A couple of pregame notes from Fifth Third Arena, prior to UConn's bout with the University of Cincinnati:

When the Huskies host Seton Hall on Jan. 18, they'll have at least three high school teams in attendance.

South Atlanta High, featuring Class of 2009 top-rated center Derrick Favors, American Heritage High out of Plantation, Fla., and Mater Dei High from Santa Ana, Calif. will all be in the house. All three will be among the schools playing in the Hoophall Classic at Springfield (Mass.) College Jan. 18-21.

Favors, a 6-foot-9, 220-pounder who is scout.com's top-rated big man for his class, is still unsigned. Mater Dei is the school which UConn commit Jamaal Trice graduated from (he's currently at Mt. Zion Christian Academy in Durham, N.C.).

Speaking of Trice, UConn assistant Patrick Sellers went to watch him play last week and saw Trice drop 28 points.

Oh, and remember John Riek, the 7-footer from the Sudan who visited the Huskies last year both for First Night and down in Orlando at UConn's game against Central Florida? Well, it's looking like he'll never play college basketball. Riek committed to Cincinnati in August, but has yet to get through the NCAA clearinghouse (sound familiar?). And, in all likelihood, he never will. Apparently, his transcript out of Africa is spotty, at best.

In fact, the Bearcats recently admitted Oklahoma State transfer Ibrahima Thomas, who looks all of the 6-11 he's listed at. With Thomas eligible to join Cincy next December, it pretty much seals the deal for Riek ever donning a Bearcat uniform.

More to come ...