Enjoying his time on the campus of Bristol U., ESPN.com's Answer Man found the time to dig back into his mailbag. He's was eager to answer a few questions from ESPN.com users.

What is the scoop with assistant basketball coach Bruce Parkhill at Ohio State, why did he leave? Bruce Chavka
Walsenburg, Colo.

Bruce,
The word out of Ohio State is that Parkhill left to spend time with his daughter. No other controversy. That's it. A family reason that makes sense.

You guys are the same every year. Come march it's the same story for the MAC, they are the most underrated league, where did these teams come from. And yet once again you guys have gotten a quick case of amnesia. No MAC teams in the top 50? Is this some kind of joke? We all know there will be at least 1 team there from the MAC at the end of the year so why don't you stop hiding and pick one.
Adam
Muncie, Ind.

Adam,
You've got a valid point, but here's the problem with this year's MAC. The favorites both have significant flaws. Ohio should be one of the favorites with the return of Brandon Hunter. But the Bobcats flamed out in the first round of the MAC tourney. Ball State should be a return favorite, but the Cardinals have a wait-and-see attitude with Theron Smith, who is trying to recover from an ACL tear. Kent State got to the Elite Eight and lost its best player (Trevor Huffman) and its coach (Stan Heath). There were too many questions at this stage to put one of the MAC teams in the top 50. That doesn't mean they won't have one or two or three teams in that list by November but at this juncture it wasn't clear.

I have two questions. First, I heard something about Will Bynum considering leaving Arizona for fear of a lack of adequate playing time. Is there any truth to that and what is the current situation? Second, even if Bynum is to stay and maintain Arizona's deep bench, what is to keep them from marching straight through to the Final Four.
Danny Castillo
Phoenix

Danny,
The Bynum rumors are dead. The Arizona coaching staff doesn't know where they started, but have assured me and other reporters that there is no truth to Will Bynum wanting out of Tucson before the season. What will keep them from marching to the Final Four? How about Oregon and UCLA in the Pac-10 for starters and Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas in the Big 12. Arizona is a preseason top three team and might be a consensus No. 1, but that doesn't mean the 'Cats are a lock for New Orleans.

I don't mean to question your integrity because you're awesome, but how did you get your hands on this Rainbow Classic field? I remember Butler, W. Kentucky and Texas PanAm being on the list, but where did Bradley and Tennessee Tech come from? I'm almost 100-percent certain the Advertiser listed Colorado and George Mason as teams who signed to play in this year's RC. Were these schools casualties of the 2-in-4 ruling? Sorry to say, but I'd much rather have those two than Bradley and Tennessee Tech, which just goes to show how poor the competition is in this year's RC (including Drexel and San Diego, ugh). Whatever happened to the old Classic? This 2-in-4 ruling is really going to kill our Hawaii program, which was just about to turn the corner. Our RPI's going to be absolutely horrid next year (Look at our pre-conference slate).

Interesting side note: Hawaii will be the only "major conference" team in your projected Rainbow Classic this year (by major I mean consistently gets two or more teams in the tourney). Who woulda imagined?

Mahalo
Shane Briones
Pearl City, Hawaii

Shane,
I got the field from Hawaii. Colorado and George Mason aren't in the tournament. Tennessee Tech and Bradley are and as of this writing San Diego and Drexel weren't definite. The Rainbow Classic won't get back to the same stature as the early '90s (Kansas, North Carolina and Michigan in 1993) until television (say ESPN) gets involved and it gets moved to prior to Christmas. Playing it between Christmas and New Year's is a tough sell because too many high-profile teams don't want to be in Hawaii a week before they start conference play. The 2-in-4 rule is another aspect that hurts the field, but isn't the only reason the quality of teams has declined.

I enjoyed your article on the new Bracket Busters event this season. However, in your list of oversights, you failed to mention an entire conference. Any idea which conference finished 11th in RPI last season, just behind the WAC and ahead of traditional mid major heavyweights such as the MAC and Missouri Valley? The Colonial Athletic Association! Last season UNCW knocked off USC in the first round, while George Mason was invited to the NIT after a 19-win season (including an upset of Ole Miss on the road). Don't you think UNCW or GMU would deserve to be in this event?
Chris
Fairfax, Va.

You're right on the CAA as being a comparable conference to the Missouri Valley, but for whatever reason that league has trouble getting at-large teams. I still believe that only teams that have a chance for at-large berths should be in the bracket buster. If a team still has to win the conference tourney to get a bid, then getting them a power rating game in February isn't going to matter. That's probably the case for the best team in the CAA.

Andy,
Explain to me how Chris Monroe of George Washington was left off both your top 50, and the Wooden list. GW is slowly rebuilding after the Tom Penders disaster, but coach Hobbs has them well on the right track, and Monroe is easily one of the more explosive players on the East Coast. Where is the love for the A-10?
Eric Boucher
Arlington, Va.

Eric,
Monroe has a legit complaint, but it's hard to squeeze all of the fringe top 50 players into the final few spots. I thought about Monroe, but he was on my "missed-list". That doesn't mean he won't crack the midseason list when the Wooden Award puts out that list in December. Monroe can be a write-in candidate and still garner a serious look if he helps continue the turnaround at GW. Look for the Colonials to be a sleeper in the A-10 next season along with UMass, Dayton and Richmond. Xavier is the team to beat, but second is wide open.

Yo, AK 47 ...
How 'bout shooting some props out to Henry Domercant at Eastern Illinois University? He has been one of the most prolific scorers in NCAA history. What do you think?
Buck,
Anthem, Ariz.

Domercant shot the ball decently on the NIT all-star trip, according to the organizers. But he's got to do a bit more to stand out outside of EIU. He's one of the most prolific scorers in the nation, but NBA scouts don't rave about his ability to stick in the league, just yet. He's got to become a better defender and diversify his offensive game a tad, too.

What do you think of Phil Johnson's late signing of Antonio Lawrence to San Jose State. Did the Spartans get a steal with this kid? I know everybody thought he was a lock to go to Fresno State, but when Johnson came back to SJSU from the NBA he "stole" him from the Bulldogs. Can this guy be as good as the last great Spartan, Olivier Saint-Jean (now Tariq Abdul-Wahad)?
Josh McGhie
San Jose, Calif.

Josh,
It's a flat-out steal. Johnson gets the job late after Steve Barnes split for Iowa State and lands Lawrence? San Jose State was and remains a tough out in the league and this should only make it more difficult to put away the Spartans. Johnson will ride his players and demand disciplined defense. Lawrence gives them a prolific scorer and one of the biggest recruits since, you guessed it, Abdul-Wahad.

Greetings from the Far East, Andy!
What do you think about my beloved Hoosiers in the upcoming season? Can't wait to see Strickland & Wright. Anyhow, who do you tip to succeed Dane Fife as the Perimeter Defensive Stopper of the team? While Jeff Newton & George Lynch would be sharing the loads left by Jeffries, it seems that we don't have any size left in the team to fill the void left by Odle. What's your take? Thanks a lot for answering, Andy!
Dupont Koo
Hong Kong

Dupont,
Thanks for the email from the other side of the world. The Hoosiers will have to be more perimeter oriented, but unless Jeffries went inside, they were already last season. Look for A.J. Moye to take Fife's place as the top perimeter defender. And, you're right, if Newton and Leach can't fill the void in the middle by picking up more boards then the Hoosiers are in trouble. The guards will need to rebound more often. But this team should be able to shoot with Tom Coverdale, Kyle Hornsby and the arrival of Bracey Wright and Marshall Strickland. Indiana will be a work in progress but still a legit team to contend for the Big Ten title and beyond.

Does Gonzaga have a legit chance to make some noise this year? I anticipate that Turiaf, Violette, and Gourde will be solid players, but they have a definite void in the starting rotation without Dickau. Has Blake Stepp fully recovered from his knee surgery and ready to assume the point guard spot or will Winston Brooks have to step up and take charge? Then there is the loss of Anthony Reason. Who is going to be the sixth man this year? Are their redshirts from last year expected to make some noise? Can a strong front court carry a mediocre back court? In short, what does the future hold for GU?
Mike Franklin
Eugene, Ore.

Mike,
The future is very good for Gonzaga. The Bulldogs might have their best teams in the next two seasons. That's right, they are absolutely loaded up front with Gourde, Turiaf, Violette and Fox. Blake Stepp is moving to the point but Winston Brooks might log more minutes at the position. Getting Washington transfer Erroll Knight to play small forward in 2003-04 will give Gonzaga a threat at small forward, the type of athlete they have lacked at that position. I don't see the void with Dickau if Brooks and Stepp can play the point. Certainly they'll miss Dickau's scoring and leadership, especially late in games, but they may shift their emphasis inside where they will be tough to defend.

I know he had a bad season last year, but why is nobody talking about Keith Bogans?
Mark
Laguna Niguel, Calif.

Mark,
You answered your own question. Bogans declared for the 2001 draft, returned and was simply in a funk for most of last season. He has a chance to redeem himself and become one of the best wings in the country. He's hungry to finish his career on a high and this has become his Kentucky team. But that means he's got to make shots late in the game and he's got to stay on the floor by working hard enough throughout the game to stay out of Tubby Smith's doghouse.

How good will Notre Dame be this year? Will anyone replace Ryan Humphrey and do you see Chris Thomas hanging around for long?
Jerome Santamaria
Melbourne, Australia

Jerome,
The Irish will be as good as Torin Francis is in the paint. Thomas is one of the top point guards in the nation and Matt Carroll has had a banner summer in shooting the basketball as well as leadership. But the Irish need their freshman forward in Francis to become a factor. They can't afford to be predictable and one-dimensional. If Francis can be a legit scorer inside, they've got a chance to go back to the NCAAs for the third straight season.

First, your statement about Kelvin Sampson: "And that's why Sampson has been known for his teams playing tough because he's willing to take on anyone, at any time. " If I recall correctly, Sampson and WSU had a very hard time traveling from Pullman to Spokane to play the Zags in the Kennel. Your statement doesn't match Sampson's history in the NW. Second, as a columnist how often do you contact Mark Few, the coach at Gonzaga? You consistently have more news than the local newspaper, official or unofficial websites. I enjoy reading the information in your column, but would think the SID and AD at GU would have a stronger desire to promote Zag sports to the local community.
Jim Allen
Spokane, Wash.

Jim,
You're the second person to question Sampson's scheduling. A reader from Tulsa argued the same point, saying Sampson wouldn't play Tulsa at Oklahoma. But the reality is he doesn't have to play the local games. Sampson is willing to take his team on the road to Connecticut, Maryland and New Orleans to play Mississippi State this season. I'm not shocked that any coach at Washington State would shy away from Gonzaga or a coach at Oklahoma would frown on playing Tulsa. Is it fair? No. Should they? Yes. But do they have to play a team in a perceived lesser-known conference just because they're close? Hardly. I would direct the latter part of your question to the school or your local paper.

Are there exceptions for teams that host annual exempted tournaments with the 2-4 rule? An example would be Chaminade hosting the Maui Invitational annually. Are they allowed to be in that tournament every year?
Kurt
East Lansing, Mich.

Kurt,
The host school can be in the tournament every season. Chaminade is the sponsoring school. Hawaii, the only Division I school that sponsors an exempted tournament every season, has an exemption to host multiple tourneys on campus every season.

What will become of players like Lenny Cooke? He already seems like a distant memory and sadly he has yet to bounce a ball on a college or pro court. I think that both the NCAA and Lenny Cooke agree now, that he's not good at making important decisions. I propose that he is given a second chance to play college basketball with penalties attached to his admission to a school. Like he must repay money made, or donate it to a charity. No one benefits from a Lenny Cooke losing eligibility. Agents won't stop telling boarderline talent that they're ready for the lottery like Smush Parker and Sir Valient Brown. What do you think? Can it change? Can a system be created to benefit the players as much as schools benefit from them?
James Deckinger
New York, N.Y.

James,
I agree that Lenny made a poor choice, but the NCAA has already made a concession to high school seniors by allowing them to go to college if they don't get drafted. That's, of course, if they don't sign with an agent. Lenny Cooke did and the NCAA has no tolerance for agents. Cooke should have known that signing with an agent ruined his chances of getting eligible. I would agree with you if the NCAA had its old rule that said a high school player couldn't go to college if he declared for the draft. But allowing them to return if they go undrafted is fair. Signing with an agent, something Cooke knew would crush his amateur status, is a stiffer penalty and one that is fair. Players must know the consequences of signing with an agent.

I understand the 2-in-4 rule with tournaments. So how does a school like Maryland or GW play in the BB&T Classic every year?
Mike Caruso
Germantown

Mike,
The BB&T Classic is a non-exempt tournament. That means both games count on Maryland's 28-game maximum schedule instead of only once if they were in say, Maui (even though there are three games in Maui). Maryland and GW can play in the BB&T every season.

First off, you do a great job and I enjoy your work. Of all the talk of Western Kentucky, Louisiana-Lafayette often gets overlooked. In fact, I was a little surprised they were not in the running for ESPN's Bracket Buster. With Michael Southall emerging, Anthony Johnson at the 3, and with two good freshmen coming in for power forward, what do you think of Louisiana-Lafayette this year? Also, do you think coach Jessie Evans, with a good season, will be looking at more offers? Thanks in advance.
Elliot Venable
Lafayette, La.

Elliot,
Lafayette is the team that Western Kentucky fears the most in the Sun Belt. And if Northern Iowa can be in Bracket Buster then you have a case for Lafayette. I wouldn't put them in for reasons stated above (too hard to get in as an at-large team). But that doesn't mean Lafayette can't make some noise in non-conference games. Playing in a tourney with Colorado and Charlotte will give them a shot. Evans has gone under-appreciated since leaving Arizona and he will become a hot commodity in the coming years.

Andy Katz is a senior writer at ESPN.com. He answers questions on college basketball weekly.