State of Play

A week from today, the Field of 68 Daily will have results from actual college basketball. That's a wonderful thought. It also means we're almost done pushing previews.

Let's get to the news.

1. It's all there for Kentucky. But there are questions.

Let's tackle the important question first: Kentucky's two most important players are injured. But just how injured are Oscar Tshiebwe and Sahvir Wheeler? We'll start with Wheeler, who had to be helped off the court after his right knee buckled during an exhibition win Sunday night.

Wheeler "twisted" the knee recently, forcing him to miss practice and the Blue-White Scrimmage on Oct. 22. Still, Kentucky coach John Calipari is trying to play it cool.

The 5-9 senior, who averaged 10.1 points and 6.9 assists last season, is the offensive catalyst and a core component to Kentucky's defensive pressure. Nursing a knee injury could take months to fully recover (see: Remy Martin last season), but it also isn't so dire that it derails a title quest (see: Remy Martin last season).

And Tshiebwe, the reigning National Player of the Year? He still hasn't played in a scrimmage or practice since having "minor" surgery on his right knee earlier this month. But ... if you listen to him or to Calipari, that's by design. He's not using crutches, just a flexible knee brace.

"To be honest, I don't think I will miss games other than exhibition games because it's not really necessary that I get this done," he said last week.

If you think no surgery is "minor," then you're taking odds on Drew Timme winning POY and Kentucky needing time to adjust accordingly. If you're a believer and think Tshiebwe is capable of super-human feats — entirely possible, given his rebounding ability — then yeah, this isn't a big deal. The answer's probably in the middle.

Now, assuming Tshiebwe and Wheeler are eventually healthy — not a small assumption — Kentucky's ceiling is as high as any other team's. The 'Cats are loaded with elite talent and have shooting, experience, depth and the NPOY.

Those are all the essential pieces to a title contender. From The Almanac:

Still, there are a few concerns (beyond the lingering injuries).

• Can Kentucky get consistent perimeter shooting? Wheeler is a career 27 percent shooter from beyond the arc. Cason Wallace, Chris Livingston and Jacob Toppin are all game-breakers but aren't known as marksmen. Using the two most reliable perimeter threats (CJ Fredrick and Antonio Reeves) might create defensive issues. Calipari will adjust as needed, but one of Kentucky's primary deficiencies last February and March was when its shooting fell off.

• Who's the Wheeler insurance? This falls to the freshman Wallace, who has been the only other on-ball guard during the preseason. Reeves (who played a little PG during a recent scrimmage) could do it, but this is why Wheeler's health is so important. Wallace has all the physical tools but is a natural fit off the ball.

• Any lingering March doubts? Tshiebwe has been quite vocal about using the loss to Saint Peter's as motivation. Calipari re-loaded the roster and spent the summer figuring out how the pieces fit. There shouldn't be any significant Peacock residue (five newcomers help), but it's certainly been top of mind for fans and media.

• How good will the defense be? OK, this isn't a lingering question. It's just the transition to marvel at what will likely be the team's strength. This is an exceedingly long, athletic team. Expect it to be among the NCAA's elite shot-contesting teams (it would've finished that way in 2022 except for a late-season swoon), made possible by a roster of wings and forwards who range from 6-4 to 6-9. And that's not including 6-11 freshman Ugonna Kingsley Onyenso, who re-classified to 2022 and isn't expected to play much this season. But Tshiebwe's surgery opened a door for Onyenso to block five shots in last weekend's exhibition. OK, onto the last question.

• Will The Wildcats be the nation's best team in 2022? Probably not considering the overall health and the schedule. But who cares about this year? Get through those early season games against Gonzaga, Michigan and UCLA, then we'll see what this roster really looks like for the 2023 NCAA Tournament. (Where at least two really smart guys are picking them to win it all.)

Is that too many questions to consider Kentucky a title contender? Not really. Not with all the talent in Lexington. But would you feel better about it if Tshiebwe and Wheeler felt better? Hell yeah.

2. Hoops & Capitol Hill

Howard typically spends much of its nonconference schedule on the road, playing in hostile environments. That could be why guard Elijah Hawkins was prepared for a summer spent as an intern for the Committee of Homeland Security.

Answering phone calls from disgruntled constituents? Not unlike hearing it from fans at away arenas. You process it and move on.

"Me and some of the other interns could have some nasty calls," he said, laughing at the memory. "They were very disappointed in a lot of things. But we'd just send them to a department."

Hawkins was the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference freshman of the year last season, averaging 13 points and 5.6 assists a game. He was essential to the Bison's second-place league finish and its first winning record in 20 seasons. As noted in The Almanac, Hawkins boasts tremendous court vision and elite quickness, both of which will be key when they open the season Monday at Kentucky, which could be without both Wheeler and Tshiebwe.

"That's gonna be a good game for us," he said. "We're not gonna play scared. I feel like we perform better in games like that."

It'll certainly be incredible prep for the MEAC season. They're chasing reigning champ Norfolk State, which is the favorite again this season. But if a summer spent in an office learning about politics has taught Hawkins anything — besides not wanting to spend summers in DC in a suit — it's that being organized and focused can carry the day.

"I feel like we're more skilled. They were just hungrier. We gotta come in with that same intensity."

3. Courtney Ramey suspended

The former Texas guard will miss Arizona's first three games this season because he played in the Portsmouth Invitational as part of the NBA Draft process. It wasn't an NCAA-certified event, thus the suspension.

So why isn't news that a starter for a Top 25 team higher up in the Daily? These are the games Ramey will miss: Nicholls State, Southern and Utah Tech. Average KenPom rating: 243. Arizona's rating: 10.

Ramey may be a little rusty entering Arizona's Nov. 17 game against Cincinnati, but they won't miss him for those first three.

4. GW grabs another guard

George Washington double-dipped into the 2023 class in less than three days, adding yet another guard to its class — and perhaps its best yet.

Hutchinson, a local product who played for DeMatha before transferring to IMG Academy in Florida, is viewed as an aggressive, two-way guard who's improved his shooting and should immediately contend for a starting spot on Chris Caputo's squad.

“Coming home was important,” he told 247 Sports. “I’ve been gone for these last two years so I definitely missed having that support back home and having my whole family coming out to the games. I know I can get that at GW.”

The 6-2 guard joins Christian Jones (who committed on Friday) and Trey Autry as the building blocks for GW's 2023 roster.

Also in recruiting news:

• TJ Robinson will head to Louisville. The 6-4 guard is a Top 150 prospect in the class of 2024.

• Tulsa snagged 3-star forward Jarred Hall, one of the top Tennessee prospects for '23.

• Evansville added Braylon Jackson, a 6-5 guard in the class of 2023.

• Texas State picked up guards Elijah Tate and Dontae Horne as part of their 2023 class.

5. Poll watchers

After the initial AP poll in the 1948-49 season, 12 different teams shared the top spot for most appearances with 8. (Take a bow, Hamline University!)

Through the years, there are constants (Kentucky), fast risers and fallers (Bradley or UNLV) and those the crept to the top through time (North Carolina). And now, Kentucky and UNC are nearing 1,000 appearances. But don't listen to me describe it. Watch it for yourself.

Links as you recover from eating your kid's Halloween candy.

• Bradley says it'll have junior Rienk Mask back by conference play.

• Oct. 31 isn't all about Halloween for Kendric Davis.

• Does the Big 12's new media deal bode ill for the Big East?

• Bonus aspect of the new Big 12 deal: Gus Johnson + sweet tunes.

• All the players who say they'll sign a NLI during the early signing period from Nov. 9-16. (And a few who are still waiting.)

• Is work ethic the most important skill for a college player? ($)

THE DTF PODCAST

Rally around the Red Raiders

Sure, Texas Tech lost two all-league players (Terrence Shannon and Kevin McCullar) to transfers, but just remember, it also added a ton of transfer talent. If you're a doubter (like Jeff Goodman), maybe this isn't the video for you. Because Rob Dauster, Terrence Oglesby and Randolph Childress go through what's ahead for the Red Raiders this season.

Even with Fardaws Aimaq out for the start of the season.

Subscribe to The Field of 68 AFTER DARK on YouTube here and click here subscribe to AFTER DARK.

To sponsor a future Field of 68 Daily newsletter, please connect with us here. For article ideas, newsletter feedback, tips and more, shoot us a note at [email protected].