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Well, until something better shows up (maybe next week?), it’s safe to designate the Duke-Kansas Maui Invitational championship game as the most compelling contest in the early portion of the 2011-12 season.

Both teams exceeded my expectations in Lahaina.

The Blue Devils finally prevailed, 68-61, in large part because of consecutive – and unlikely – 3-point shots by sophomore reserve guard Tyler Thornton.

But the biggest reason Mike Krzyzewski’s club prevailed over Tennessee, Michigan and, finally, the Jayhawks, was the play of its post players.

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A quick mid-Wednesday morning spin around the world of college basketball:

*I’ll be spending all of Thanksgiving in the Anaheim (CA) Convention Arena, watching the four games played in the 76 Classic.

And, yes, my wife (Julie) knew what she was signing on for when she married me more than four years ago . . .

*During the 2010, the national – and regional – perception of the Pacific 10 Conference couldn’t have been more trampled upon.

The only teams to represent the conference in the NCAA Tournament were the regular-season champion California Golden Bears and the Washington Huskies.

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Here is the first of what will be a weekly look at strong candidates for the John R. Wooden Award:

Jeremy Lamb (6-6/Soph/Connecticut)

Frank Says: Not quite two weeks into the season, he’s the most complete player I’ve seen (in person or on TV). There isn’t a more complete perimeter-oriented player in the country and he’s a significant reason why the Huskies can win a second consecutive national title. He’ll be strongly in the hunt to be the first player chosen in the next NBA Draft.

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Thoughts on the double-overtime game played between the USC and Nebraska teams Monday in the Trojans’ Galen Center, won by the Huskers, 64-61:

*Doc Sadler’s Nebraska team doesn’t have any future NBA players but it has a chance to win 20-plus games and maybe – especially during a season when the Big 12 definitely isn’t as strong, top to bottom, as it has been in the past – can get a top-five finish in conference and get into the NCAA Tournament.

*LSU transfer Bo Spencer of the Huskers was the best player on the floor, scoring a game-high 22 points while hitting seven of 16 shots from the floor (including three 3s) and five of seven at the free-throw line, with seven rebounds and three assists.

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LONG BEACH, CA – The Long Beach State basketball program did some impressive things during Dan Monson’s first four seasons as the 49ers’ head coach.

*After inheriting a program that was soon to be slapped with NCAA probation and had lost every key player from the 49ers’ final season under Larry Reynolds, Monson’s clubs’ wins totals have gone from six to 15 to 17 to 22.

*The 49ers have advanced to two consecutive Big West Conference Tournament championship games, rolling to the regular-season title last season with a 14-2 record.

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