Three of the top five or so freshman in the country were on display last night in Madison Square Arena and the trio played like first-year guys.

Kansas State's Michael Beasley hardly looked like the player who came into the game leading the nation in scoring and rebounding.

Derrick Rose didn't look like one of the top 50 point guards in the country, never-mind the top floor leader in the nation.

O.J. Mayo had another sub-par, low-percentage shooting effort.

You can make excuses for all three. Beasley doesn't have enough help right now, especially at the point guard spot. Rose was going up against a triangle-and-two defense for the first time in his career and Mayo had to force some difficult shots late in the game.

Could all three use more than one year of college?  Absolutely.

However, it's not going to happen.

Beasley isn't going to be in Manhattan, Kan., for more than one season. Same goes for Rose's stay in Memphis and Mayo's tenure in Los Angeles.

It's just too bad that on one of the brightest stages, all three sputtered.

Mayo's defense on Rose was impressive, but he didn't have any off-the-ball responsibilities in the triangle-and-two and he also had plenty of help behind him.

Beasley put up decent numbers - 19 points and 13 boards, but he was manhandled and worn down at times by Notre Dame's Luke Harangody.

Beasley still isn't allowed to talk to the media (Frank Martin will let his prized freshman talk to the media for the first time later this month), but he appeared to be visibly frustrated with K-State taking a third loss so early in the season. Rose was all smiles after the game despite his poor individual performance. Mayo, well, you can never really tell since he always says exactly what he thinks he's supposed to say.

Despite the lackluster performance by three of the nation's finest frosh, it's still a group that is loaded with talent. There's Kevin Love, Eric Gordon, Kyle Singler, Jerryd Bayless, Patrick Patterson, Kosta Koufos, J.J. Hickson, etc.

MSG OBSERVATIONS

- People forget the fact that Kansas State is without its most experienced and accomplished player, 6-foot-5 senior forward David Hoskins - a second-team All Big 12 selection a year ago. Wildcats coach Frank Martin said prior to the game that he's uncertain whether Hoskins (knee), who hasn't played this season, will even be back this season. Hoskins is expected to be evaluated by doctors next week.

- Memphis will be vulnerable all season to zone defenses - and not just the triangle-and-two, either. The Tigers just don't have enough quality perimeter shooters. Doneal Mack is legitimately the only guy who can really make shots from long range with consistency. I haven't changed my tune that UCLA is still the best team in the land (with a healthy Darren Collison and Mike Roll), North Carolina is No. 2 and I'm thinking Kansas (when the Jayhawks get Sherron Collins back) is No. 3 followed by Memphis.

- Notre Dame's Luke Harangody is the Midwest version of Washington's Jon Brockman. Haragody had 15 points and 10 boards late in the first half, but it was local product Kyle McAlarney who delivered the critical blow with a 3-pointer with 1:32 left that gave the Irish a 64-59 lead.

- Best sign belonged to Mayo's mother: ``Got Juice?  Failure is Not an option."

RANDOM NOTES: No offense to Boston College, but any team that gets blown out by the Eagles has to be bad - especially when BC guard Tyrese Rice only gets 10 points. St. Louis first-year coach Rick Majerus took his team to BC and got crushed, 61-39. ... The biggest win of the night belonged to Rhode Island, which knocked off in-state rival Providence, convincingly. ... Kentucky is trying to persuade Alex Legion to change his mind and stay in Lexington. The matter should be resolved one way or the other within the next 48 hours.