SUMPTER READY TO GO

Villanova senior forward Curtis Sumpter, who missed all of last season after tearing a knee ligament for the second time in less than a year, has progressed so well that he doesn't even want to wear a knee brace.

"He's doing everything," one source said. "He's ready to go."

Sumpter initially tore his ACL in March of 2005 against Florida and re-injured the left knee on Oct. 19 in practice. If he's healthy, the Wildcats have a chance of getting back to the Sweet 16.

BIG EAST ASSISTANTS POW-WOW

Nearly all of the top assistants in the Big East have been asked to attend a meeting on Friday in Philadelphia at the Airport Marriott.

The idea came about back in May, when all of the head coaches convened at an annual meeting.

"They want to make sure everyone's on the same program," one head coach said. "It's a way to get all the assistants together and make sure they know they aren't just representing themselves, but also their head coaches."

"It's not a big deal and isn't about one particular thing," he added. "The league just thought it would be a good idea."

Another source said that it comes in the aftermath of the UConn-Doug Wiggins saga and also is about the abundance of negative recruiting that is ongoing throughout the conference.

"It's about negative recruiting and tampering with kids," the source said.

FRESHMEN UP IN AIR

Seton Hall freshman point guard Eugene Harvey hasn't gotten cleared by the NCAA Clearinghouse, but his former coach at St. Benedict's, Dan Hurley, isn't worried.

"He'll qualify," Hurley said. "He's already qualified, but the holdup is over one course he took after he finished his fourth year."

Harvey isn't the only one still waiting the official word.

Marquette's Lazar Hayward and UConn big man Hasheem Thabeet haven't gotten through the clearinghouse, either.

According to a source, the problem with Hayward stems from the fact that his old high school, Buffalo Traditional, closed down and some records haven't been able to be found.

The Clearinghouse still needs more info regarding the 7-foot-2 Thabeet, who is expected to be the "X" factor for the Huskies this season.


PADG-INATION

Louisville big man David Padgett is making progress, but don't expect the 6-foot-11 forward to put up numbers such as the 27-point, 8-rebound performance he did against UConn anytime soon.

Padgett had significant surgery on both knees on March 6 and while he is participating in individual workouts, he isn't close to being able to make an impact. In fact, it's unlikely that he'll be anywhere near what he was last season until the middle of conference play in February.

Padgett averaged 11.8 points and 6.1 boards in 26.8 minutes per game a year ago after transferring in from Kansas.