I'm off to Las Vegas this morning, where there are four – well, actually five – different events this week.

However, the top two players in the country – Harrison Barnes and Brandon Knight – won't be in Sin City.

Barnes is done with AAU ball. He will play in the Global Games and may go to Chris Paul's Camp.

Knight's mother, Turgenia, told me last night that he fractured his foot and is out for six weeks.

"He's not a happy camper," she said. "But he needs to rest his body."

Turgenia Knight said that her son was working out too much, and she's almost glad that the injury gives him no choice but to take some time away from the game.

As far as his recruitment is concerned, she said that the coaching staffs speak to her and her husband.

"We try not to give out his number," she said. "They don't call him. I don't think any adult needs to talk to a 17-year-old. He's a minor."

Mrs. Knight also said that her son, who has a 4.2 GPA and has never received a B in high school, is wide open in the process and the family will begin to figure things out in the fall.

OHIO VALLEY OFFSEASON REPORT

Here's an Ohio Valley league rundown. Please e-mail me at jngoodman@aol.com with any additions or corrections.

Austin Peay: The Governors will play in the Glenn Wilkes Classic in Florida and also have non-conference games at Tennessee (Nov. 13), at Kentucky (Dec. 19), at Memphis (Dec. 29) and at home against Drake (Nov. 28). Clark Stepp left the program and landed at Cumberlands.

Eastern Illinois: The Panthers will host IUPUI (Nov. 18), Belmont (Nov. 28) and opens the season on the road against Toledo (Nov. 14) in non-conference games. Will Hamilton, a freshman guard, has transferred to Danville CC.

Eastern Kentucky: The Colonels will play in the CBE event at the Pittsburgh pod and will also be in the Dr. Pepper Classic at Chattanooga along with Long Island University. Deveyon Hunter has transferred out of the program.

Jacksonville State: Assistant Rob Brooks left and was replaced by Scotty Fletcher. JSU will play non-conference games against UAB (home) and Georgia and Ole Miss on the road.

Morehead State: Matt Grady joined the staff as an assistant coach, replacing Barry Wortman, who left to become the head coach at Oak Ridge High in Tenn. Donnie Tyndall's team will play in the Basketball Travelers Invitational at Utah State (Dec. 21-23) along with Weber State and Cal State Fullerton. The Eagles will play at Kentucky (Nov. 13) and will host Kent State (Nov. 29) in non-conference games. Three players – Robert Murry (Clayton State), Andreas Coleman (Quincy) and Cecil Brown (Slippery Rock) – left the program while Landon Slone (Kentucky) transferred in.

Murray State: The Racers will play in the Coaches vs. Cancer tournament and are in the California pod in which they play the Bears on Nov. 9. They will then head to Florida International for the rest of the event, along with NC Central and James Madison. Non-conference games include at Western Kentucky, on the road against East Tennessee State and against Chattanooga.

Southeast Missouri State: The Redhawks will play in the Basketball Travelers Classic at host Illinois State from Nov. 27-29 along with St. Bonaventure and Norfolk State. New coach Dickey Nutt hired Jamie Rosser, Kyle Gerdeman and Jeremy Case. Three players – Hank Harris, Bijon Jones and Johnny Hill – transferred out of the program.

Tennessee Tech: The Golden Eagles had two players transfer out – D.J. Lindsay (NBA Draft) and Tyler McDaniels – and Mike Sutton's team also brought in Georgia transfer Zac Swansey. Tennessee Tech will play in the Hall of Fame event in St. Louis in mid-November and also has non-conference games against Ball State, Evansville, Lipscomb and Southern Utah.

Tennessee State: New coach John Cooper hired a staff of Travis Williams, Sheldon Everett and Dana Ford. The Tigers will play in the Chicago Invitational and also have non-conference games against Vanderbilt, Iowa, Iowa State, Northwestern, Siena and Detroit. Two players – Gerald Robinson (Georgia) and Parker Smith (North Florida) – transferred out.

Tennessee Martin: Head coach Bret Campbell resigned and was replaced by assistant Jason James, who retained assistants Jay Bowen and Zack Janus. Non-conference games include on the road against Florida State, Southern Illinois and Arkansas State.

RANDOM NOTES: Niagara gave Joe Mihalich an extension after a 26-win season a year ago. ... Bruce Pearl's USA team beat Canada, 123-76, to advance to the gold medal game in the Maccabiah Games. New Hampshire's Dane DiLiegro led the U.S. with 20 points and nine rebounds. The U.S. will play Israel on Wednesday.