Traveling from Salt Lake City to Orlando, Florida, where Utah is set to face UCF, is no simple task. “You have to stop and refuel on the charter,” Smith mentioned, noting that when you factor in the time zone shift, it adds up to an eight-hour journey. “If you leave at noon, you’ll arrive around 8 p.m. It’s just part of the process; you learn to adapt and adjust.”
This travel challenge isn’t one-sided; teams such as UCF, West Virginia, and Cincinnati will need to undertake long trips westward to compete against Arizona, Arizona State, and Colorado, the other newcomers to the Big 12 this season. For teams rooted in the old Big Eight tradition, like Kansas, Kansas State, and Iowa State—geographically more centralized—there could be a slight advantage.
“This season will be a test for us,” stated Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark. “We are open to reviewing how it all plays out, and feedback from our coaches throughout and after the season will guide us in determining whether this is the best structure moving forward.”
In other news, Mikey Williams, a once-promising recruit, finds himself garnering a second opportunity at UCF following a turbulent chapter in his career at Memphis. After facing nine felony charges related to a serious incident in April 2023, the charges were eventually reduced, leading him to plead guilty to just one felony last November. He received a year of probation in connection with the plea, which resulted in the original felony charge being lessened to a misdemeanor.
Coach Johnny Dawkins of UCF remarked that their staff conducted thorough research prior to extending an offer to Williams, believing he fits the program well. “In a world devoid of second chances, the current state of affairs would be quite different,” Dawkins commented.
Concerning injuries, Baylor’s guard Langston Love, who suffered an ankle injury that cut his previous season short in February, is ramping up his practice intensity, and coach Scott Drew is optimistic about having him ready for the onset of conference play. Prior to his injury, Love averaged 11 points per game.
Cincinnati guard Day Day Thomas, who was averaging 10.4 points before breaking his foot during the NIT last season, experienced a slight issue during practice this week. Fortunately, it is not anticipated to sideline him for an extended period, although it did prevent his attendance at Big 12 media day. “Everything was progressing well until the last few moments of practice yesterday,” noted Bearcats coach Wes Miller. “While it’s not considered serious, we opted for caution and held him back.”
Lastly, there are few players younger than Arizona State’s Jayden Quaintance, who celebrated his 17th birthday just this past July. Despite his youth, Quaintance shined as he led the U.S. under-16 national team to a gold medal in the FIBA Americas Championship last year. “The potential he has in a couple of years is pretty impressive given how advanced he already is for his age,” commented coach Bobby Hurley, adding that Quaintance is physically ready to compete in collegiate basketball.
On another note, John Higgins, appointed by the Big 12 to oversee officiating, has launched a game-by-game evaluation system aimed at delivering prompt and constructive feedback to referees this season. “We intend to provide evaluations to officials within 48 hours of a game,” Higgins asserted. “This will ensure transparency throughout the year regarding their performance and the likelihood of being retained for future assignments.”