Each Friday I will write about the sport I love, college basketball…

• It is less than two weeks before underclassmen lose the right to withdraw from the NBA draft if they are unhappy with their status. There are a number of kids who have been given visions of grandeur, told they will go in round one for sure, gaining that guaranteed contract. My friends, just look at the numbers and you know that several of these youngsters are awaiting a rude shock. They will not hear their names called until round two, or maybe they will be skipped altogether. For those who go in round two, it is tougher to stick. Without that guarantee, you have to work even harder to make the roster. I hope some of these kids decide to return to college to enjoy being the BMOC (big man on campus).

• It is good to see college basketball coaches were included in the recently-formed Division I Men's Basketball Academic Enhancement Group, a 27-member panel introduced by the NCAA charged with developing strategies to enhance academic performance and graduation rates in Division I men's basketball. The group includes presidents and chancellors, head coaches, commissioners, directors of athletics and faculty athletics representatives. The seven head coaches on the panel are Jim Boeheim (Syracuse), Bo Ryan (Wisconsin), Paul Hewitt (Georgia Tech), Phil Martelli (St. Joseph's), Cy Alexander (Tennessee State), Ron Hunter (IUPUI) and Herb Sendek (Arizona State).

• New Princeton coach Sydney Johnson will spend mid-November in Hawaii. Not a bad gig for a first-year head coach. Well, the Tigers are participating in the Maui Invitational November 19-21. Now the bad news ... the field includes Duke, Illinois, Marquette, Oklahoma State and LSU! *DePaul coach Jerry Wainwright's under-19 USA basketball team will have some familiar faces. The list of those competing for spots on the roster includes Kansas forward-center Darrell Arthur, Arkansas guard Patrick Beverley, Michigan State forward Raymar Morgan, Davidson guard Stephen Curry (son of Dell Curry) and North Carolina forward Deon Thompson.

• There are some good names on the list of players competing for spots on the U. S. Pan American games team. Villanova coach Jay Wright will consider the likes of Georgetown center Roy Hibbert, Tennessee guard Chris Lofton, Michigan State guard Drew Neitzel, Wayne Ellington of North Carolina, Kansas guards Mario Chalmers and Sherron Collins, Duke's DeMarcus Nelson, Indiana forward D. J. White and his own guard, Scottie Reynolds of the Wildcats.

• The Old Spice Classic down at Disney in Orlando during Thanksgiving has a pretty good field. Think about some of the talent playing: Scottie Reynolds (Villanova), Michael Beasley (Kansas State), Brandon Costner (NC State) and Gerry Claxton and Jamelle Cornley (Penn State). The opening round pairings include: Villanova-Central Florida, Penn State-South Carolina, NC State-Rider and Kansas State-George Mason.

• I wish all the best to former Kansas State and Pepperdine head coach Tom Asbury, who is retiring in July. Asbury's most recent coaching job was as an assistant at Alabama. The Tide promoted Kobie Baker to the coaching staff as Asbury's replacement.

• Indiana and Xavier will headline the field in the 2nd Annual Chicago Invitational Challenge. Part of the tournament will be held at the new Sears Centre. The whole field includes Xavier, Indiana, Illinois State, Kent State, North Carolina-Wilmington, Longwood, Southeast Missouri State and Coppin State.

• The Wooden Tradition match-ups are set. The December 15h doubleheader takes place at Conseco Fieldhouse and pits Butler against Florida State and Purdue vs. Rick Pitino's Louisville Cardinals. This is like a road game for Leonard Hamilton's Seminoles, and he deserves credit for taking on this tough non-league challenge.  

• Former Miami point guard Dennis Clemente has decided to transfer to Kansas State. He will have to sit out the 2007-08 season but he will be an asset to the Wildcats and new coach Frank Martin after that.

  • Herb Sendek had to be happy with the news that Arizona State received a $5 million donation to help build a new practice facility. Former Pepsi CEO Craig Weathercup made the donation and the facility will be named in his honor.

• Niagara lost a player who started 30 games last season. Guard Rydell Brooks, a freshman last season, decided to leave the team.

Dick Vitale coached the Pistons and the University of Detroit before broadcasting ESPN's first college basketball game in December 1979. Send him a question for possible use on ESPNEWS.