• Just how hard a player is working is typically subjective, but John Calipari has discovered a way to know for sure. The Kentucky coach recently started having players wear heart-monitoring devices in practices and games to track exertion rates, caloric expenditures and heart rates. Wow -- my first thought is that the results could vary deceivingly for players whose hearts naturally start pumping faster and quicker than others. But then, Calipari noted it's a good tool to also know when to back off a player. To Calipari's credit, he has talked about the importance of the other stuff, too -- you know, instilling toughness the old-school way -- but has lamented that the lack of veterans this year leaves the Wildcats without much of a culture of work ethic. I have to admit, it's interesting -- if also incredibly intense. But hey, that's Coach Cal.
• A new and interesting era for college basketball could be right around the corner. John Infante of the NCAA's Bylaw Blog reported this week that the NCAA Leadership Council has brainstormed a potential new rule affecting transfers. Basically, if a player had a 2.6 grade-point average or higher, he or she would not have to sit out a year before playing at a new school, as is the case now. It's in the discussion phase now, but if approved the rule could go into effect for the 2014-15 season. This idea has come into play because of dissatisfaction with current transfer rules, but the new rule could raise all sorts of interesting issues of its own.
• The player who recorded an NCAA-record 138 points in a game in November is now done for the season. Grinnell College's Jack Taylor fractured his right (shooting) wrist in a game Wednesday, and the rehab will keep him out for the rest of the year. The sophomore was averaging 36.3 points for the Division III Pioneers.
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