Young teams could be trend

? The three big-name teams at this year’s Final Four start a combined four freshmen and seven sophomores.

This week, the coaches in Indianapolis have been hearing questions about whether teams must rely more on younger players – and whether the NBA’s new 19-year-old age limit could have any impact on the college game.

“I think it does nothing. It’s window dressing,” LSU coach John Brady said Wednesday. “You either come to college for a year or you go to a prep school. How many high school kids got drafted anyway? A handful? So I don’t think it does anything to help.”

Most coaches acknowledge they wanted a two-year rule, which would have made players draft eligible at age 20.

But not all agree with Brady’s assessment.

Kentucky’s Tubby Smith said the rule at least gives coaches a chance to put young players in a college environment, something that could prompt more to stay in school.

And Florida coach Billy Donovan, who starts four sophomores, believes the youth movement will continue to be a trend for the big schools.

What it also means, though, is that that mid-major programs such as George Mason could continue to have a big edge when it’s tournament time.

“With the age limit, I think you’re going to continually make college basketball very young,” Donovan said. “Some kids handle it better than others. … It makes it very challenging, very, very, very difficult.”