Memphis vs. Oregon: 2019-20 college basketball game preview, TV schedule

A pair of top-15 teams will do battle on Tuesday evening, with Memphis taking on Oregon as part of the Phil Knight Invitational.

TV schedule: Tuesday, November 12, 9:00 pm ET. ESPN.
Arena: Moda Center in Portland, Ore.

The inaugural Phil Knight Invitational will transpire on Tuesday night, as No. 13 Memphis collides with No. 14 Oregon in an intriguing non-conference clash. The Tigers and the Ducks, both anticipated to seriously contend for their respective league crowns, will face off at the Moda Center in Portland, Ore. Oklahoma will also suit up against Oregon State in this event following the Memphis-Oregon affair.

The Tigers (2-0), along with Houston, are tabbed as the co-favorites to capture the American Athletic Conference regular-season title during the 2019-20 campaign, according to that league’s preseason poll. The Ducks (2-0), meanwhile, are slotted at No. 1 in the Pac-12 Conference preseason ballot, narrowly edging out Colorado.

So far in 2019-20, Oregon has succeeded in two home attempts, 71-57 over Fresno State on Nov. 5, and 106-75 against Boise State on Nov. 10. Memphis, too, is perfect on its own turf, thanks to a 97-64 conquest of South Carolina State on Nov. 5, and a 92-46 beat-down of Illinois-Chicago on Nov. 8.

The Tigers, with the No. 1 recruiting class across the country in the 2019 cycle according to the 247Sports Web site, are unfortunately mired in some controversy only a week into the present stanza. Freshman center James Wiseman, the nation’s top-ranked 2019 prospect, is the subject of an NCAA eligibility issue, and how this situation plays out will prove monumental for not only Memphis but also for the sport as a whole.

As of Monday evening, it appears that Wiseman will compete for the Tigers versus the Ducks. Memphis issued a statement on Nov. 8, saying that university officials are working with NCAA staff members to hopefully resolve the matter in an efficient manner.

Wiseman’s abilities are profound. In the Tigers’ two duels to date, he has accumulated 45 points, 20 rebounds and eight blocks, earning American Athletic Conference Freshman of the Week and Lute Olson National Player of the Week honors.

Memphis doesn’t return any starters from 2018-19 when the Tigers finished at 22–14 and fell in the NIT’s second round. However, head coach Penny Hardaway has hauled in a magnificent 2019 class, led by Wiseman and featuring five top-100 guys. Wiseman is the American Athletic Conference’s preseason Rookie of the Year and also on the league’s preseason first crew.

Oregon, which made a Sweet 16 journey in March Madness this past spring and wrapped things up at 25-13, is no slouch when it comes to talent, either. The Ducks’ 2019 class is No. 4 overall, per 247Sports, with studs such as five-star center N’Faly Dante and five-star power forward C.J. Walker anchoring Oregon’s group of newbies.

Dante, as a freshman, is on the Pac-12 Conference’s preseason second unit, and the Ducks’ fantastic senior guard, Payton Pritchard, received inclusion on the league’s preseason first squad. Pritchard has become one of just two players in Oregon history with 1,000 points, 500 dimes and 400 boards. Additionally, head coach Dana Altman, after defeating Fresno State, is now the winningest boss with the Ducks. He’s a model of consistency.

Oregon and Memphis are squaring off for the initial occasion, and ESPN’s Basketball Power Index gives the Ducks a sizable 83.8 percent chance to prevail. Oregon is basically getting a home game here, and I believe that the Ducks will ultimately best the Tigers in an exciting encounter.

Prediction: Oregon 79 – Memphis 74