NCAA Basketball: Way-too-early ranking of 2022 PK85 Invitational games

PORTLAND, OR - NOVEMBER 23: General view of a rack of basketballs before the between the Portland State Vikings and the Duke Blue Devils during the PK80-Phil Knight Invitational presented by State Farm at the Moda Center on November 23, 2016 in Portland, Oregon. North Carolina won the game 102-78. (Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images) /

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NCAA Basketball Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Drew Timme Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports /

8. Portland State vs. Gonzaga, Legacy Bracket

Look, we all know why Portland State (and Portland) will be in the least sexy first-round games. The two local teams are the de facto hosts of the tournament and don’t stack up with the major programs making their way to Oregon for the competition.

Once again, Gonzaga should be one of the best teams in the nation. Even though Chet Holmgren and Andrew Nembhard are gone, potential National Player of the Year Drew Timme and his signature mustache are back for another go-around with the Bulldogs. Gonzaga should be contending for a title again this year.

As for Portland State? Good luck. Portland State was a below .500 team last season and it doesn’t seem likely they’ll put up much of a fight. The Vikings actually won the previous game between the two teams, but 2008 might as well have been 1008, that’s the disparity between these programs now.

Part of the reason this game deserves the last spot is also because of its unfortunate starting time. The local fans won’t mind, but those on the East Coast will have to turn their ESPN channel on 12:30 am ET – and that’s assuming the game on the court beforehand ends as scheduled.

Watching Gonzaga will always bring some level of entertainment. Watching them beat down on a poor Big Sky school while half the country will probably already be asleep? That’s less than ideal for most.

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