Just as it was a year ago for then-coach John Calipari, the key in Memphis this season will be finding a capable point guard.

Calipari eventually went with Tyreke Evans, and it paid off. However, new coach Josh Pastner wasn't left with Evans or anyone of his talent level.

The choices are one-time starting floor leader Willie Kemp, long sophomore Wesley Witherspoon and potentially Duke transfer Elliot Williams.

"Willie has a tremendous opportunity in front of him," Pastner said. "And he knows it."

If Williams receives a waiver and is eligible to play this season, the Memphis native will also be added to the equation – although he's more of a natural wing.

Pastner said that the paperwork was submitted to the NCAA this week by the school in hopes of receiving the waiver for Williams to play this season due to the fact that he transferred to be closer to his family (his mother is battling a serious illness.)

"We're hoping to hear something in the next couple of weeks," Pastner said.

Pastner has nine scholarship players if Williams is cleared to play – five perimeter guys (Kemp, Witherspoon, Williams, Doneal Mack, Roburt Sallie) and four up front (Pierre Henderson-Niles, Angel Garcia, Will Coleman and Martin Ngaloro).

Henderson-Niles and Coleman will likely split minutes at the post while the offensively skilled Garcia, who wasn't cleared by play last season, and the Frenchman Ngaloro will see time at power forward.

"People have to remember that it's going to take time for Angel since he hasn't played a game in more than a year," Pastner said. "We might not see Angel hit his stride until January."

Pastner, although he never coached Joey Dorsey, compares Coleman to the former Tigers big man.

"He's a superior athlete and a physical specimen," Pastner said. "But he still needs to develop skill-wise."

Pastner said he intends to incorporate Calipari's dribble-drive offense with the motion that he learned for years under ex-Arizona head coach Lute Olson.

"The good thing is that both played up-tempo," Pastner said. "I'm going to take concepts from each and put them together. I want these guys to play fast and both Coach Calipari and Coach Olson liked to play that way."

NO SHOCK THAT BROOKS HAS QUALITY GUARDS

It's no surprise that UTSA coach Brooks Thompson, a standout guard in the early 1990s at Texas A&M and Oklahoma State, boasts one of (if not the) best backcourt tandems in the Southland Conference.

It took Thompson a little while to get things turned around at UTSA, but the Roadrunners - with junior Devin Gibson and senior Omar Johnson - have a chance to battle for the league title this year.

The duo averaged 24.9 points, 7.5 assists and 6.9 rebounds last season and will be the cornerstone of this year's team.

"I think they're the best guard combination in the league for sure, but obviously I'm biased," Thompson said. "Devin's shooting the ball a lot better than he was last year, and that makes him much harder to guard. Omar shoots it so well and like Devin, he can get by people."

This will be the most experienced team Thompson's had in his four years at the helm. In fact, there are eight seniors on the roster.

"We're also going to be longer and more athletic than we've been," Thompson said.

Thompson is hoping that senior forward Terry Fields will take advantage of the opportunity for an expanded role. However, he will likely be pushed by junior college forward Stephen Franklin from the College of Eastern Utah.

"He can shoot the three, can score and can beat people off the bounce," Thompson said of the 6-foot-6 Franklin. "He's tough and resilient, and defensively, he'll step right in and help us."

RANDOM NOTES: How about former Western Kentucky star Orlando Mendez-Valdez proposing to his now fiancée, who is a volleyball player on the team, while dressed up as the mascot "Big Red." "She had no idea it was him," Hilltoppers coach Ken McDonald said.