AP Photo/Duane Burleson

Gordon Hayward, center, and Shelvin Mack, right, returned to Butler with gold medals this summer.

10 Things To Know From The Offseason

By Andy Katz
ESPN.com

1. Butler's golden summer: A pair of Bulldogs blossomed on the under-19 gold medal-winning Team USA in New Zealand. Gordon Hayward and Shelvin Mack were integral members of the team, forcing head coach Jamie Dixon to say that one of the things he learned on the trip is "not to play Butler." The Bulldogs as a team went to Italy this summer and had a balanced tour with a finale that saw six different players score in double figures. Butler is a legit top-20 team that will have plenty of chances to make a name for itself in the pre-conference season, beginning with the 76 Classic opener against Minnesota. 2. Gonzaga's foreign invasion: The Zags lost Austin Daye early to the NBA draft, but no one seemed to be weeping in Spokane. Gonzaga has a top-25 core returning with Matt Bouldin, Steven Gray and Demetri Goodson on the perimeter. But the onus could be on Canadians Mangisto Arop and Kelly Olynyk, who led Canada at the under-19 world championships. The other stealth player on the roster is Germany's Elias Harris, who will miss the first three weeks of school while he plays on the German national team. Harris averaged 25 minutes, scoring 14 points a game during the European under-20 championships. 3. Portland is a player: The Pilots are the challenger to Gonzaga in the West Coast Conference this season. Portland coach Eric Reveno said this is the first time he has felt his team was in the same ballpark as the Zags. The Pilots should feel confident after an offseason trip to Australia that kept the good vibes flowing after a 19-win season. The Pilots return 12 players, including legacies Nik Raivio (father Rick is a Pilot hall of famer and brother Derek was a solid player at Gonzaga) and Luke Sikma (son of famed Sonic Jack Sikma). Jared Stohl may not have the household name, but few are better shooters at 45.6 percent on 3s. T.J. Campbell, the co-newcomer of the league last season, isn't too shabby either. The Pilots needed the Australian trip because they have had issues winning key road games late in the season, losing their way at San Diego and Santa Clara last season. Playing away from home will determine this team's fate. 4. Williams granted waiver: New Memphis coach Josh Pastner desperately needed some good news this offseason. Recruiting for 2010 was going quite well with the commitment of Will Barton. But the Tigers needed another marquee player for this season after recruits fled with John Calipari to Memphis and one went to Kansas (Xavier Henry), while Shawn Taggart made a poorly informed decision to stay in the NBA draft (he didn't get selected). Pastner didn't seek out Elliot Williams, but his mother's serious illness led him to leave Duke and transfer home. The NCAA showed its kinder, softer side by allowing Williams to play immediately. He should be a star for Pastner since he was emerging toward the end of last season as a vital part of Duke's backcourt. The perimeter of Williams, Willie Kemp, Doneal Mack and Roburt Sallie gives the Tigers a real shot to hang in for a Conference USA title yet again. 5. Cremins commitment: Bobby Cremins returning to the College of Charleston a few years back was apparently not just a retirement gig for the former Georgia Tech coach. Cremins signed a two-year extension three weeks ago that will in theory keep him with the Cougars through the 2013-14 season. Charleston finished 27-9 last season and beat Davidson twice. The Cougars are one of the picks to win the Southern Conference and advance back to the NCAA tournament. After Charleston abruptly pushed out Tom Herrion three years ago without a clear explanation, the school needed a commitment from a coach to stabilize the program instead of just a headline hire. If Cremins does stay, the program should be sustainable for the near future. 6. Lowery learns to be an assistant again: Chris Lowery won gold as an assistant to Pitt's Jamie Dixon at the under-19 world championships in New Zealand. The Southern Illinois head coach found himself enjoying being the liaison to the players, handling the substitutions and dealing with any gripes. He said being an assistant allowed him to reconnect with players. As a head coach, he was starting to feel distant. Now he said he can understand what they're dealing with on the bench. The experience has changed the way he wants to coach going forward. That's good considering he has a team that was a bit humbled last season after finishing 8-10 in the Missouri Valley, 13-18 overall. The Salukis do return a stellar group of underclassmen that should make them a contender yet again. 7. Hiding from Siena: Saints coach Fran McCaffery has won two straight NCAA first-round games against Vanderbilt and Ohio State. So, of course, he would have no problem securing more big-time nonconference games, right? Wrong. Even though the Saints are exactly the team a "big six" conference foe should play, they struggled throughout the offseason to get games. But the Saints return leading scorer Edwin Ubiles and sharpshooter Ronald Moore and that's enough to scare most opponents away from scheduling them. A season ago, Siena landed true road games without a return to Pitt and Kansas. McCaffery couldn't even get those types of gigs. He had to call on former Siena coach Paul Hewitt, now of Georgia Tech, for mercy. The Saints have quality games against St. John's and Northern Iowa, but that may not move the power-rating needle as much as few more games like Georgia Tech would have. 8. Caracter's second chance: Louisville coach Rick Pitino was relentless on Derrick Caracter about his weight and work ethic. The match never worked. Caracter looked like he was headed toward the abyss of players who are hyped but never find their way. Instead, at least at this juncture, he discovered he can be a reliable player while sitting out at UTEP. Miners coach Tony Barbee has nothing but complimentary things to say about Caracter's character since he has been in El Paso. If Caracter can be a major contributor when he's eligible for the Miners in December, they'll have, perhaps, the most feared frontcourt in Conference USA. Arnett Moultrie is a man in the middle for the Miners and would be the perfect complement to Caracter if the two can dominate the paint. 9. Jordan's decision to stay: Jerome Jordan had the size at 7 feet to bolt for the NBA draft. But the Tulsa big man realized he didn't want to just be selected. He wants to play when he gets to the league. So he returned to a Golden Hurricane team that is the favorite to win Conference USA. Picking Tulsa to do well in March used to be common when the Golden Hurricane had a run of coaches like Nolan Richardson, Tubby Smith and Bill Self. Doug Wojcik should be next in line. Jordan is the perfect anchor after blocking 251 shots in his career, averaging a solid 13.8 points and 8.6 boards. The complement to Jordan is Ben Uzoh on the perimeter with his 14 points and 4.9 boards. But the major pickup in the offseason might be point guard Donte Medder, who allows Wojcik to move Uzoh to a more natural wing. 10. Western Kentucky's arrival: The Hilltoppers are officially here as a regular in the NCAA tournament discussion each season, just like small-conference brethren Gonzaga and Butler. WKU is the team to beat in the Sun Belt -- measuring the success of a team in that league is based on whether it can get past Western Kentucky. How do we know? The Hilltoppers can survive multiple coaching changes as Dennis Felton, Darrin Horn and now Ken McDonald have all had their runs. The program has three NCAA tournament wins in two seasons and it took a buzzer-beater by Gonzaga to keep WKU out of the Sweet 16 two seasons in a row. Western Kentucky, which is a threat to get out of the LSU bracket and reach the NIT Season Tip-Off semifinals, will be led by senior guard A.J. Slaughter. This will be a balanced team with six newcomers and six returnees, but McDonald is already meshing this crew well enough to be considered the favorite in the Sun Belt.

10 Players To Keep An Eye On

By Fran Fraschilla
ESPN.com

• Gordon Hayward, Butler: The Bulldogs' next star was once a 5-11, 125-pound high school freshman. Then Hayward blossomed into one of the best young small forwards in college basketball. After a summer of leading Team USA to the under-19 world championship, the 6-8 Hayward has the ability to become a great scorer, even in Brad Stevens' team-oriented system. • Larry Sanders, VCU: The lightly recruited 6-foot-10 Sanders has become one of the country's best defenders and shot-blockers and his offensive game is improving as well. He has been well-coached and has excellent basketball acumen. His continued improvement not only makes him a force in the Colonial this year, but has NBA scouts already taking notice. • A.J. Slaughter, Western Kentucky: The most outstanding player in the Sun Belt tournament has had a great summer working out with the likes of D.J. Augustin, T.J. Ford and Chris Paul and his confidence is sky-high. Slaughter is strong and quick and can play either guard position. This season, WKU coach Ken McDonald will turn him loose to score in bunches for the Hilltoppers. • Arnett Moultrie, UTEP: The Miners' 6-foot-11 sophomore may be a bit raw, but his potential is limitless. For his size, he is very mobile and athletic and just needs to polish up his offensive skills to be a dominant player in Conference USA. After a productive summer playing for the USA under-19 team, Moultrie should be ready to take the next step. If he does, UTEP could be sneaky good and a serious threat to Memphis and Tulsa at the top of the league. • Ryan Thompson, Rider: Thompson's senior season will mark the end of six years of Thompsons for the Broncs and he would love to follow older brother Jason, now of the Sacramento Kings, to the NBA. This 6-6 guard is built like a New York Giants outside linebacker, but his strength and power belie his skill level. In a league with mid-major power Siena, Thompson might be the MAAC's best player. • Luke Babbitt, Nevada: The hometown hero from Reno, Nev., turned down a number of power conference schools to play for the Wolf Pack and his freshman season was a success. Babbitt averaged around 17 points a game playing as a "stretch power forward," posting up inside and stretching a defense from the perimeter. His improved quickness and ballhandling will allow him to develop nicely into a very skilled small forward for new head coach David Carter. • Kevin Foster, Santa Clara: This Houston native was a steal a year ago for the rebuilding Broncos. When he dropped in 31 points at Saint Mary's, people started to take notice of his talent. Foster ended up averaging 16 points a game and making 88 3-point shots in his freshman season and is poised for West Coast Conference stardom. • Ryan Wittman, Cornell: The son of former Minnesota Timberwolves coach Randy Wittman is a huge reason for the emergence of the Big Red as the Ivy League's most pre-eminent program the past three years. An outstanding shooter, Wittman averaged 25 points a game against power conference foes last season, including 33 points at Syracuse. Fortunately, he won't have to carry all of the scoring load for Steve Donahue's team this season because four other starters return. • Larry Anderson, Long Beach State: Remember this name because his best basketball is still ahead for him. Last season, Anderson was the first freshman in 35 years to gain first-team All-Big West status. The 6-foot-5 guard is the league's best NBA prospect because of his size, strength and athleticism at the wing. It makes him particularly effective attacking the rim. Don't be surprised if he eventually grows into a point guard, if not at Long Beach, at the next level. • James Florence, Mercer: This 6-1 senior from Atlanta has something in common with current NBA players Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry. As freshmen three years ago, they all led their conferences in scoring. Florence is still around and is easily on his way to 2,000 points this season. And while he has done most of his damage in the lightly regarded Atlantic Sun, he has saved some of his best performances as a Bear for wins over USC, Alabama and Auburn.

And Don't Forget About These Guys, Either

By Andy Katz
ESPN.com

• Tyree Evans, Kent State: Evans averaged 17.3 points on a trip to Italy this summer, committing just three turnovers in four games. The JC transfer averaged 11.7 points in 25 games for the Golden Flashes last season. If Evans is on, Kent State has a real shot to upstage Akron for the MAC title. • Marqus Blakely, Vermont: The 6-5 undersized power player has ruled the paint in the America East for two seasons. Blakely is a two-time conference player of the year, defensive player of the year and a lock for nearly 16 points and nine rebounds a game. Blakely has the potential to deliver 20-plus points and 10-plus rebounds on any given night. • Aubrey Coleman, Houston: Coleman is one of the main reasons the Cougars could be a serious player in the Conference USA race. He was the only C-USA player to be in the top four in scoring (19.4) and rebounding (8.2) in 2008-09. He had three 30-point games last season and was still the league newcomer of the year. If Coleman, Kelvin Lewis and Nick Mosley deliver, the Cougars will be a tough out in two critical bubble-type games: Mississippi State at home and at Western Kentucky. • D.J. Rivera, Binghamton: Rivera declared for the NBA draft and then withdrew when it was clear he wasn't going to be selected. That's great news for the Bearcats, who are once again in the favorite's position in the America East. Rivera averaged 20 points last season and scored exactly that many against Duke in the NCAA tournament first round. • Sam Maniscalco, Bradley: The junior guard is one of the more overlooked players in the Missouri Valley. He has averaged 10.1 points in his two-year career, but has played in 74 games, tying him for the most games played in a two-year span by any MVC player. The 6-foot combo guard is already 10th in school history with 126 3s made. He'll once again be a big factor for the Braves, who spent 10 days in Brazil in August, going 4-1 on the trip. • Andrew Goudelock, Charleston: Goudelock was overlooked in the Southern Conference last season, and with Davidson's Stephen Curry around, for good reason. But Goudelock has posted 1,036 points in 69 games in his career. The Cougars are the favorite in the league this season and a lot of that is due to Goudelock's proficiency. • Randy Culpepper, UTEP: Culpepper is the only player in UTEP's storied history to reach 1,000 points as a sophomore. He's the all-time leader in 3-point field goals made in a season (89) and career (170). He teams with one of the most underrated point guards in the country in Julyan Stone, who was fourth in assist-to-turnover ratio and fifth among returning players (236 assists to 81 turnovers).

10 Freshmen We Can't Wait To See

By Scouts Inc.

• Rashanti Harris, PF, Georgia State: Harris, who plays with great focus and intensity, will have an immediate impact for coach Rod Barnes as a relentless rebounder. He is a bull down low and is improving his consistency away from the basket. Defensively, he will be a presence in the lane blocking shots and playing good positional defense in the low post. Harris should be a career double-double player. • Keith Clanton, PF, UCF: He is a skilled face-up 4 who scores inside-out. Clanton will be a mismatch problem for opponents because he is extremely effective inside and outside with size. He plays with an infectious passion and will give the Golden Knights a legit big man to combat the upper-tier programs of Conference USA. He turned down Big East and SEC offers. • Johnnie Williams, PF, George Mason: He is a big body with excellent skill for his size. Williams has comfortable range from 15 to 17 feet and in, but can knock down an open 3 with time and space. However, he is best known for his ability to punish defenders in the lane, where he has good hands and touch around the basket. The versatile forward should produce points, rebounds and matchup problems right away for coach Jim Larranaga. • A.J. Holland, PG, Rice This long and athletic lead guard is the key to a very talented and deep first full recruiting class of Ben Braun. He uses his excellent ballhandling and vision to excel in the open court, where he makes his teammates better by getting them the ball when they are in position to score. Holland can also make a play with the clock winding down, but he must add a midrange, pull-up jumper to his repertoire. With his talent and basketball IQ, don't be surprised if Holland is running the show for the Owls as a rookie. • Zeke Marshall, C, Akron: Marshall created quite the recruiting buzz when he committed early to the Zips. At the very least, he will be one of the best shot-blockers in the conference and be an immediate impact defensive player. Coach Keith Dambrot's teams usually play excellent defense and now his players can extend pressure and contest passes on the perimeter knowing big Zeke is waiting in the lane. • Chris Manresa, PF, San Diego: Manresa may be the most polished post prospect heading to the West Coast Conference this season. He plays the game like a seasoned NBA veteran. Manresa's beefy frame and advanced inside-out game -- think a poor man's Kevin Love -- should translate into a successful freshman campaign. • Andrew Smith, C, Butler This true center has great size and strength. Smith has a great motor for a post player and runs the floor extremely well. He is a back-to-the-basket scorer and in Butler's spread ball screen offensive attack with shooters everywhere on the floor, Smith will have plenty of space to operate and be a highly effective low-post threat for years to come. • Ray Taylor, PG, Florida Atlantic He may be small in size at 5-foot-7, but he has a big heart and a high motor. He will be a catalyst on the floor due to his fast-breaking, up-tempo ability. He also shoots 3s well enough to keep the defense honest. Defensively, he causes havoc with his pesky ball pressure and excels in the open floor. He picked the right coach because Mike Jarvis had tremendous success with Shawnta Rodgers years ago at George Washington. • Joel Naburgs, SG, Stetson The hard-nosed Aussie should have an immediate impact on Stetson's program. He is an excellent shooter who plays with some bounce and displays a high basketball IQ. He will certainly stretch out defenses in the Atlantic Sun Conference, and more importantly, he will give coach Derek Waugh someone to rely on in crunch time. • Niyi Harrison, PF, Santa Clara He is out of the mold of former UCLA standout Luc Richard Mbah a Moute and is a definite steal for coach Kerry Keating and his staff. He's a willing runner with a good pair of hands that helps him score. He will be a versatile offensive scorer and if he can continue to polish his face-up skill set, his ceiling is quite high.