the grind

-- Oregon's Aaron Brooks scored a career-high 34 in the Ducks' 90-83 victory over USC. The ninth-best team in America, according to the latest RPI ratings, Ernie Kent's club is slowly but surely working itself into NCAA Tournament consideration. Best wins: New Mexico, Vanderbilt and Fresno State. Only loss? In Chicago, to Illinois.

-- During today's must-see game between Kansas and Georgia Tech (previewed here), the Jayhawks will honor Darnell Valentine, the fifth-leading scorer, fifth-leading assist man and top free-throw shooter in men's basketball history.

-- D.J. White scored 23 points, 14 in the second half, and grabbed 11 rebounds in Indiana's 69-68 victory over Oral Roberts. The much-hyped freshman made the game-winning basket, hitting a 7-foot turnaround jumper with 14.7 seconds left. More importantly, Mike Davis begins 2005 as the Hoosiers' head coach. Will he remain in Bloomington through 2006?

-- Tom Noie writes-up Mike Brey's evolving lineup. The Notre Dame coach considers six of his players "starters," guards Chris Quinn and Chris Thomas, swingman Colin Falls, small forward Jordan Cornette and power forwards Torin Francis and Dennis Latimore.

-- Happy New Year! Chris Mitchell has announced his intent to transfer from East Tennessee State.

-- The Tucson Citizen's Corky Simpson believes Arizona is in for a rude awakening against Arizona State: "Swagger has replaced stagger at ASU." A victory against the 'Cats will go a long way towards saving Rob Evans' job and putting Ike Diogu and the Sun Devils into the NCAA Tournament mix.