Ken Davis

Congratulations to Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim on victory No. 800. It was good to have a moment of celebration on college basketball’s opening night.

Now I’ll try to answer your questions.

Q: Who’s going to win player of the year? I like my man, Evan Turner. He can do it all.
— Whitey, Cincinnati

A: Ohio State’s Evan Turner is a very talented swingman with tremendous upside. He does a little bit of everything. It is safe to say that Turner is the top NBA prospect in the Big Ten and a lottery pick. That doesn’t mean he’s a lock for player of the year, even in his own conference. He will have a tough battle for that title again with Kalin Lucas of Michigan State.

When it comes to national player of the year, the race is wide open. A guy such as Kansas center Cole Aldrich, who can impact the game at both ends of the floor, might be an early favorite. Then again, Aldrich and point guard Sherron Collins are both so important to the Jayhawks that might work against them when it comes to individual awards.

Others who should be in the running are Willie Warren (Oklahoma), Kyle Singler (Duke), Lucas (Michigan State), Patrick Patterson (Kentucky), Devin Ebanks (West Virginia), Greg Monroe (Georgetown) and Ed Davis (North Carolina).

Q: Hey Ken, do you think people are underestimating how good UCLA will be this season? I know Ben Howland’s dealing with a lot of injuries, but the Bruins are always a contender.
— Jason C., Riverside, Calif.

A: Unless I’ve missed something, the prognostications for UCLA are pretty realistic. Most projections have the Bruins finishing third in the Pac-10 and, at least on paper, I think you’ve got to say UCLA is clearly behind Cal and Washington. That was everyone’s view even before the training room became so crowded.

The rash of injuries has been ridiculous. Freshman forward Tyler Honeycutt is out three to four weeks with a stress reaction in his right tibia. Michael Roll (ankle), J’mison Morgan (knee) Jerime Anderson (groin), Malcolm Lee (concussion), Brendan Lane (ankle), Mike Moser (back) and James Keefe (shoulder) have missed practice time.

Injuries become a complication for a young team that lost so much from last season. UCLA is in one of those reloading years, and that only seems natural after that amazing run of three consecutive Final Fours, then a trip to the second round of the NCAA Tournament last season. Eight players on the UCLA roster are either freshmen or sophomores, and that makes this one of the youngest teams Ben Howland has coached.

Howland is a terrific coach, and he will have the Bruins playing well by February. Count on it. With the Pac-10 down this season, maybe UCLA will finish higher than expected. I definitely see them winning a game or two in the NCAA Tournament.

Q: If Renardo Sidney plays for Mississippi State this season, how far do you think they can go in the NCAA tournament?
— Dave Durgan, Jackson, Miss.

A: There have been reports that Sidney might be cleared by the NCAA soon, perhaps by the end of this week. He has been under investigation by the NCAA for potential amateurism issues. If that’s true and Sidney does join the Bulldogs, expectations will go through the roof.

Sidney is one of those five-star players who can alter the course of history for a program. Put him in the lineup with Jarvis Varnado and John Riek, a 7-foot-1 freshman from Sudan, and the Bulldogs have a very imposing lineup that will be feared in the SEC.

To answer your question, Dave, Mississippi State should be a Top 10 team if Sidney plays. That means they would have a shot at the Elite Eight. And when you get that far, anything can happen.

Q: What's the outlook for the Marquette hoops team to be successful in the Big East this coming year?
— Bill, San Diego, Calif.

A: It looks like a challenging season for Marquette in the Big East, Bill. I’ve got the Golden Eagles dropping into the second half of the conference, behind Cincinnati and with Seton Hall and St. John’s breathing down their necks.

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It’s hard to imagine Marquette without Dominic James, Jerel McNeal and Wesley Matthews. Those guys were talented veterans who knew their roles, and Marquette was fun to watch with them. Senior Lazar Hayward is one of the top players in the Big East, but he is going to be lonely without that dynamic trio. Hayward can play inside and outside, but he can’t do it all.

Don’t despair. Coach Buzz Williams is a hard working recruiter, and he already is having success. Marquette needs to get through this season and focus on building another solid base of players. Things will look up again, and Marquette isn’t falling to the bottom of the conference.