Derrick Caracter still hasn't given the word that he's heading to two-time defending NAIA champion Oklahoma City.

``Are we recruiting him?  Yes," said Oklahoma City coach Tommy Wade. "Is he at Oklahoma City?  No. Has he decided to come to Oklahoma City?  No. Not today."

However, Wade is hopeful that the Louisville big man will opt to go to Oklahoma City - one of the few places where he might be able to play immediately.

Caracter is still waiting for his summer grades at Louisville and he'll need a 2.0 GPA in order to be able to play at any NAIA school. If he opts to go to another D-1 school, he'd have to sit out the season. Louisville coach Rick Pitino has also said that Caracter would have to sit out this season and pay his own way if he elects to stay at Louisville - which appears more and more unrealistic each day.

``He's a big-time talent and an intelligent young man," Wade said of the New Jersey big man who was once ranked as the top player in his class. "He's got to make a decision in the next 72 hours."

The other option for Caracter, if he doesn't qualify academically, is to go overseas or to the NBDL.

TALENTED TEXAS FROSH DOESN'T QUALIFY

Texas won't have freshman J'Covan Brown this fall - and probably this season - due to academics.

Brown, a talented in-state product who could have played his way into the rotation this season, didn't qualify academically and will take classes in hopes of gaining a qualifying test score.

"J'Covan Brown will not be enrolled at Texas during the upcoming Fall semester," Longhorns coach Rick Barnes said in a statement. "However, we do expect J'Covan to earn admission to The University of Texas and join our basketball program at some point."