Your speculation on colleges switching conferences (Conference USA, Big East, Atlantic 10) missed Siena considering applying to the A-10. That is why it has added scholarships to all sports except football. Siena wants to upgrade the programs to be in better stead for a move out of the MAAC. That is also why Paul Hewitt does not seem to be in a hurry to leave Siena.

Is this plausible to you? To me it is because the A-10 has no New York presence north of New York City and Siena is located nicely for the A-10 and has the Pepsi Arena to fill.

-- Mike O'Reilly, Albany, N.Y.

I don't see it. Siena doesn't have the national draw for the A-10. The Saints won't command any more television dates. Expansion is based on money and exposure and Siena doesn't deliver either to the conference. I don't think that's why Hewitt stayed. He did try to get the Notre Dame job. If the right job opens, he'll be all over it.

Andy, I'm a big Cincinnati fan and was wondering what has happened with Jerome Harper. I know he verbaled to the Bearcats but has he signed with them yet? Also, I heard that he may skip college and go to the NBA. Is this true? If not, what are his chances of being academically eligible to play at Cincinnati next year as freshman?

-- Jason Kinney, Cincinnati

All I can tell you is Harper did sign. He'll likely take his time getting eligible. He would be making a mistake by skipping college. If he's not eligible, he should sit out at Cincinnati or go to a junior college. He's not ready for a quick jump.

Is it at all possible that DeShawn Stevenson signed with Kansas just to get some of the other schools off his back, and really intends on entering the NBA draft this summer? Because in my mind Jonathan Bender had no intention of actually attending Mississippi State this season. Even though most people don't have Stevenson rated No. 1, he has an NBA body much like Kobe Bryant.

-- Matt Murray, Yakima, Wash.

I can speak from personal experience on Stevenson. I sat in the family living room in October and don't see him bypassing Kansas. If he's eligible, he'll be in Lawrence. He's not ready for the NBA. Stevenson's shot selection is too suspect and his understanding of the team concept hasn't matured yet.

Can you clarify which schools are joining the WAC, Sun Belt, Big West and other minor conferences? I'm completely confused as to where some of these teams are moving and for what purposes?

I would also like to know if you had heard anything about the Cincinnati Bearcats leaving Conference USA. The addition of TCU and East Carolina makes the basketball conference very mediocre and leaves the Bearcats and DePaul as the only two C-USA teams with annual top 25 aspirations. Louisville is a dying program and the South Division is barely worth mentioning. Is there any way the Bearcats could leave and join a major conference?

-- Mike Gann, Cincinnati

Cincinnati could become attractive to the Big East (as could Louisville) if the ACC raids the league of three teams (Miami, Boston College and Syracuse are the candidates). DePaul could go to the A-10 (which would love to have the Blue Demons, giving Dayton and Xavier another team in the Midwest). DePaul isn't attractive to the Big East because it doesn't bring football.

For your records, the WAC is adding Nevada (2000), Boise State ('01) and Louisiana Tech ('01). The Sun Belt is adding North Texas, New Mexico State and Middle Tennessee State in 2000-01. The Big West will probably add UC Riverside. North Texas and NMSU left the Big West because the Sun Belt will sponsor football. The Big West is dropping the sport.

As demonstrated Sunday against Rhode Island, the Tulsa Golden Hurricane have one of the quickest and best defending teams in the nation. Why are they getting such little notice nationally? Expect this team to win 23-24 games before it is over.

-- Don Hafner, Tulsa, Okla.

Don, I couldn't agree more. Tulsa is as deep a team as I've seen this season. The Golden Hurricane shut down Rhode Island's perimeter and made the Rams' inside game disappear. The shocker was how easily Tulsa scored on the wings. Greg Harrington, Tony Heard, Marcus Hill and Eric Coley could end up averaging in double figures. Tulsa and Fresno State will be the teams to beat in the WAC. I'll be shocked if Tulsa doesn't make the NCAA Tournament.