The last thing Brandon Rush wanted to be was the center of attention at the 2007 Kansas media day. He thought his college days were behind him. And anyone who looked closely at the 6-foot-6 guard as he sat on a chair on the Allen Fieldhouse floor Friday and patiently answered reporters’ questions about his injured knee and the upcoming season could detect at least a slight sense of dejection.

Gonzaga reinstated center Josh Heytvelt to the basketball team on Friday, after eight months of weekly drug tests, 300 hours of community service and a reversal of his coach’s initial thoughts of never having him back. Heytvelt, a 6-foor-11 junior and the Bulldogs’ leading returning scorer with West Coast Conference MVP Derek Raivio having graduated, had been suspended for possession of…

The future of Pitt basketball may have been unveiled Friday, and the Panthers can only hope that DeJuan Blair’s accomplishments match his size. That’s big, as in XXXL big. Even if he’s not as big as he was a few months ago. When the Panthers began preseason practice Friday night, Blair weighed 275 pounds, a lot of bulk for an 18-year-old who stands 6-foot-7.

Billy Gillispie is throwing one of college basketball’s biggest parties. The new Kentucky basketball coach, however, is staying under control. “I’m not going to propose to anybody or anything,” he said. Midnight Madness, marking the start of the college basketball season, returns to Lexington on Friday night and at campuses across the country.

First-year Ball State coach Billy Taylor dismissed center Micah Rollin and guard Jarelle Redden from the team Thursday for separate violations of team policy. Details of the violations were not disclosed. “We are disappointed in the actions of Jarelle and Micah,” Taylor said of the seniors in a news release through the university’s sports information office.

They strolled into the Tigers den, staring at the championship banners, admiring the state-of-the-art facilities — all things they hope to have. Players and coaches from all of Conference USA paraded Thursday around FedExForum, home of the league’s postseason tournament and the Memphis Tigers — the team they are all trying to copy.

Bob Huggins’ dream job is about to begin — in a big way. No more pep talks to alumni and fans. No more basketball camps. No more recruiting. Finally, Huggins gets to scold, teach and mold his players full time, beginning Friday night at the official start of practice at West Virginia. “It seems like I’ve been gone every day,” Huggins said Thursday.

Three Georgia players, including the Bulldogs’ top two returning scorers, will be suspended for the start of the season. Coach Dennis Felton said Thursday that guard Mike Mercer has been suspended for at least 15 games, forward Takais Brown has been suspended for at least nine and center Albert Jackson will have to miss six.

Cursing or venturing onto the court could draw college basketball coaches a quick technical foul this season. The NCAA is making bench decorum a point of emphasis for 2007-08 and warns coaches to expect a whistle without warning for a variety of unsportsmanlike actions. Referees who are consistent in enforcing the rules will be rewarded.

Florida’s rebuilding project began with a couple of relocations. First, coach Billy Donovan returned to Gainesville after an awkward few days as head coach of the Orlando Magic. Then, Jonathan Mitchell, Marreese Speights and Dan Werner moved into the same on-campus apartment shared by Corey Brewer, Taurean Green, Al Horford and Joakim Noah the last two years.