10. Patrick Beverley ? Guard ? Arkansas

Beverley is another hard-nosed, versatile, talented SEC guard (they are riddled with them). Last season he was the highest scoring freshman in the conference (13.9 points per game), and also led his team in scoring. Due to that fine season, expectations were raised very high for this year, many touting him as a candidate for First Team All-SEC. He leads the Razorbacks in scoring again this season at 14.3 per contest, and the 6?1? guard is also third on the team in rebounds at 4.7 per game, slightly up from last year?s average. He also uses length to make an impact defensively (again, like many SEC guards) ? he averaged 1.7 steals per contest last year, and has 7 steals and 4 blocks through his first six games so far this season. Early on, there is worry that there isn?t strong evidence of improvement from his freshman year to his sophomore year. His shooting percentages are almost unchanged, and his assists are down while his turnovers are up, twice committing 5 in a game already. But if the Razorbacks have any visions of improving on last season?s 7-9 conference record, they need Beverley to be ?the man? offensively, providing more reliable percentages and take better care of the basketball.

9. Sundiata Gaines ? Guard ? Georgia

Even though he is only 6?1?, Gaines entered the college ranks as a shooting guard. But a problem developed: he couldn?t shoot. Through his first three seasons, he is shooting a combined 41% from the field and 30% from long distance. They seem OK on the surface, but if you take away the 45% he shot from the field in season 2, and the 35% he shot from downtown last year, the numbers would be a lot lower. The just of it is, he is not one of the top scoring options on the team. What he is is a dynamic and versatile talent at the point guard position, and one of the top rebounding guards in the country. His board numbers have climbed every year, from 4.9 to 5.1 to 5.7 to 6.0 so far this season. His passing game has also improved, climbing from 2.9 to 3.4 to 4.8, and he is dishing an adequate 4.6 so far this year. He is also a fantastic perimeter defender which great instincts. He has never averaged less than 2 steals per game, and has stolen more than 2.21 for his career. His scoring is up a bit this year to 11.4 thanks to a dominating game against Grambling State (27 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals). There was hope that his improved 3 point shooting last year was a trend, but so far he is just 2 for 14. Then again, it?s still early, and he could add the ability to shoot to further increase his versatility and impact.

8. Devan Downey ? Point Guard ? South Carolina

Downey sat out last season because he transferred from Cincinnati after a solid freshman year in 05-06 that saw him earn Big East All-Rookie team honors (averaging 11.9 points, 4.3 assists and 1.9 steals). He immediately was dubbed the new starting point guard after senior Tre Kelly graduated, taking with him his All-SEC numbers from last year (he posted 18.9 points and 5.1 assists per game). So Downey has some big shoes to fill, ones that may be difficult for a player only 5?9? in height. To counter that, however, he has tremendous speed and rumors of a wingspan up to 6 feet. 7 games into the season, Downey is doing his best to take over where Kelly left off, leading the Gamecocks in points (18.0), assists (4.9) and steals (3.3), while also contributing a very solid 4.3 rebounds. What he misses from the field (38.8% field goal shooting so far) he makes up for at the line (84% on 25 attempts) and from long range (15-for-32 from 3, good for 47%). South Carolina isn?t exactly littered with impact players, scoring options, or major talent, so expect Downey to carry the load all season and be amongst the SEC scoring leaders at year end.

7. Nick Calathes ? Guard/Forward ? Florida

Calathes isn?t even the biggest name in his school?s freshman class, as that would belong to point guard Jai Lucas. However, his game is probably the biggest, and it is making an immediate impact (where Lucas? so far is not). Despite being listed as the team?s starting small forward (he is 6?6?, and the starters at the guard spots are 6?0? or shorter), Calathes plays all three perimeter positions over the course of the game and has proven to be the best passer on the team, dishing out a team high 5.6 assists through the first 7 games (currently 2nd in the conference). He is also leading the team in minutes (30.4), and is second in scoring (13.0) and steals (1.1). His 3.3 turnovers could certainly be better, as could his shooting percentages (43% from the field, 30% from three point land), but remember, he has only played 7 games in his college career and is carrying the load for a team that has won back to back national championships. The McDonalds All-American and two-time state of Florida?s Mr. Basketball is also a very intelligent player, and a gym rat, so expect his game to constantly get better, especially throughout year one.

6. Anthony Randolph ? Forward ? LSU

Most within the program thought that with Glen Davis gone, the team would belong to junior forward Tasmin Mitchell ? who averaged 11 points and 8 rebounds in the first two games before suffering a severe ankle injury six minutes into the third game that will sideline him for the season ? but it has been the freshman Randolph carrying the Tigers. And with Mitchell out of the picture this year, Randolph will continue to be counted on heavily. At this rate of production, Randolph as separated himself with Calathes and Patrick Patterson as the top freshmen in the conference. Randolph is a five star recruit and one of the top incoming small forwards in the country. He can play inside and out, can rebound, and is tougher than his lanky 6?11?, 220lb frame would indicate. Through six games, he is second on the team in points (14.0) and first in rebounding (8.0, tied for fifth in the conference). He also leads the team in blocked shots (2.8, 2nd in the SEC), and second in steals to Mitchell with 1.8 (tied for 7th in the SEC), so he is making his impact on both ends of the floor. He has tremendous instincts and athletic ability that help him achieve these defensive numbers, reminding some of ex-Tiger Tyrus Thomas. The depleted Tigers will need everything he can give.

5. Shan Foster ? Guard/Forward ? Vanderbilt

Last year it appeared that Foster?s offence had hit a plateau ? showing virtually no statistical improvement from his sophomore year to his junior, where his slight increase in rebounding and assists was negated by decreases in field goal and 3-point percentages. Perhaps, though, that was largely due to then-teammate Derrick Byars (who happened to be the coaches? choice for SEC Player of the Year). With Byars gone, however, Foster has stepped up his offensive game. He leads the team in minutes (31.0), points (18.8, an increase of over 3 points from last year), steals (1.4), three-point percentage (51.5%, 20-for-39), is second in rebounds (5.4) and has increased his field goal shooting to over 49%. He has led Vandy to a perfect 5-0 record to start the season, but it will be interesting to see how he handles being the focal point in the offence in February and March, where the games are much more crucial.

4. Patrick Patterson ? Power Forward ? Kentucky

For a team with virtually zero inside presence, being able to land such a lauded recruit in Patterson was a big-time win for new coach Billy Gillespie. In his senior year of high school last year, the 6?9?, 219lb Patterson averaged 17 points, 12 rebounds and 4 blocks per game ? not exactly jump off the chart numbers for a future NBA player, but good nonetheless. Through the team?s first five games he is second in minutes (30.4), points (15.8), assists (2.0) and blocks (1.2), and first in rebounds (8.8), steals (2.2), and field goal shooting (66.7%). Not bad for a freshman. But what if you take away his first game, where he played only 13 foul plagued minutes? Over the last four he is averaging 18.8 points, 10.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 0.8 turnovers, 2.5 steals and 1.5 blocks. He is even showing incredible stamina, playing all 40 minutes of the team?s last game. He has earned the trust of his coaching staff and teammates, providing leadership and having a great impact on both ends of the floor while leading his team to a 4-1 record to start the season.

3. Jamont Gordon ? Guard ? Mississippi State

The 6?4?/225lb Gordon is simply one of a kind: a natural shooting guard, transformed into a point guard that on occasion plays power forward. As you can see from some of the forwards on this list, Gordon is bulkier than a lot of the power forwards in the SEC, and the country for that matter. He also has great speed, a nose for the ball, basketball instincts, and athleticism that enables him to be one of the best rebounders in the conference (7.1 per game as a sophomore last year, 6.8 as a freshman). In addition to the rebounding, he became more of a facilitator last year, averaging 5.3 assists in addition to his improved shooting stroke (went from 13.8 points to 16.0, from 26% from three to 34.7%). Simply put, there is no one player in the country who can guard him all over the floor wherever he plays. Last season also marked the first ever triple double in Mississippi State school history, as Gordon notched 15 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists against conference rival Vanderbilt. With lack of help surrounding him, Gordon has taken on more of a scoring role to begin the season, averaging 17.8 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.7 assists and an ugly 4.0 turnovers. His shooting is still improving, up to 48% from the field and 37% from long range, and he should earn a second consecutive All-SEC nod. The Bulldogs need every bit of what he brings to the table just to finish .500 (they are 3-3 so far).

2. Chris Lofton ? Guard ? Tennessee

Can last year?s SEC Player of the Year be able to duplicate his success? His 20.8 points per game led the conference last year, and he did it with incredible efficiency (47.9% from the field, 41.9% from long distance, 81% from the free throw line). Though he poured in 17.2 points per game in his sophomore year, I am not sure anyone envisioned a 20 average from this shooting guard in a point guard?s body (6?2?, 200lbs). He has great athleticism though, and never stopped working to better himself. More than ever before, he has had to deal with defenses designed to slow him down, and it has worked to start the season (as seen by his paltry 36% field goal percentage and 36.5% 3 point percentage). One of his many issues is he can be a bit of a ?chucker? ? for instance last game he shot 8 for 21 from the field, including 8 for 20 from long distance. He will need to do a better job of relying on teammates when his shot isn?t falling. He is averaging a full assist more than last season, so he may be starting to understand that, but the Smith trio is ready to help (JaJuan, Tyler, and Ramar are averaging 37.1 points combined, with two shooting over 55% from the field). Accepting help offensively, and providing help defensively will be a welcome addition to his moniker as a big game shooter.

1. Richard Hendrix ? Power Forward ? Alabama

It appears that someone (yes, Richard, I am looking at you) took offence to being left out of the preseason All-American discussion. After a better-than-average sophomore season (14.6 points, 8.7 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.2 blocks, conference-leading 60.2% field goal percentage), he has exploded to start this season. The 6?8?/265lb low post brute has started his junior year with 5 straight double doubles (including 23 rebounds in the first game of the year) and has failed to score 20 points only once. Add it all up and he is averaging 22.8 points, 14.0 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.0 steals, 2.6 blocks and shooting 63.8%. There is a word for that, and that word is ?outstanding.? With his improved defensive mechanics, and a lower foul rate, this figures to be very much a trend and not a mirage. He will carry the team on his burly shoulders, and the Crimson Tide are only happy to oblige.  

Click here for his Big 10 Preview for 2007-2008

Click here for his ACC Preview for 2007-2008

Click here for his Big 12 Preview for 2007-2008

Click here for his Pac 10 Preview for 2007-2008

Nick can be reached at nickobergan@hotmail.com

Police reports of an alleged shooting incident involving Bob Knight differ slightly from the account given by the Lubbock man who said the Texas Tech coach or his hunting buddy fired birdshot his way.

James Simpson told The Associated Press that birdshot came into his yard three times on Oct. 21, and three times he yelled from a distance at Knight and the other man to move away from his home to hunt dove.

But, according to the police report, he only told the officer about just one instance when birdshot hit his house, after which he yelled at the two hunters to "back up." Then, the report states, a pellet struck his head. Simpson told the AP that pellets hit his neck and back.

North Carolina didn't need any help from apparitions. It just seemed that way to cold-shooting Ohio State.

Wayne Ellington and Deon Thompson led a second-half surge, and the top-ranked Tar Heels held Ohio State without a field goal for almost 11 minutes in a 66-55 victory Wednesday night.

Point guard Ty Lawson may not be able to play when North Carolina (No. 2 ESPN/USA Today, No. 1 AP) plays Ohio State on Wednesday night in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge.

No matter, Buckeyes' Coach Thad Matta said. It's not one individual who makes the Tar Heels so good.

"The great thing about North Carolina, you know they're going to do what they do," Matta said. "They've got a little bit of the Green Bay Packers in them -- this is who we are, here we come, stop us."

In a rematch of a marquee game from a year ago, the Tar Heels have a decided upper hand this time around: more experience, more depth, center Tyler Hansbrough and a full complement of talented players.

But they may not have Lawson, the guy who directs traffic in the Tar Heels' uptempo attack and fronts their pressure defense. He's hobbled by an ankle injury.

Indiana guard Jordan Crawford has been suspended three games for violating team rules, Coach Kelvin Sampson announced just minutes before the 15th-ranked Hoosiers played Georgia Tech on Tuesday night.

The statement, issued through sports information director J.D. Campbell, said Sampson would have no further comment on the matter.

Crawford, a freshman, has been a key reserve for Indiana this season, averaging 12.6 points.

Arizona Coach Lute Olson returned to practice Monday night, but his status for resuming full-time duties with the Wildcats following a three-week leave of absence is still not known.

Assistant Coach Kevin O'Neill, who has been serving as acting head coach, confirmed Tuesday morning that Olson attended Monday's practice.

"I'm assuming he'll be back here again [Tuesday]," O'Neill said.

O'Neill said Olson was on the court running things not just observing.

"He was out there, and it was good to see him back," O'Neill said.

Quoted in Tuesday's editions of the Tucson Citizen, Olson told the paper "it's nice to be back" and that he was "going to give it a try" in terms of returning to work.

UCLA picked up two first-place votes from last week to grab the top spot alone over North Carolina in the ESPN/USA Today men's basketball rankings released Monday.

The Bruins have 12 first-place votes, one fewer than the No. 2 Tar Heels. But UCLA has 749 points, four more than UNC.

Memphis, Kansas and Georgetown rounded out the top five for the second straight week.

North Carolina remained No. 1 in The Associated Press poll. UCLA is No. 2.

Hold the Mayo.

Southern California Coach Tim Floyd did just that, keeping freshman sensation O.J. Mayo out of the starting lineup for the first time this season.

Floyd sat out Taj Gibson too, claiming he wanted to give other players a chance to start.

The coach's experiment didn't last long, and Mayo and Gibson returned to help USC blow out Southern Illinois (No. 18 ESPN/USA Today, No. 19 AP) in the second half of a 70-45 victory in the inaugural Anaheim Classic title game Sunday night.

Brandon Rush sneaked along the baseline behind Arizona's defense, sprang off both legs and threw down an alley-oop, sending the crowd to its feet and vibrations across the floor.

Now the reverberations may be felt across college basketball: Rush is back, and Kansas could be better than ever.

Rush scored five of his 17 points in overtime, including two dunks on his surgically-repaired knee, helping the fourth-ranked Jayhawks pull out a tough 76-72 victory over Arizona on Sunday night.

Tyler Hansbrough barely even glanced at the MVP trophy sitting at his locker. The star forward was much more pleased by top-ranked North Carolina's defense in a win that required solid efforts from all the healthy Tar Heels.

Hansbrough scored 21 points, Wayne Ellington hit a key 3-pointer with 2:06 left and North Carolina made a late surge for a 73-63 victory over BYU on Saturday night to win the Las Vegas Invitational.

Ellington scored 15 points, and Danny Green had 14 for the Tar Heels, off to their first 5-0 start since Coach Roy Williams' first season in 2003-04. North Carolina played most of the night without injured point guard Ty Lawson but finally pushed ahead for good when BYU's outside shooting acumen disappeared in the final minutes.