Not only will Kansas and Kentucky be at or near the top of my final preseason top 25 – which will be released Thursday – but the two schools will also be loading up with talented recruits this weekend for Midnight Madness.

Kansas will bring in the top player in the class, Harrison Barnes, in addition to senior guards Josh Selby and Doron Lamb. Bradley Beal, one of my favorite players from this past summer, will also be in attendance along with talented 2011 guard Josiah Turner.

Kentucky will have Kyrie Irving, Tobias Harris, C.J. Leslie in from the senior class as well as the nation's top player in 2011, Michael Gilchrist. Quincy Miller and Ashcraf Yacoubou will be there as well.

SALUKIS TRYING TO RETURN TO OLD FORM

It wasn't the type of year Southern Illinois fans have come to expect in the Chris Lowery Era.

13-18.

But the Salukis, who were young and then were without senior guard Bryan Mullins for the final 10 or so games due to injury, should be much improved.

Mullins is playing overseas, but Lowery has had a replacement in the program for the past year with Iowa transfer Tony Freeman.

Freeman only has one year left but averaged 13.8 points in the Big Ten two years ago for the Hawkeyes.

"We knew he was going to be a guy who could score when we took him," Lowery said. "But we didn't know he was going to be this good of a kid from a standpoint of character, commitment and toughness."

Toughness. That's the key word for Lowery, who has brought in a class this year that has all the intangibles that Southern Illinois has been accustomed to.

Guys like junior college guard Jack Crowder, who Lowery calls "an animal" due to his toughness, and another JUCO guard, 6-foot-5 John Freeman out of Vincennes, who is a terrific defender.

Last year, buoyed by the program's success, Lowery brought in what he deemed as his "star power" class, a group led by point guard Kevin Dillard and talented big man Anthony Booker.

Dillard averaged 12.2 points last season, but Lowery admits he had way too much on his plate as a freshman.

"He took on too much," Lowery said. "He was leading us in scoring the first nine games."

Now it'll be Dillard, who has gained more than 10 pounds from the 150 he played at last season, and Freeman in the backcourt, which will be as talented a guard duo as any in the Missouri Valley, with skilled junior forward Carlton Fay (10.4 ppg, 4.6 rpg) likely starting up front.

There's a chance Ryan Hare, who was involved in an offseason incident in which charges were never filed, could miss multiple games due to a suspension. However, when he returns, Hare could make his way back into the starting lineup.

Lowery has also brought on Diamond Taylor, who was kicked off the Wisconsin team after his role in a burglary. Lowery didn't comment, but sources indicated that Taylor's parents were looking for a place where discipline was regimented.

CHAMBERS VISION STILL HEADS BACK TO PHILLY

Pat Chambers is a Philly guy, so it's only natural that the Boston University rookie coach goes back to his roots when trying to recruit.

How about that Chambers finished up a five-man Philly class with a trio of teammates at Friends Central (Pa.), who all committed at the same time on Monday.

Power forward Dominic Morris is the most highly touted of the group and was looking at Siena, Temple and Niagara. Travis Robinson is an athletic wing who plays above the rim, and combo guard Henry "HJ" Gaskins can run a team and possesses a high IQ.

The three teammates will join combo guard Mike Terry Jr. of North Catholic and Roman Catholic 6-foot-9 big man Anthony Mayo to form the Philly Five on Commonwealth Ave.

WAC OFFSEASON RUNDOWN

I'm still working on finishing up the offseason conference rundowns. Here's the WAC. Please e-mail jngoodman@aol.com if you have any corrections or additions.

Boise State: The Broncos will play at Montana's tournament from Nov. 13-15 along with Loyola Marymount and North Dakota, and Greg Graham's team will also have non-conference contests at Illinois (Dec. 5) and against San Diego (Dec. 12). Shawn Rouse transferred to Kentucky Wesleyan.

Fresno State: The Bulldogs will play in the West Coast Classic and also have non-league games at Oregon State (Dec. 23) and against Colorado State (Dec. 28). Jonathan Willis transferred in from New Mexico, and Bryce Cartwright left and landed at Paris Junior College.

Hawaii: Bob Nash's team will host the Rainbow Classic from Nov. 13-16 and also the Diamond Head Classic (Dec. 22-25). The Rainbows will also play against BYU (Nov. 20) and New Mexico (Nov. 27) in non-league games. Three players remain from last year: Adam Jesperson, Sasha Parghalava (Mountain State) and Kareem Nitito (UC Riverside). Hawaii also added Zane Johnson (Arizona) and Aleks Milovic (Duquesne).

Idaho: The Vandals will play non-league games at Utah (Nov. 13), against Portland (Dec. 6) and on the road against Washington State (Dec. 9).

Louisiana Tech: Dusty May (UAB) replaced Aubrey McCreary on the staff. The Bulldogs will play in New Mexico's Basketball Travelers World Vision tournament from Nov. 20-22 along with Miami (Ohio) and Nicholls State. Non-league games include at Arizona (Dec. 9), at TCU (Dec. 28) and at Houston (Dec. 29). Kenneth Cooper transferred out and is trying to get a fifth year at UAB.

Nevada: New Wolf Pack coach David Carter, who took over after Mark Fox left for Georgia, added Keith Brown and Dennis Gates. Nevada will play in the Las Vegas Classic and also has non-conference games at VCU (Nov. 27), at North Carolina (Nov. 29) and at UNLV (Nov. 18). Malik Cooke (South Carolina) and Ahyaro Phillips (Lamar Port Arthur JC) left, while Malik Story (Indiana) transferred into the program.

New Mexico State: The Aggies will play non-league games against New Mexico (Nov. 17), a home and home with UTEP and at UCLA (Dec. 15). Terrance Joyner left and is at Eastern Utah.

San Jose State: Tim Marrion left to become the director of basketball operations at Washington State. The Spartans will play at Washington (Nov. 20), against Pacific (Nov. 28) and against Saint Mary's (Nov. 30). Clint Amberry went to California Baptist.

Utah State: The Aggies will host the Basketball Travelers Invitational from Dec. 21-23 and also have non-league games against Saint Mary's (Dec. 5), at Utah (Nov. 18) and against BYU (Dec. 2). Morgan Grim transferred in from Utah, while Stavon Williams (Angelo State), Deremy Geiger (Grayson CC) and Dominique Cooks (Chaminade) transferred out.

RANDOM NOTES: Southeast Missouri new coach Dickey Nutt will be without his top recruit, 6-foot-7 forward Leon Powell, for the season after the former Indian Hills standout tore his ACL in a pickup game. ... South Kent (Conn.) wing Jesse Morgan, according to Scout.com's Evan Daniels, committed to Seton Hall.