🏝 Maui's still the dream Thanksgiving destination

Matchups elevate the annual must-see tournament. Plus Kentucky and Auburn add key pieces, Minnesota's injury bug hits again and much more.

August 02, 2022

I’m busy setting up alerts for Maui airfare deals. In the meantime, please enjoy today’s Field of 68 Daily. It’s got a little bit of everything (news about recruiting, transfers, injuries), including the latest in our Summer Reading series and one more tribute to Bill Russell.

STARTING FIVE

1. Two years later, the Maui Invitational is back in Maui

We heaped praise on the PK85 last week (and with good reason). But the Maui Invitational isn’t relinquishing the crown just yet.

After one year in Asheville and one year in Las Vegas (both due to COVID), Maui returns home with a bang. Five of those programs — Arkansas, Arizona, Creighton, San Diego State and Texas Tech — should be in the preseason Top 25. Ohio State is working on its sixth consecutive 20-win season and Cincinnati should be among the AAC’s top teams.

That’s a terrific field. And the matchups are everything we’ve come to associate with the Maui invite, especially once we’re into the semifinals on November 22.

Perhaps more than anything else, it’ll be an early Creighton litmus test. If the Blue Jays are Final Four good, we’ll know after two games in Hawaii. Beating Texas Tech, then (probably) Arkansas? That’ll be as good of a 1-2 schedule punch as any.

BONUS SCHEDULE TAKE!

The Big East-Big 12 Battle got extended through the 2024-25 season. It’s the second-best of these conference showdowns (Big 12 vs SEC is tops), and could lay claim to the best if the matchups were slightly tweaked. Creighton at Texas is perfect. But what about:

  • Baylor at Marquette becomes Baylor at Xavier

  • Providence at TCU to Providence at Kansas

  • Villanova hosts West Virginia (instead of Oklahoma)

Those would give a little more heft at the top and bring the potential for Sweet 16 revenge (Friars). (Of course, if I was really serious, Kansas would be going to UConn, and Dauster and I could have weeks of smack talk. Another time.)

2. Will Ugonna Kingsley Onyenso play this season?

As expected, Ugonna Kingsley Onyenso chose Kentucky.

What’s still unknown is if the 6-11 prospect will suit up in 2022-23. Onyenso was a consensus 5-star prospect for the class of 2023 and is a solid 4-star now, but experts view him as a raw talent with significant work ahead to refine footwork and ball skills. It’s an open question if he’ll play this season. He won’t journey with the ‘Cats to the Bahamas, and his season is TBD.

Does it sound like another Shaedon Sharpe scenario? Kyle Tucker says no.

There’s reason to believe that an elite, chiseled shot blocker and probable future pro would pay dividends this season. Heck, that’s true for any team, let alone Kentucky. Whether UK acts on it will be the big question. My guess would be yes, for what that’s worth.

3. Auburn adds a gamer

Aden Holloway isn’t listed as a five-star prospect. He’s not physically imposing (6-0, 155 pounds), but is seen as a fearless, confident point guard. Sounds perfect for Bruce Pearl and Auburn.

Pearl’s guards thrive on attitude and energy. Adding someone who can score (17.2 points on the EYBL circuit), wants to improve on defense, and isn’t a one-and-done prospect sounds like the perfect fit.

More recruiting news from Monday:

4. Not so Golden Gophers

First, it was Minnesota forward Parker Fox suffering a season-ending knee injury in June. Last week, it was forward Isaiah Ihnen. Making matters worse, Ihnen banged up the same knee that forced him to miss all of last season. He now hasn’t played since 2021.

“It's disappointing to see Isaiah go through this after he worked hard to get back on the court this year and made significant strides to his game this summer,” coach Ben Johnson said in a statement. “We will be with him every step of the way in his road to recovery.”

The Gophers already have nine new players coming in for 2022-23, including recently re-classified forward Kadyn Betts. At this rate, it seems likely that Johnson will want to add another forward before the season starts.

5. One more Bill Russell tribute

The last 36 hours provided incredible content on the life and times of basketball legend Bill Russell, who died Sunday at the age of 88. Some, like this, also showed Russell’s humor. And some, like this, explained his incredible athleticism. Most of the tributes are NBA related, which is fair. You win 11 titles in 13 years, that’s as good as it gets.

But Russell won back-to-back NCAA Tournaments at San Francisco and ended his college career with a 55-game win streak. Give me more stories from those USF days. After all, Russell’s impact was significant, though it’s rarely mentioned as frequently as what the NCAA ruled with Lew Alcindor’s dunks.

So here are two, both from Miracles on the Hardwood, by John Gasaway (available here). The setup: The Dons started Russell’s senior season 7-0 and headed to New York for an eight-team Holiday Festival that included UCLA. As the reigning champs, they commanded the most attention, but the No. 2 Bruins also generated buzz. Fittingly, Russell won it with defensive prowess that few could believe.

“The brackets held true, and USF and UCLA would meet in the title game. John Wooden had to be persuaded by Ned Irish and Garden officials to allow Willie Naulls and Morris Taft to play after the two players had violated curfew on their visit to the big city. In the end, the two stars did take the floor, and Wooden planned to stall if the Bruins could get a lead. Instead, the Dons captured the tournament title in convincing fashion, 70–53. In an otherwise lopsided game, Russell and Naulls provided a glimpse of basketball’s future, both in terms of entertainment value and in officiating. When Naulls sailed high above the rim only to have his attempt at a two-handed dunk stuffed by Russell, Wooden lobbied the officials for a goaltending call. The ball was obviously heading down, after all, but no one had ever seen a play like this before. Eventually, the call stood as a blocked shot.

Upon their return to San Francisco, the Dons publicly aired their grievances regarding what they called harsh and unfair treatment by the New York writers. “I kind of think I was the most hated man in New York,” Russell said, “what with all the catcalls, the boos, and the description of me in the papers.” If there was an injustice in how observers evaluated Russell’s game, it was found in a persistent reluctance to value him correctly as a scorer. One journalist managed to denigrate the star for shooting 77 percent and scoring 20 points from the floor. In this writer’s estimation, Russell “hit 10 of 13 from the field—a good percentage, yes, but not spectacular when it is realized practically all his shots were taken from close range, sometimes directly above the bucket.” The player who “couldn’t shoot” in fact became his program’s all-time leading scorer in his 41st game, breaking a record that Don Lofgran had set over the course of 56 outings. It is often said that Russell changed the game, and he did. He changed it faster than people could change how they thought and wrote about it.”

After the season, the NCAA wasted little time in adjusting its rules. While Russell remains a one-of-one, other players like him were hitting the college game.

“Soon there were “Russell rules” on the books in college basketball. Offensive goaltending was prohibited, the two positions closest to the basket on free throws were both reserved for the defense (previously those spots on the lane had been marked H and V for home and visitor), and players were required to stay outside the lane until a free throw hit the rim or backboard. Bill Russell quite literally changed college basketball, and San Francisco changed the game visually, strategically, normatively, and, no less, culturally. College basketball at its best was now played above the rim.”

Bill Russell. Always a man ahead of his time.

SUMMER READING

Summer reading assignments suck. Trying to absorb info when your brain just wants to zone out is like trying to outrebound Oscar Tshiebwe. Well, good news. We did the assignment. Every Tuesday and Thursday, Sean Paul gives Cliffs Notes on programs that aren’t Top 25 contenders but are worth knowing entering the 2022-23 season. So sit back, relax, and enjoy. 

North Texas not worried about style points

The North Texas Synopsis: The idea of “North Texas coach Grant McCasland” still existing in 2022-23 seemed unlikely 12 months ago. But he spurned SMU and returns alongside top assistant Ross Hodge, which keeps North Texas in the mix despite the departures of Thomas Bell and Mardrez McBride. When thinking about programs with great “culture,” Houston or Villanova, usually pop up. Well, North Texas does the same when it comes to mid-majors.

Main characters: College hoops fans should get to know Tylor Perry (not this one). Despite starting just one game, college basketball’s version of Lou Williams instantly impacted the scoring column. But that’s not all. Abou Ousmane (10.2 points, 5.8 rebounds) developed nicely last year. Impact transfer Jayden Martinez (New Hampshire) should fit the mold of a floor-stretching forward. Tyree Eady (North Dakota State) also transferred in and provides a stylistic fit. Keep an eye on the versatile defense of Aaron Scott (4.0 points, 4.1 rebounds) who should capture a larger role with an off-season injury to junior wing Rubin Jones.

The conflict: How do the Mean Green adjust if play speeds up? No team played slower last season. Can they score enough points to keep pace with offenses like Western Kentucky and UAB if their defense struggles?

Spoiler alert: While UAB is the Conference USA favorite, don’t forget ol’ reliable in Denton. Sure, the Mean Green would love winning every game, 50-42, even if casual fans won’t be tuning in. That approach works for McCasland — his team can win just about any game if it’s played to their pace.

THE DTF PODCAST

It’s hot outside … and on these seats

It’s summer and we’re still months away from actual college basketball games. But it’s never too early for some hot seat discussions!

So crack open a cold one, and listen to Rob Dauster, Terrence Oglesby and John Fanta talk about the coaches who might be a little warmer this season. Then let them know why they’re wrong (or right!).

THE FAST BREAK

Links as you confirm your voting location today.

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