1. Dez Wells is expected to keep a low profile at Maryland while the school applies for a waiver to see if he can play immediately after being expelled from Xavier. According to a source, Maryland hasn’t approached Xavier about helping with the waiver; the only thing Maryland could ask of Xavier is whether it would object to Wells playing immediately. A source said that, if asked, the Musketeers would not object, with the source adding that Xavier doesn’t want to obstruct Wells.
2. Oregon coach Dana Altman said Thursday at the Basketball Hall of Fame that he is highly optimistic about this season’s team, notably because he expects senior E.J. Singler to have a breakout season. The forward averaged 13.6 points and 5.6 rebounds a game last season. Altman also said that Tony Woods must emerge as a major factor; he averaged just 6.8 points and 3.5 rebounds after sitting out a year following his transfer from Wake Forest. Oregon finished in a second-place tie with Cal last season in the Pac-12 but failed to make the NCAAs and lost in an NIT quarterfinal at Washington.
3. The Hall of Fame announced Thursday that Louisville and North Carolina will headline the 2013 event at the Mohegan Sun. But the only way these two teams meet is if they either both win or lose their semifinal games. The other two teams in the event are scheduled to be Richmond and Fairfield. ... Keep an eye on a sleeper matchup in the 2K Sports Classic benefitting the Wounded Warrior Project when Nate Wolters and South Dakota State (love the Jackrabbits) goes against DeAndre Kane and Marshall on Nov. 17. ... Dave Odom, who helps organize the Maui Invitational, said the four teams that will play members of the Maui field on the mainland are: Elon (which play at Butler); Colgate (at Marquette and Illinois); Coppin State (at USC and Texas); Florida Atlantic (at North Carolina and Mississippi State).
