Duke vs. Portland State: College basketball game preview, TV schedule

DURHAM, NC - NOVEMBER 11: Cameron Crazies and fans of the Duke Blue Devils hold up signs following the game against the Utah Valley Wolverines at Cameron Indoor Stadium on November 11, 2017 in Durham, North Carolina. Duke won 99-69 and the win gives Mike Krzyzewski his 1,000th victory as Duke's head coach and his 1,073rd overall (73 at Army). (Photo by Lance King/Getty Images) /

The Duke Blue Devils open the PK80 Tournament against Portland State. Can the Vikings hang with the No. 1 team in the country?

TV Schedule: Thursday, Nov. 23, 4:30 p.m. ET, ESPN

Arena: Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Portland, Oregon

The Portland State Vikings have won four straight games to open the season, including close victories over Utah State and Portland and double-digit ones over UC-Riverside and Willamette. The Big Sky conference is wide open this season and, although Portland State has little chance at an at-large bid, this team looks athletic, competitive, and more than capable of winning the conference tournament and going dancing.

However, the Vikings will open the PK80 Tournament against the No. 1 team in the country, the Duke Blue Devils.

Duke defeating Michigan State despite missing Marvin Bagley for most of the game has been the story of the season, but Grayson Allen’s resurgence deserves more credit than it is currently getting. Allen’s disappointing 2016-17 campaign has blossomed into something special in 2017-18, and this could be just the tip of the iceberg.

I firmly believe that no team will beat Duke until they go on the road to face the North Carolina Tar Heels on Feb. 8, and they might not even lose then. This team is special, and only elite teams are going to stand a chance of winning.

Portland State is a better-than-expected team that can probably hang with the Blue Devils for half a half (or maybe even a whole one). Expect this one to turn ugly, quickly, however.

Prediction: Duke 88, Portland State 60

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