Terrence Jennings

Jennings is one of those players I like to keep an eye on, because I'm almost certain he is going to break out and become one of the NCAA's best big men. I thought that would happen this year, but he can't seem to get court time averaging only 13.2 minutes per game. His per minute numbers in blocks and rebounds are excellent and he's connecting on 66% of his shots, so what little time he has been on the court has been productive. Jennings being on the court has also been a good thing for the Cards. They've gone 14-3 when his minutes are in double figures, 4-5 when they're not. This post:

http://uoflcardgame.com/getting-through-to-terrence-jennings/12934

details some of the issues involving Jennings' minutes, including an inability to hit any shot other than a dunk and not practicing well. In the comments section one poster comments that Jennings and Samardo Samuels simply don't mesh well on the floor. It seems like the situation is if Jennings has it going on, he'll play. If not he sits.
A couple of thoughts on this. The first is players really need to think long and hard about where they're going to play college ball. The main thing prospects should look for is whether they'll get plenty of PT. Had Jennings stayed closer to home in the Pac-10, chances are he'd be getting big minutes now. The second is I feel both parties, Louisville and Jennings, would benefit from him getting more PT. Surely a coach of Pitino's brilliance, and I say that without a bit of sarcasm, can figure out a way to make this work for longer stretches in games. With Louisville probably safely in the tournament, but just a bad run away from the NIT, it might be a good idea at this point to throw Jennings out there and let him struggle for the sake of the team.
Either way, I still believe Terrence Jennings is going to be a force in college basketball soon enough.

Zoubek!

The big guy posted 16 points and 17 rebounds in just 22 minutes yesterday. For his first 3 seasons I had written that this guy was a player to watch. His per minute numbers and percentages were always solid enough. He was 7'1". Not a great prospect, but definitely a guy who should get a look as a NBA center. This year I had pretty much given up on him. His minutes were at the same part time level as previous seasons and it looked like he'd be another player who would always leave me wondering how his career would have turned out had he gone to a school where he played more minutes. Now that he has shown some signs of life we'll have to put him back on the watch list.

Davis out

It was announced yesterday that NC PF Ed Davis will miss the next 6 weeks, effectively benching him for the season. As a prospect, I doubt this affects his status too much. I was looking forward to seeing if he could elevate his game and team for a stretch run. But I doubt it would have changed my opinion of him much and the 2010 Tar Heels seemed like a tough place for him to show his best stuff anyways. Too many mediocre players taking too many opportunities away from him. Should he enter the draft, as I'm guessing he will, he'll be healthy for the workouts and combines which, right or wrong, seems to be the part of the process scouts take the most stock in.
What will be interesting to watch in the fallout from this is whether freshman John Henson starts to emerge. Henson has started to flash a little of the promise that originally had him at the esteemed "highly-touted" level going into the season. If he gets Davis' minutes and role, it should give him an opportunity to shine.