Burnt Orange Nation, a Texas Longhorns community

The rumor mill has been in full swing in regards to top 2012 prospect Isaiah Austin ever since he set his announcement for Monday night. Over the last 24 hours or so, all of those signs have looked an awful look like bear tracks and several sources are now definitively reporting that Austin will suit up for the Bears a little more than two years from now. It's a major setback for the Longhorns, trying desperately to add interior depth and Austin now represents the second major in-state miss in the last several months after the commitment of Zach Peters to Kansas. And this is inevitably where the accusations will start flying at Scott Drew, hardly Rick Barnes' best friend, but let's try to keep things as civil as possible.

It's no secret to those who have been following Texas basketball recruiting that landing big men is a major priority for both the 2011 and 2012 classes. Rick Barnes and company will find out Monday night if they will be receiving some help on the interior in 2012 when one of the top-ranked players in the class makes his announcement -- C Isaiah Austin. The five finalists are Houston, Baylor, Texas, Arizona, and Oklahoma State. Baylor was the last visit for Austin and has commented to those close to him "lots of people are going to be surprised."

2012 Prestonwood Christian Academy forward Zach Peters has verbally pledged to Kansas, choosing the Jayhawks over Texas, Kentucky, and North Carolina. The decision comes as little surprise after the Kansas Rivals site first reported the breaking news of his announcement. At one point thought to be a Texas lean, Peters represents a significant loss for the Longhorns, but the top target for 2012 appears to be talented center Isaiah Austin.