I was wondering your opinion about South Carolina's team this season. Is this recruiting class good enough to at least take it to respectability after last year's terrible showing? Also, is Eddie Fogler considering leaving, or would his job be in trouble with another bad year?

-- John Palmer, Columbia, S.C.

The recruiting should help, especially redshirt freshman Tony Kitchings. He has to be an impact player for the Gamecocks. They should get immediate help from Chuck Eidson, too. He can be a decent face-the-basket shooter in the SEC. But don't expect South Carolina to do anything more than compete for an NIT berth. Fogler's job probably isn't jeopardy. He already brought South Carolina to a level (a No. 2 seed in the 1997 NCAA Tournament and No. 3 seed in 1998) the Gamecocks hadn't seen for some time.

Is the University of Wyoming still recruiting Kenny Brunner at College of Southern Idaho and what other high school seniors or JUCO players are Wyoming recruiting?

-- Scott Powers, Sheridan, Wyoming

Wyoming is looking at Brunner but don't expect him to sign anywhere until the spring. Whichever school takes Brunner will have to ask its president before embarking on a public relations nightmare. Wyoming's recruiting is hard to handle. The Cowboys seem to be recruiting anyone with a pulse.

-- Blake Whitney, West Chester, Ohio

I'm not sure which basketball people you're referring to. The A-10 isn't looking at Delaware because it already has the market. Delaware would be a respectable choice if the A-10 wanted to replace Virginia Tech (which is leaving only if the Big East's football membership stays the same in 2001). But the A-10 will wait out any other potential expansion. Adding a Marquette or a DePaul would make more sense -- if it could get either one -- than Delaware. Xavier and Dayton want another Midwest team in the league. Neither Marquette or DePaul have made overtures about leaving Conference USA.

In a recent answer to an Arkansas question you stated "or the Razorbacks will be left behind in what (SEC) has become the most talented conference." Say what? I'm not aware that anyone has knocked the ACC from that title, though the Big Ten is knocking on the door. This is basketball, not football, right?

-- Tom Andrews, Wayland, Mich.

First of all, the ACC wasn't the top conference a year ago. If you remember, it only sent three teams -- Duke, North Carolina and Maryland -- to the NCAA Tournament. The Big 10 had the deepest talent a year ago but the SEC might have the best young players. It might be hard to digest but the SEC should be the deepest conference -- in basketball -- in the nation for the next two years.

With Purdue losing out on Zach Randolph and Shane Power, and Jared Jeffries not considering the Boilermakers, is Gene Keady's program in trouble for losing out on such top-quality in-state talent? If so, what does this say about Keady's future?

-- Vince Stefanelli, Merrillville, Ind.

Not much. When has Purdue grabbed a headline recruit? The Boilermakers never grab the top players yet Keady consistently builds winning teams. He usually gets the blue-collar players who buy into his system and are willing to do all the little things to get a team to mesh by March. Don't worry about Keady's future. He's not going anywhere soon.

-- John Mattson, Lexington, Ky.

Prince will start at the wing with Saul Smith at the point and, probably, Keith Bogans at the other wing. Jamaal Magloire and Desmond Allison will probably start inside. Tubby Smith can look for Marvin Stone, Jules Camara and Todd Tackett off the bench. Prince can fill Padgett's role as a shooting forward this season. Kentucky will be an NCAA Tournament team but for the first time in years, the Wildcats aren't national contenders.