won't award them to domes when sites are decided in 2014 for the events in 2017-2020. If there is a new dome, even in an old familiar Final Four city like in Atlanta, then there is a strong chance the new dome would get a regional for a test run. There is no longer a mandate, however, which is a clear distinction. There are still a few dome regionals already scheduled in 2014 with Indianapolis' Lucas Oil Stadium in advance of the 2015 Final Four in Indy and then in 2015 with one at Houston's Reliant Stadium in preparation for the 2016 Final Four in Houston. The Carrier Dome is hosting in 2015 as well, but Syracuse's home arena isn't in the same category since it isn't a Final Four site.

2. Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany has charged the basketball staff to look at some scheduling options to help out incoming members Maryland and Rutgers on the East Coast. One challenge or scheduling agreement that was circulated in infancy stages was with the Big East. But like the once and failed proposed deal with the Pac-12, figuring out how to schedule with another conference can be cumbersome. The Big Ten already has the marquee challenge with the ACC. Some schools in the Big Ten have locked in nonconference rivalry games, or neutral-site commitments. It leaves little room for another forced challenge. The other problem with doing a Big Ten-Big East deal is that games already exist. Creighton-Nebraska, Marquette-Wisconsin, Rutgers-Seton Hall are games between the two conferences (Rutgers will join the Big Ten in 2014-15). Butler-Indiana and Butler-Purdue are on a rotation of playing against each other every other year (Notre Dame plays Indiana/Purdue the other year). DePaul has played Northwestern and could ensure that game occurs, or one against Illinois for DePaul. Having Ohio State play Xavier, Villanova-Penn State (not a reach) and then the holy grail of trying to convince Maryland and Georgetown to play could actually be recast as a challenge. The problem would be finding two teams that make sense to play Providence and St. John's. This is all still a reach and the Big Ten isn't going to look at any of this until after a year of watching the new Big East.

3. The A-10 released its conference matchups for next season. Dayton drew Richmond, Saint Joseph's, Saint Louis and Rhode Island twice. The Flyers won't be playing Xavier at all since the Musketeers are no longer in the A-10, but there was no chance to play in a nonconference game for the two longtime rivals. Xavier coach Chris Mack said with 18 conference games instead of 16 previously for the Musketeers, playing Dayton wasn't a reality for next season. Existing contracts could make it tougher in the future. Meanwhile, Flyers coach Archie Miller said Xavier's scheduling issues and other nonconference contracts made it impossible to schedule the game this season. He's unsure about the future of the series.

1. The NCAA will have a portal available in July on its website for Final Four sites to make proposals for 2017-2020; a decision on sites for those years will be made later in 2014. The NCAA won't put any restrictions on the proposals, meaning that a city that doesn't have a dome can make an offer and the NCAA will discuss it. The NCAA has made one decision on domes -- it is done with them in regional finals. Mark Lewis, the NCAA's vice president in charge of championships, said using domes for regionals was a trial run for future Final Fours. But the upcoming Final Four sites have already had the dry run, so the NCAA doesn't need to do this anymore. Lewis said regional finals should be in arenas, and that will be the plan going forward. The next three Final Fours are in Arlington, Texas, in 2014; Indianapolis in 2015; and Houston in 2016.

2. Connecticut should get the credit it deserves for getting its Academic Progress Rate scores up to the appropriate level to qualify for the 2014 postseason. The Huskies got the necessary criticism for not qualifying last season. But the problem with the APR is that it goes back four years, not two. The most recent past of the Huskies has been good enough to stay eligible for postseason. UConn had to fix this problem and it did. The Huskies were the highest-profile team to sit out due as punishment for poor scores -- embarrassing and humbling for the school and program. Now the onus is on the school to keep the APR score high and for the Huskies to be once again a conference title contender.

3. Nerlens Noel will go to Washington (where the Wizards hold the No. 3 pick in the June 27 NBA draft) Friday after originally planning only to visit the teams with the top two picks -- Cleveland (set for June 20) and Orlando, earlier this month. Noel may also visit No. 4 Charlotte. Ben McLemore will visit Cleveland the same time Noel is there. Cleveland is getting a slew of calls about the No. 1 pick. The Cavs will listen, but they have to decide if a player in the lottery will help them next season or in 2014-15. The difference between the players in the lottery and those projected to go in the middle of the first round is marginal, according to one general manager. With that being the case, what is the point of making a move just to make a move?

1. Jerome Seagears' decision to leave Auburn after a few weeks leaves the Tigers in a tough spot. The divorce from Rutgers took its toll on Seagears and he and wants to return closer to home. Auburn isn't going to get someone comparable at this 11th hour. Seagears had spent a lot of time on the decision to leave Rutgers and after a few months chose the Tigers. He lasted two weeks. But there is optimism at Auburn with the hope that the freshmen class can turn the program around (3-15 in the SEC and 9-23 overall last season). Auburn coach Tony Barbee is high on 5-9 freshman Tahj Shamsid-Deen. "He's a big-time winner,'' said Barbee. "A lot of people passed on him. We've got a chance to have a fantastic player who will turn heads.'' Shamsid-Deen is one of six newcomers for the Tigers.

2. UConn and Florida have locked in a home-and-home series that will start at UConn on Dec. 2 and end with the Huskies returning the game during the 2014-15 season. The Huskies have one of the best nonconference schedules and adding the Gators makes it even tougher. The Huskies could end up playing brand names from the SEC, Pac-12 (Stanford), ACC (Maryland) and possibly the Big Ten (Indiana). Meanwhile, the Gators have a stellar slate too with a road game at Wisconsin (Nov. 12), Florida State (Nov. 29), at UConn (Dec. 2), Kansas in the Big 12/SEC Challenge (Dec. 10) and against Memphis in the Jimmy V Classic (Dec. 17).

3. San Diego coach Bill Grier had told his staff he was thrilled that he did not have to coach against Tulane's Josh Davis anymore after facing him in consecutive seasons. But then Davis transferred to San Diego State, and the Aztecs plays USD every year. Davis will be immediately eligible and Grier said Monday he couldn't believe he will have to face him again. San Diego State also plays host to Arizona, Washington, plays at Kansas and goes to the new Wooden Legacy tournament in Fullerton and Anaheim. SDSU coach Steve Fisher said he put off playing a game at Cincinnati for next season to the following season in 2014-15.

1. The Pac-12's decision to partner with the Mountain West and hire Bobby Dibler to lead the officiating crew is a smart idea. Both leagues need uniformity out West. The WCC, Big West and WAC will also participate in an officiating training program administered under Dibler's direction. Dibler was a long-time official who has been a veteran officiating coordinator. He is well respected in the West by conference administrators and officials. Dibler had to deal with tragedy when his 55-year old wife Carroll and 20-year old daughter Kristin were murdered in their El Paso home in 2000 by Kristin's ex-boyfriend. Dibler has poured his life into his work of officiating since the tragedies and been an important voice in the sport out West. The Pac-12 and the MWC have it in their best interest to collaborate so the best officials are working the top level games. These conferences should work together as much as possible to have more uniformity in officiating. They should encourage sharing of information so that there is no difference when a crew is working a game in one of these conferences.

2. UConn is close to being healthy as Shabazz Napier, Tyler Olander and Omar Calhoun are returning from injuries. Napier has a chance to be a player of the year candidate in the American conference. UConn coach Kevin Ollie said over the weekend that German big man Enosch Wolf is welcome back on the team but he has to pay his own scholarship after he was cleared of domestic assault charges (he was suspended in February). Ollie said Wolf could transfer, go play in Europe or come back. He said he has earned the right to come back but has to deal with his own financial aid. Meanwhile, the Huskies are putting together quite a schedule for next season. The Huskies will play at Washington (in a return series), host Harvard (the Crimson are top 25 good) and host Stanford in Hartford all in December. UConn will play Maryland at the Barclays Center to start the season Nov. 8 and play Boston College and then possibly Indiana (which has to get by Washington) in the 2K Sports Classic at Madison Square Garden in New York City the week after the season opener.

3. So many wonderful things have been said about the late Miami coach Charlie Coles, who passed away Friday at age 71. I can't remember any coach saying anything negative about Coles. His former MAC rivals from Dan Dakich to Tim O'Shea raved about what a wonderful person he was during their tenures in the league. He once was on a staff at Miami with Herb Sendek, Sean Miller and Thad Matta. He had so may friends, friendly rivals, and no enemies that anyone claimed. He was a pleasure to deal with from a media perspective. Xavier's Chris Mack tweeted about the two iconic personalities in Southern Ohio at one time with Coles and the late Skip Prosser of then Xavier. The current crop of coaches should take a cue with how these men were more balanced about the game and handled themselves. They were characters. They were genuine. And like Prosser, Coles will be sorely missed.

1. Kansas coach Bill Self said every newcomer but Andrew Wiggins is on campus and in summer school. He said Wiggins' summer plans are still unresolved. Wiggins may play for the Canadian National team or may not. He is expected on campus soon. Self is already raving about Wayne Selden, one of the six newcomers. This will end up being one of Self's most enjoyable teams. He gets a chance to completely mold this crew in the summer with the comfort of having Wiggins. The Jayhawks won't be dominant, but they will be one of the most intriguing and entertaining teams to watch next season.

2. ACC freshman of the year Olivier Hanlan of Boston College won't go with the Canadian World University Games team to Russia next month. BC coach Steve Donahue said Hanlan was with the Canadian National Team for six days last week, but will spend the rest of the summer working out with the Eagles. Hanlan scored 41 points in an ACC tournament win over Georgia Tech. Hanlan has a chance to get the most out of this summer by working with his national team and better competition, while also spending quality time with his Eagles team that needs to make a move in the ACC and has a real chance to do so with so many returnees.

3. Oklahoma and Wisconsin are taking foreign trips in August, with the Sooners heading to Belgium and France and the Badgers going to Canada. The timing for the trips is crucial for both. Oklahoma is coming off an NCAA tournament season, but is retooling in what should be a Kansas-Oklahoma State-Baylor led Big 12. The Badgers desperately needed prep and games for Josh Gasser as he gets back from an ACL injury. Having this trip will allow Gasser to re-adjust to being the leader on this team. Traevon Jackson was the top playmaker in Gasser's absence. Now the two can attempt to work together. Wisconsin's season ended with a thud, losing to Ole Miss in the NCAA tournament. Playing in Canada in August will be a good precursor to mounting a run back to the NCAAs.

1. For months, the favorites to host the American Athletic Conference basketball tournaments have been Memphis, Tenn., for the men and a Connecticut site (Hartford or the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville) for the women. Announcements are expected in the next week or two on both. This is the right move for the fledgling league. Memphis has consistently supported men's tournaments, while the state of Connecticut has been one of the best homes for women's basketball in the country. The Big East ran its tournament in Hartford and Conference USA had good runs with its men's event in Memphis. The only thing left to determine is the length of the deal. It's too early to tell if the American can create a destination or will need to rotate the event. The membership is committed for now in large part because the schools have no other choice. So the league should look to create a sense of stability with a long-term home.

2. Xavier coach Chris Mack has never been afraid of playing anybody, anywhere and at any time during the season. But he said he essentially had to dial back with the high-major games for the upcoming season as the Musketeers move from the Atlantic 10 to the new Big East. He said Xavier will be playing more high-major teams than ever -- including two games in the round-robin schedule against new league members Georgetown, Villanova, Marquette and traditionally tough teams Creighton and Butler. St. John's and Providence should also be in the mix for postseason berths. But the Musketeers didn't schedule soft. Tennessee will be one of the top three teams in the SEC. Going to Alabama, despite some recent issues, will be tough; a home date with Wake Forest and against Battle 4 Atlantis headliner Kansas will be a challenge. And of course the neutral-site game against Cincinnati at U.S. Bank Arena will be one of the hardest games on the schedule. The Xavier-Cincinnati series has one more year at U.S. Bank in a two-game deal before it is reviewed to see if the series should return to campus sites.

3. The NCAA invited attorneys who handle enforcement cases that go to the committee on infractions to look over new legislation Monday in Indianapolis. According to at least one person in attendance, the NCAA reviewed new rules, penalties and processes. The focus from the NCAA was that enforcement will look even more at coach control. Former enforcement director Julie Roe Lach was in attendance as a practitioner. The NCAA's next big case is Miami. The much-discussed Hurricanes case, which has been riddled with controversy, is set for a three-day hearing beginning June 14. Such NCAA hearings are usually two-day affairs at most.

1. Memphis coach Josh Pastner had former Missouri guard Michael Dixon on campus Tuesday for a face-to-face visit. Dixon's case is complicated, as ESPN.com's Jason King reported, and there is plenty he must do to become eligible. There are a few issues at play here for Pastner. One of the downsides of social media is that Dixon's arrival was well-chronicled, and his supposed commitment put out for the world to see before it was actually done. Pastner had no time to make a decision before it was presumed to have been made for him. Now, suddenly, his timeline is pushed up because of the assumption that a commitment has been accepted, whether or not an offer was extended. Pastner doesn't need to take second-chance players. He did once with Geron Johnson and it worked out. And while there is no guarantee that newcomers Kuran Iverson and Rashawn Powell will be eligible, according to a source, it's also unknown whether Dixon will be, either. Pastner has done a fantastic job under the shadow of John Calipari and has the Tigers ready to move to the American Athletic Conference next season on an upward trajectory. He was investigating Dixon on his own, but the visit got exposed before any firm decision was made. Now Pastner has to make a public choice of whether to waste his time on taking a player who is searching for an opportunity that not every program may be willing to give him for one year.

2. The U.S. World University Games team will have its hands full with Canada during the competition, set for July 6-17 in Kazan, Russia. The Canadian roster, released Tuesday, isn't as loaded but boasts plenty of major-college talent. Boston College's Olivier Hanlan, the ACC freshman of the year, is joined by headline players Kyle Wiltjer (Kentucky), Kevin Pangos (Gonzaga), Dwight Powell (Stanford), Brady Heslip (Baylor), Melvin Ejim (Iowa State), Laurent Rivard (Harvard) and Jordan Bachynski (Arizona State). Each of these Canadians will have a significant role on his respective team, with all of them starting the season in position to make a run at an NCAA bid. Ejim may be the most intriguing of the lot, with a real shot to be even more of a breakout player in the Big 12. Pangos will have more scoring next season. Powell led the Cardinal last season. Rivard will be a fixture on a stacked Crimson. Wiltjer has to adjust his role with the newcomers at Kentucky but can still be a matchup problem. Heslip must be more consistent. Bachynski has to absorb some of Carrick Felix's numbers after his departure. And Hanlan will be responsible for leading the Eagles higher in the ACC.

3. Iowa State coach Fred Hoiberg has taken plenty of transfers his first few years in Ames. He has had success stories mixed in with quality newcomers. I'll be very interested to see if he can maximize the talent of DeAndre Kane, who was a disappointment for Marshall after starting last season with such promise. Kane was essentially asked to leave Marshall by coach Tom Herrion; they weren't going to mesh for one more season. Now Kane has to be in step with Hoiberg if his final year in college is going to be productive. Kane originally was looking to go to Pitt, but that didn't work out, either. He pursued Iowa State and the Cyclones were receptive. It's in everyone's best interest that this works for next season so the Cyclones can be relevant come March for a third consecutive season.

1. The Anaheim Classic is going through some changes that should make it a more intimate event, building up toward a more unique championship day. The tournament, played over Thanksgiving weekend, has been at the Anaheim Convention Center, but has had plenty of sparsely populated games. So, the plan is to move the first two days of the tournament to Cal State-Fullerton's Titan Gym. The final day of the event will be played at the Honda Center in Anaheim to give it more of an elite ending. And to raise the profile of the event, the name will no longer be the Anaheim Classic but rather the Wooden Legacy. The first two rounds will be Nov. 28 and 29 with the championship day on Dec. 1. The tournament has headline teams in Creighton, San Diego State, Marquette, Arizona State and Miami with the College of Charleston, George Washington and the host Titans. Fullerton needs to take advantage of their homecourt and play well for two reasons -- to play rare higher-level games at home and to ensure the crowds are decent.

2. The cuts for the World University Games team playing in Russia could be some of the hardest for USA basketball. Junior national director Jim Boeheim of Syracuse will have a hard time whittling down this list. The team, which will train the last week of June in Colorado Springs, should be the overwhelming favorite in the event. But getting down to the cut list of 24 will be quite a chore for Boeheim and WUG coaches Bob McKillop (Davidson), Frank Martin (South Carolina) and John Beilein (Michigan). Here is the list: Eric Atkins (Notre Dame), Markel Brown (Oklahoma State), Deonte Burton (Nevada), Quinn Cook (Duke), Bryce Cotton (Providence), Spencer Dinwiddie (Colorado), C.J. Fair (Syracuse), Yogi Ferrell (Indiana), Davante Gardner (Marquette), Treveon Graham (VCU), Jerian Grant (Notre Dame), P.J. Hairston (North Carolina), A.J. Hammons (Purdue), Luke Hancock (Louisville), Joe Harris (UVA), Tyler Haws (BYU), Andre Hollins (Minnesota), Rodney Hood (Duke), Josh Huestis (Stanford), Cory Jefferson (Baylor), Sean Kilpatrick (Cincinnati), Alex Kirk (New Mexico), Devyn Marble (Iowa), Doug McDermott (Creighton), Adreian Payne (Michigan State), Chasson Randle (Stanford), Will Sheehey (Indiana), Aaron White (Iowa), Kendall Williams (New Mexico).

3. The list will be cut down to 12. Everyone could use making the team to better themselves. But Hood could use it more than anyone else after sitting out last season as a transfer from Mississippi State. Hood needs game action before he starts to star for Duke. Fair, Grant, Hairston, Jefferson, McDermott and Payne all are trying out for the team after making the decision to return to school. The fact that two players from Indiana, Duke, Notre Dame, New Mexico and Iowa are on the first list is a sign about these three teams' future next season. Kirk and Grant have a chance to be headline players next season. So too, does White. The one player who could benefit as much as anyone is Ferrell, who will have to be even more of a playmaker next season without Victor Oladipo on his wing.

1. Character does count. Of course, it matters when it is put alongside talent. But the two players in the NBA draft lottery who continue to get high marks for character, performance and readiness are Indiana's Victor Oladipo and Georgetown's Otto Porter. In a draft that may lack franchise players, teams are searching for low-maintenance players who can help. And Oladipo and Porter are fitting that more than others, according to a number of a teams. Oladipo can come in and contribute in more than one way, offering up a high-energy second-unit player. Porter can be a scorer who may flourish more in an open game. Neither Oladipo nor Porter will likely last long on draft night.

2. NBA teams are like college coaches in that they will buy into the latest trend. And the search for the next Paul George is the latest example. The player who is creating a George-like buzz is Georgia's Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. The 6-foot-5 Georgia wing was a high-level scorer for the Bulldogs. Now, Georgia is obviously a higher-profile school than Fresno State where George played, but the Bulldogs, like their same mascot named team to the West, were hardly known nationally the past two seasons. Caldwell-Pope isn't someone who was featured much at all nationally. But there are already comparisons being drawn between the two players. Don't expect Caldwell-Pope to last late in the lottery.

3. Indiana's Cody Zeller is a perfect example of a player who won't be affected at all by one poor performance on a national stage. I was in Washington, D.C., in March when Zeller played small and short against Syracuse's zone. He had no lift against the zone and couldn't find his shot, let alone get out and be effective as a big man. That is now deemed much more of an aberration than the performances Zeller had during the season when he did run the floor and was effective. Zeller's athleticism on display in Chicago at the draft combine last month and his workout regimen is making him much more of a safer pick than other big men. Zeller didn't look like an NBA player during that Sweet 16 loss, and the media didn't hold back in referencing his in ability to stand out. But he'll be one of the first big men to hear his name called on June 27, making his decision to leave look like the right one.

1. Commissioner Mike Aresco pulled off a shrewd but intelligent move when he made sure the new American Athletic Conference offices stayed in Providence, R.I. -- where the Big East staff has been based. The majority of the staffers are family people and didn't want to leave Providence. If the league office were to move, the staff might be more apt to look elsewhere or be plucked away by the new Big East. That hasn't happened, and the new Big East is still without a commissioner or staff. Meanwhile, the American has the same people running its operation. The American released its logo Thursday and it has a chance to catch on. The league is taking care of its business. Its basketball tournament sites should be announced in the next few weeks and the favorites are Memphis, Tenn., for the men and either Hartford, Conn., or Uncasville, Conn. (at the Mohegan Sun Arena), for the women.

2. Two Wisconsin-Green Bay players released statements through the school Thursday after spending the past month wondering if head coach Brian Wardle would be dismissed due to verbal-abuse allegations. Keifer Sykes and Alec Brown said: “We are really happy that the investigation is over, and we are excited about playing together next season for Coach Wardle and our other coaches. This has not been an easy couple of months for our team and coaches to go through and we are ready to move forward. The character and communication in our locker room is really good right now, and we are focused on getting better this offseason and contending for a championship next year.” Lost amid these investigations are the players who were held hostage by uncertainty. Wardle was cleared of mostly everything, though he must have an adviser with the team next season to watch what occurs. UWGB has a legit shot to win the Horizon League.

3. New Mexico State will be the last team standing from the traditional WAC in 2014. The Aggies aren't 100 percent certain where they will be in basketball in two years. New Mexico State can't get in the Mountain West, and needs to find a way to get into Conference USA. That's the perfect fit for the Aggies, who have a historical rivalry with UTEP. If they can't move, coach Marvin Menzies' squad should get an NCAA bid or compete for a berth every season. There really is no excuse in such a weakened WAC.

1. The new Big East has soccer and volleyball schedules for the fall despite not having a commissioner or staff yet. Each athletic director among the 10 was given a sport to work on scheduling along with the coaches from each school. The athletic directors are completely in the dark on the league's new commissioner; the decision is being made by the university presidents. Meanwhile, the schools are still waiting to hear from broadcast partner Fox about what nights they will typically play on during the conference season. Monday and Thursday doubleheaders are a possibility, but the use of pro arenas by Seton Hall, Providence, Villanova, Marquette, Georgetown and St. John's makes it hard to lock in just two nights per week for games.

2. Independent investigator Stu Brown of the Indianapolis-based law firm Ice Miller has submitted the report about the officiating controversy during the Pac-12 basketball tournament to league presidents for their spring meetings this weekend in Utah. The Pac-12 called for an outside report after Ed Rush, the coordinator of officials, resigned over allegations that he jokingly offered financial and other incentives for handing out a technical foul to Arizona coach Sean Miller. Officials also at the time told ESPN that Rush ruled through intimidation during his one year in the position. Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott and the presidents will review the investigation and determine if further action is needed. The Pac-12 is still seeking a replacement for Rush.

3. The high-profile challenge games between the ACC and Big Ten and the SEC and Big 12, neutral-site single games and neutral-site tournaments are making it harder for elite programs to set up true home-and-home series. Take Indiana, for example: The Hoosiers will play Notre Dame in Indianapolis at the Crossroads Classic, go to Syracuse in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge and play in the 2K Sports tournament with Connecticut, Boston College and Washington. That gives the Hoosiers four games away from Bloomington -- probably enough for a program that has to fund a number of sports. Kansas is one of the few top-10 programs that still plays true home-and-home series. KU had a series with Ohio State that wasn't tied to anything, and now has one with Georgetown. The Hoosiers have one game left to give, but likely will buy a home game instead of starting a new series on the road.

1. The SEC is constantly looking for consistency as a league in college basketball; football has never been the issue. Kentucky and Florida are regular national players, but the rest of the league has struggled. One thing it needs is a destination for its conference tournament. Commissioner Mike Slive told reporters at the SEC meetings in Destin, Fla., Tuesday that there was a unanimous vote to put the tournament in one location, with reports calling Nashville, Tenn., the likely destination. Perfect. The SEC needs to grow the tournament in one spot. Nashville can support it locally, and it's close to Vanderbilt, Tennessee and, of course, Kentucky, and not far from Arkansas, if the Hogs were to re-emerge as a player. Nashville is also a destination city in the Southeast. The SEC tournament is slated for Nashville in 2015, '16 and '19; the 2014 edition will be at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. Putting the tournament back in an NBA/NHL-size arena makes more sense, since it should be more intimate. The Big East had and will continue to have Madison Square Garden. The Pac-12 is trying to make Las Vegas its tourney home. The Big 12 has a good thing going with a rotation of Kansas City. Mo., and Dallas, while the Big Ten is doing it right with Chicago and Indianapolis. The ACC had Greensboro as its home, outside of a few years when the event rotated elsewhere, but that league is changing, so spreading out to the Northeast will work given new membership. But the SEC can't take its show on the road as much. Having one home would definitely help the conference tournament grow.

2. Colorado athletic director Mike Bohn handed in his resignation, and while the football program has struggled, Bohn hit a home run on his basketball hire. Bohn took a chance when he hired Tad Boyle, a former Kansas player, from nearby Northern Colorado. Boyle coached the Bears for four years, reaching the CIT in his final year. The big state schools don't usually look to a lesser-known state school to raise a program's profile -- yet Boyle has turned the Buffs into a major player in the West and in the Pac-12. The Buffs have gone to the NIT semifinals, won a Pac-12 tournament and a game in the NCAA tournament, then got back to the NCAAs last season. Basketball is a happening in Boulder now. The buzz is real. So while Bohn might have had his faults and the football program can be put atop the list, he got basketball right and should be given credit for taking a chance on Boyle. Boyle returned the loyalty by staying in Boulder this past spring when he could have pursued other opportunities.

3. Missouri coach Frank Haith took in Baylor transfer Deuce Bello for two years; the guard must sit out a year before playing. The Tigers have found a way to benefit from being in Big 12 territory but playing in the SEC. Missouri can be a home for wayward transfers who don't want to leave the area but can still play in a different conference. It will be interesting to track how often Missouri gets a transfer from the Big 12. Haith has gone with transfers quite a bit since taking over in Columbia two years ago. He'll likely continue on that path, with transfers complementing high school recruits.