The weekend in college hoops 🏀

With just one week until tip-off, Kentucky fans witnessed a scary sight during last night's exhibition against D-II school Missouri Western last night. Starting point guard Sahvir Wheeler suffered a knee injury that initially looked serious. For a team hoping to exorcise some demons, this could be a tough setback. Here's to hoping that Wheeler heals quickly.

Let's get to the news.

1. Ace Baldwin's encore

The slang "built different" gets thrown around these days, especially in the sports world. It's no wonder why — every athlete wants to be known for his or her toughness, strength and resolve.

But for VCU's Ace Baldwin, well, he might actually be built different, both mentally and physically.

The junior point guard ruptured his Achilles' tendon in early June of 2021 — an injury notorious for its crippling and lingering effects. Yet, despite a projected lengthy recovery, he came back to the court just six months later on Dec. 8. But Baldwin didn't just return. He excelled, making the All-Atlantic 10 Second Team at the season's end. If that shocks you, you're not the only one.

"I'm not gonna lie to you, it surprised me [how quickly I recovered]," Baldwin told me. "The doctors said I wasn't going to be able to play until January or February. But I just attacked my rehab."

The floor general said workouts on the VersaClimber and the Concept2 SkiErg kept him engaged early in the process and in shape. But Baldwin also cites his desire "to get back out there with [his] teammates" as something that helped him maintain a strong dedication to and a positive attitude toward his rehabilitation.

And little by little, his body healed.

"I just wanted so badly to be out there," he said. "But in practice, I was moving quicker and with more explosiveness. I started doing little stuff, just getting ready to jump out there for the game."

It didn't take long for Baldwin to get comfortable once he returned to action. He noted a contest at Old Dominion — his second game back — as the moment when he felt 100 percent for the first time since the injury. An 11-point, 5-assist and 4-steal performance (and ODU coach Jeff Jones) gave credence to that notion.

Once conference play started, Baldwin shed his minute restriction and led the A-10 in steal rate and finished fifth in assist rate, per KenPom. He also increased his 3-point percentage from 26 as a freshman to 41.3 as a sophomore. Few players in the A-10 can contain Baldwin when he gets into the lane. He creates paint touches at will and showcases an incredible IQ, knowing when to score and when to find an open teammate. In particular, Baldwin's live dribble passing is special — he makes no-look dimes off of either hand look routine.

With him back in tow, VCU has positioned itself to contend in the A10. Though, somewhat surprisingly, it has generated nowhere near the preseason buzz bestowed upon conference counterparts Dayton and Saint Louis. Baldwin said that gives "fuel to the fire," though ultimately, "[the team doesn't] worry too much about rankings."

Defense will likely be the Rams calling card once again this season. As Ky McKeon covered in The Almanac, VCU has finished in the top 15 of KenPom's defensive efficiency metric in three of the past four years. Most notably, per McKeon, the Rams use a heavy dose of full-court press while still managing to contest 3-pointers and limit opponents' transition opportunities.

Baldwin is the catalyst on that end of the floor.

"My job is to put fear in the hearts of opposing point guards. Any point guard I play against, they don't play defense like me."

2. The Big 12's not-so-sleepy sleeper

How does one properly judge Chris Beard's first season in Austin? That's the question Rob Dauster tried to answer in The Almanac.

On one hand, Texas "finished fourth in a league that produced two No. 1 seeds and the last two national champions." It also "[was] down one possession with a minute left against Purdue in the second round of the tournament," as Dauster noted.

However, after entering the season as a consensus top-5 squad, few Texas fans viewed last year as a success. Such is the curse of preseason expectations. Nonetheless, if there are any positive takeaways, it's that, unlike last year, Beard won't have to re-tool the roster. Thus, Texas could emerge as a post-hype sleeper (minus the fact that, ya know, it's Texas):

Still, the Longhorns must address some of last season's concerns if they want to hit their ceiling. Although Texas checked in at 26th nationally in offensive efficiency (KenPom), it shot just 33 percent from distance — a mark that ranked 215th. That number dipped to 30.7 percent in conference play.

New Mexico State transfer Sir'Jabari Rice could help mend the issue. He's the rugged type of player Beard has succeeded with in the past, and he's hit 34.1, 35.5 and 38.8 percent of his triples in his past three seasons, respectively.

In addition to the 6-4 wing, Beard also highlighted Dylan Disu as the X-factor. In his second season with the Longhorns, the 6-9 stretch-4 will likely man a starting job, and his head coach believes he will realize his potential. From The Almanac:

For the full Texas preview (and much, much more), buy The Almanac here.

3. High Vol-tage offense

With the usual caveat that comes with preseason games, Tennessee's offense looked incredible against Gonzaga in Saturday's exhibition. The Volunteers' guards probed the Zags' defense, finding open look after open look for their teammates. Santi Vescovi and Zakai Ziegler combined for 15 dimes, gashing Gonzaga with drive-and-kicks.

The ball movement was contagious, as Tennessee assisted on 28 of its 36 made field goals. In addition to the guards, freshman wing Julian Phillips looked impressive, chipping in 12 points on 3-for-3 3-point shooting. His contributions should encourage Vols fans, as even some highly-touted freshmen have struggled under Rick Barnes in recent years (Brandon Huntley-Hatfield, freshman Josiah-Jordan James, Keon Johnson, to a lesser extent).

Additionally, Olivier Nkamhoua showed zero rust from last season's ankle injury, grabbing 14 boards, playing strong defense and knocking down a couple of mid-rangers. Indiana State transfer Tyreke Key paced the team in scoring with 26.

For the Zags, it's not all doom and gloom. They led at halftime and maintained that lead until the 11-minute mark in the second half. Plus, Rasir Bolton looks more than capable of carrying the backcourt while Nolan Hickman and Hunter Sallis adjust to their feature roles. The most pressing question, though, is who steps up defensively in the absence of Chet Holmgren?

Other notable scrimmage results:

• Houston toppled Duke 61-50, holding the Blue Devils to just 2-for-17 from beyond the arc. If Duke fans can find any consolation, their squad stayed within striking distance of the No. 2 team without two projected starters.

• Texas trounced Arkansas 90-60, as the Razorbacks struggled to find stability on offense, turning the ball over 23 times. For Texas, freshman point guard Arterio Morris appeared ready to shine, hitting 4 triples en route to 19 points.

• Lenoir-Rhyne (D2) waltzed into the KFC Yum! Center and left with a W, triumphing over Lousiville 57-47. Not the best start for the Kenny Payne era!

• Kentucky came away with an 18-point victory over Missouri Wesleyan, but Wheeler's aforementioned injury was the biggest story.

4. Perez's late registration

Five days after hitting the transfer portal in the wake of Steve Masiello's firing, Jose Perez found a new home. The former MAAC Preseason Player of the Year will suit up for West Virginia at some point this season.

The 6-5 wing operates best as an iso threat who posts up smaller guards, draws contacts and serves as a secondary playmaker. A season ago, Perez ranked 19th in MAAC-play in true shooting percentage, second in assist rate and eighth in free throw rate, per KenPom.

Of course, Perez must navigate a couple of roadblocks in order to contribute this year. The first, as hinted at earlier, is obtaining eligibility. But beyond that, he must also adjust to one of the best leagues in the country and learn a new system on the fly. Additionally, he struggled on defense last season, ranking second to last on his team in DBPR (a metric that measures defensive performance) per EvanMiya.

For the 'Eers, though, it's a worthwhile gamble. With the departures of Taz Sherman, Sean McNeil and Jalen Bridges, they have a major scoring void along the perimeter. Perhaps Perez can help, even if it's just a small-ball 4 role off the pine.

5. Recruiting morsels

It was a slow weekend for news in the recruiting world, though a couple of noteworthy headlines surfaced. For one, St. John's 2023 commit Brandon Gardner said he will not sign in the early period (Nov. 9-16), per On3.

A 4-star forward, Gardner is the only prospect the Johnnies have landed for this cycle. Naturally, this news could spook some St. John's fans, although he maintains that he is "fully committed" to the program.

Nevertheless, Mike Anderson and Co. may have to buckle down and navigate this hazy stage of his recruitment. Dealing with the uncertainty could be worth it if he ultimately makes it to Jamaica, Queens — Gardner has a projectable frame and the needed athleticism to develop into a versatile frontcourt weapon.

Also on the recruiting front:

• 5-stars Elliot Cadeau (2024) and Ron Holland (2023) announced their respective finalists.

• Longwood landed 6-7 wing Johan Yannick Nziemi.

• 3-star guard Christian Jones chose George Washington.

• Bryson Cokley committed to Wake Forest. Could he be the next in line of guards that Steve Forbes molds into a star?

• Eastern Washington reeled in 6-4 guard Mason Williams out of O'Dea (WA).

#FreeBaba

When the NCAA makes an egregious decision, it deserves bonus coverage in the Daily. This time around, the governing body fumbled an appeal from Florida State freshman Baba Miller.

The Spanish forward is ineligible until Jan. 11 due to a minor rules violation. Per ESPN, Miller "received travel from his native country to the United States and back to attend a training camp prior to his commitment to the Seminoles" over the summer. Moreover, Miller's family "repaid the benefit upon learning of the violation."

All things considered, a 16-game suspension makes zero sense. There's good reason to believe that Miller and his family were unaware of the rules, and they even went as far as to make amends financially. The NCAA's decision seems like the latest case of punishing individuals who comply with their investigations and ordinances.

For Florida State, Miller will be sorely missed. The 6-10 rookie might be the best NBA prospect on the roster, and the frontcourt already lost Brown transfer Jaylan Gainey for the year due to a knee injury. It's a harsh blow to a program that relies heavily on depth.

Trey Alexander's got bounce

Perhaps the best highlight of the weekend's exhibitions belonged to Creighton's Trey Alexander. The Bluejays' 6-4 sophomore dunked a player from D2 Drury University into next year's corn season. (His teammate Baylor Scheierman wasn't half bad either).

Links to click as you think through a last-minute Halloween costume:

• The Big 12's ESPN and Fox Sports deals are officially sealed. Good news for a conference that appeared to be disintegrating a few months ago.

• The Big West and the Big Sky released their preseason polls.

• Purdue's former president Mitch Daniels shared interesting thoughts on NIL, Big Ten expansion and more.

• It seems imminent that Mississippi State's AD will jump ship to Auburn.

THE FIELD OF 68 AFTER DARK

Feels like '05?

In The Field of 68's Big Ten preview, the After Dark crew elaborated on the upside of this year's Illinois team. The Illini's positional versatility and its esteemed transfer class provide the most reasons for optimism. Hear the full breakdown below:

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].