TCU’s latest roster boost arrived the same way a lot of Big 12 roster moves have lately: through the courthouse.
The Horned Frogs added Robbie Avila on Thursday after a court order in Missouri last week cleared the 6-10 big man to play. Avila, last season’s Atlantic 10 Player of the Year, averaged 12.8 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.1 assists, and his arrival gives Jamie Dixon another veteran post presence in a league packed with fifth-year players who have similar eligibility situations.
The Big 12 has turned this into a full-on arms race. Kansas has added Tre White, Melvin Council and Trey Kaufman-Renn through local court rulings.
Texas Tech brought in Darrion Williams, Donovan Atwell and Jamichael Stillwell. Houston added Chendall Weaver, BYU got Jaxon Kohler, Cincinnati added MJ Collins, Iowa State added Tamin Lipsey and West Virginia added Brenen Lorient.
TCU is now part of that same wave, and the timing matters: the Horned Frogs are 3-0, will host Milwaukee on Friday in Fort Worth, Texas, and are sitting 30th in the ROTHSTEIN 45.
UConn is dealing with the other side of the roster equation. Nik Khamenia, the Duke transfer and Huskies starting power forward, will have foot surgery in the next few days and be reevaluated in 6-8 weeks after getting hurt earlier in the week against Wagner, the school announced Thursday afternoon.
Khamenia has averaged 10.7 points and 3.0 rebounds, and his absence could push Dan Hurley to lean harder on freshman Colben Landrew. The 6-foot-6 wing has already flashed plenty, coming off the bench for 14 points and eight rebounds in 22 minutes in last Friday’s win over Michigan at TD Garden in Boston.
UConn is 3-0 and hosts Ohio State tonight in Hartford to open a home-and-home series.
North Carolina’s next test brings a different kind of pressure. Friday’s game in Chapel Hill against Georgia will be Michael Malone’s first against a power conference opponent since taking over at UNC, and the Bulldogs arrive with some substance of their own. Mike White’s team has reached each of the past two NCAA Tournaments and returns 47.1% of its scoring from last season.
For the Tar Heels, the spotlight also falls on Neoklis Avdalas. The Virginia Tech transfer came to Chapel Hill with All-ACC caliber potential, but he has yet to find his rhythm.
Through three games, the 6-foot-9 Avdalas is averaging 7.3 points, 4.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists. If North Carolina is going to handle Georgia, it may need more from him.
Elsewhere, Houston coach Kelvin Sampson will be Friday’s guest on INSIDE COLLEGE BASKETBALL NOW. Auburn hosts Arizona on Friday in the second half of a home-and-home before heading to Las Vegas next week for the Players Era 8. Steven Pearl’s team is 2-0 and opens the tournament against West Virginia.
Texas may have found a deep threat in freshman guard Joe Sterling. The California native is averaging 13.3 points and has hit 10 of 15 from 3-point range through the Longhorns’ first three games, making him their second-leading scorer behind Matas Vokietaitis, who is putting up 21.3 points and 7.3 rebounds. Texas gets a tougher read on both Sterling and the team Sunday against Baylor in San Antonio.
Marquette’s Nigel James is stuck in a rough stretch. The 6-foot sophomore is averaging 4.3 points over the Golden Eagles’ first three games and has gone 5 of 23 from the field and 1 for 10 from 3-point range.
And at San Diego State, Latrell Davis has been a bright spot. Brian Dutcher said he shouldn’t have redshirted him last season because it cost the Aztecs an NCAA Tournament berth, and Davis is averaging 23.0 points through the first three games.
Friday’s daily specials: Georgia at North Carolina, Ohio State at UConn and Virginia at Maryland.
In Other News...
Bill Belichick's UNC Future Just Got More Uncertain
Bill Belichicks second season at North Carolina has brought some on-field progress, with the Tar Heels sitting 5-4 after a rough first year under the longtime coach. Even so, there has been no conversation between Belichick and the university about changing his current contract or mapping out what comes next, which leaves his status in a more uncertain place than the record alone might suggest.
The backdrop here is more complicated than wins and losses. North Carolina recently conducted an investigation into the football program, and that process already led to the resignations of general manager Michael Lombardi and defensive coordinator Steve Belichick. With those changes still fresh and no contract talks underway, the future of the programs most prominent figure remains an open question. [Read more 🡒]
UNC Could Land One More Recruit That Changes This Class
North Carolina already has a headliner in five-star small forward DeMarcus Henry for its 2027 class, but the next few days could tell the bigger story. With the open signing period beginning soon, the Tar Heels are in position to turn one elite commitment into something even more imposing if another top target decides to jump in.
Five-star forward C.J. Rosser is still weighing his options between North Carolina and Kentucky, and there is no confirmed decision yet. For a class that already has real star power, landing Rosser would change the conversation around what the Tar Heels are building, and the timing makes the next move especially important. [Read more 🡒]
UNC Lands A Physical Defender Who Could Grow Into Much More
North Carolina added another piece to its future defense when Treveon Lewis, a 2027 linebacker from East Paulding High School in Dallas, Ga., announced his commitment on social media. Lewis is expected to be on campus for a recruiting event, giving the Tar Heels an early look at a prospect whose game already stands out for its physical edge and willingness to attack downhill.
Lewis arrives with the kind of profile that can appeal to a program looking beyond the immediate future, since the evaluation around him points to a defender who could keep growing into a more complete player with time. For UNC, the commitment is less about instant impact and more about securing a young linebacker with traits that suggest there may be plenty more development ahead. [Read more 🡒]