LAS VEGAS - I'm traveling all day today out to the west coast, so the blog will be thin. I may update it later tonight, but no guarantees. I'm tired from all that shoveling yesterday.

I'm headed out to get a look at the Lopez Twins - Brook and Robin - who host Arizona on Thursday night. Then I'm going to check out Saturday's matchup between UCLA and USC - you know, Kevin Love vs. O.J. Mayo.

And, no, I didn't stop over in Vegas to hit the blackjack or craps table. I've got a lengthy drive from here for an inspiring story that will run sometime next week.

I've said it from Day One - Love is the best freshman college basketball player in the nation. I believe that Derrick Rose has the most pro potential and that Eric Gordon is the guy who can make the quickest impact in the NBA, but Love brings so much to the table. He scores in the post, rebounds, passes and his defense is improving. I'm not quite sure where Michael Beasley fits into the equation, but he's talented and continues to put up impressive numbers.

Freshman guard Jerryd Bayless is back for Arizona and he makes a HUGE difference. In fact, if the Wildcats had him for the game at Memphis, it might have come down to the wire. Bayless lit up Houston in his first game back after missing four with a knee injury and the Wildcats are a completely different team - not having to rely exclusively on Chase Budinger as their go-to guy.

I also plan to check out the two best players in the junior class in high school - skilled 6-foot-9 Renardo Sidney and Georgia native Derrick Favors - a true post player. Sidney's Fairfax (Calif.) team plays Friday night against Westchester and Favors is part of an event on Saturday that follows the UCLA-USC game at Pauley Pavilion.

IMPRESSED BY DIXON'S PANTHERS

I know I said it after Pittsburgh was able to knock off Duke at Madison Square Garden, but Panthers coach Jamie Dixon has established himself as one of the top coaches in the country.

Dixon knocked off Georgetown without his MVP - Levance Fields. He was also without another starter, Mike Cook, who was lost for the season in the win against the Blue Devils with a knee injury.

Dixon has moved Ronald Ramon to the point, inserted veteran Keith Benjamin into the starting lineup and the team hasn't lost much of a beat.

I figured the Panthers that anything beyond a .500 record in Big East play might be difficult for Dixon & Co., but the victory against the Hoyas proved that Pittsburgh can still beat the big boys without Fields in the lineup.

RANDOM NOTES: Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl said that sophomore forward Duke Crews underwent a third and final test to determine whether he'll be able to play this season. ``They will try to determine if has an athletic heart, a condition in which the heart is bigger and pumps more slowly, or if it's something we should be more concerned with," Pearl said. "Their findings will determine if Duke can return to play this year or will need to be redshirted."