Lorenzo Romar isn't happy that his prized freshman big man, Spencer Hawes, could be out of action for the first month or so of practice. However, it could be much worse.

Hawes is one of the top freshmen in the country - arguably trailing only Ohio State's Greg Oden and Texas' Kevin Durant.

Hawes had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee and is expected to miss anywhere between 2-4 weeks.

When Hawes does return, he'll team with sophomore Jon Brockman to form one of the best interior combinations in the country. Add developing point guard Justin Dentmon and a big-time freshman class that includes wings Quincy Pondexter and Phil Nelson and you've got a team that should be able to compete with anyone in the Pac-10 by the time league play gets going.

Romar got bad news a couple weeks ago when skilled 7-footer Joe Wolfinger suffered a stress fracture in his foot and will miss most of the season. Junior wing Joel Smith is also out of action for the next month or so after having surgery for a stress fracture on Sept. 14.

Plummer out

Dayton junior forward Norman Plummer has been suspended indefinitely after being cited with drunken driving after hitting a telephone pole at 2:30 a.m. this past weekend.

Plummer averaged 10 points and a team-high 6.5 rebounds last season and is slated to be a key in the Flyers chance to earn a postseason bid this season.

Plummer has a scheduled court appearance on Friday.

Biggs loss

Pittsburgh coach Jamie Dixon said that reserve big man Tyrell Biggs is down from 275 to about 240 pounds. He's been out with a calf injury, but Dixon is expecting that Biggs will be able to give senior center Aaron Gray a much-needed breather at crucial times this season.

Dixon also said that Gray and Levon Kendall are the only two players who all but have a starting spot sewn up entering the season.

"It's hard to take him out of the starting lineup because he's our best defender," Dixon said. "In fact, I think he's our best player."

Life of Riley

Alabama boasts arguably the nation's best point guard in Ron Steele and a couple of the SEC's best big men in Richard Hendrix and Jermareo Davidson.

However, watch for McKel Riley to move right into the starting lineup for the Crimson Tide and give the team scoring from the wing. The 6-foot-5, 180-pound Riley was at Panola Junior College and can really shoot it.