Texas signee Jarrett Allen makes the Longhorns an NCAA Tournament team in 2017.
Shaka Smart needed an impact front court player to solidify his roster for next season and that's just what he got in Allen, a five-star player and the No. 17 ranked player in the nation in the 247Sports Composite Rankings
The 6-foot-10 big man was a McDonald's All-American and should be an immediate starter for Texas, who lost six players from last year's team that won 20 games and lost to Northern Iowa in the NCAA Tournament.
Allen, fellow freshman James Banks, and veteran big man Shaquille Cleare give Smart three rotation options on the baseline while veterans Kendal Yancy, Eric Davis, Kerwin Roach and Tevin Mack figure to occupy the majority of minutes on the perimeter along with talented freshman guard Andrew Jones.
The Big 12 will have a much different feel next season following key personnel departures at Iowa State, Oklahoma, and West Virginia.
Thanks to the addition of Allen, the Longhorns look like a team that should be in the conference's top half.
Mississippi State will benefit from a fresh start
No program that's rebuilding wants to lose a five-star prospect, but Malik Newman's decision to transfer could wind up being a blessing in disguise for the Bulldogs.
Ben Howland made national headlines last fall by signing a top-five recruiting class and Newman's departure should open up an opportunity for some of Mississippi State's talented freshmen -- Lamar Peters, Tyson Carter, and Eli Wright -- to log significant minutes next season.
Howland wasn't likely going to have the Bulldogs in the 2017 NCAA Tournament with Newman, so now he can focus on building chemistry and continuity with a core of players who will be together for the next few seasons.
Newman (11.3 points last season) ideally only wanted to stay in college for one year, but now he'll be forced to extend his stay in the collegiate game after being Mississippi State's (14-19) fourth-leading scorer as a freshman.
A two-guard trapped in a point guard's body, the 6-3 Newman was never right following a preseason toe injury last fall and struggled early in the year when Howland gave him the responsibility of being Mississippi State's primary ball handler and facilitator.
One important thing to remember: Russell Westbrook only played nine minutes a game as a freshman under Howland at UCLA and then wound up as the fourth pick in the 2008 NBA Draft a year later.
The next potential pro to watch in the Bulldogs' program?
Quinndary Weatherspoon, who averaged 12.0 points, 4.7 rebounds as a freshman.
If you don't know him now, you will by next season.
Trust me.
Davidson is the forgotten team in the Atlantic 10
Can a team with two all-league players and a coach who's won at least 20 games in 10 of the last 12 seasons be flying under-the-radar?
You better believe it.
Offseason chatter in the Atlantic 10 has focused on Dayton, Rhode Island, VCU, and La Salle, but it would be foolish to ignore Davidson.
The Wildcats boast arguably the conference's best all-around player in lead guard Jack Gibbs (23.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, 4.9 assists) as well as a potent scoring forward in Peyton Aldridge (15.5 points, 6.5 rebounds).
Gone is long range gunner Brian Sullivan, who made 99 3-point shots last season, but Bob McKillop has always found ways to seamlessly plug new guys into more prominent roles and it says here he'll likely to do the same next season.
Another thing to keep in mind about this team: the Wildcats finally look like they have legitimate Atlantic 10 size.
McKillop performed "Houdini-like" magic out of his hat two years ago when he led Davidson to the conference's regular season title with a roster that was recruited to play in the SOCON, but now he may finally have the front court depth he needs to handle 18 league games in the Atlantic 10.
Boston College transfer Will Magarity brings legitimate size at 6-11 and McKillop was also high on Serbian import Dusan Kovacevic before an ACL tear sidelined him last year during the preseason. Veterans Nathan Ekwu and Andrew McAuliffe are also back after each averaging in double-figure minutes last season.
It still remains to be seen how many NCAA bids the Atlantic 10 can expect on an annual basis, but one thing is for certain: Davidson will be competing for one of them next March.
This and That
- Kentucky transfer Charles Matthews will visit Michigan next weekend and Xavier on June 17-18, sources told CBS Sports. The 6-6 wing must sit out next season per NCAA rules and will have three years of eligibility remaining.
- One July recruiting story line to follow: Harvard is heavily in the mix for Mohamed Bamba (PSA Cardinals), a top-five prospect in the Class of 2017. The 6-11 Bamba is also being recruited by both Duke and Kentucky.
- Travis Ford is using the same model at Saint Louis that Fred Hoiberg used at Iowa State: get as many high-major transfers as you can. The Billikens have added three impact transfers -- D.J. Foreman (Rutgers), Adonys Henriquez (UCF), and Javon Bess (Michigan State) -- since Ford was hired in the spring. This program is positioning itself for a big jump during the 17-18 season.
- Maryland will play Richmond and Boston College will face Kansas State in the first round of the 2016 Barclays Center Classic, sources told CBS Sports.
- St. John's and Hofstra will play pickup together every week during the summer, sources told CBS Sports. This is a wonderful idea and one that more college programs should emulate. Kudos to both Chris Mullin and Joe Mihalich for creating real competition during the off season.
