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 Will Richardson Oregon Ducks (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images) /

3. UConn vs. Oregon, PKI Bracket

Two teams with real NCAA Tournament aspirations. Additionally, two teams that are in the thick of the conversation about conference expansion these days.

UConn and Oregon have done this dance at the Portland event before. In 2017, the Huskies topped the Ducks 71-63 during its first game in the PK80 event. UConn went on to lose to Michigan State and Arkansas after the victory over Oregon.

This will be a rubber game between the two teams, as they have each won a single contest against the other. Going into the event, the home state Ducks feel like the favorites.

The Huskies feel like a team in transition after losing some significant pieces during the offseason. They do return big man Adama Sonogo and bring in transfers Tristen Newton and Nahiem Alleyne. If Sonogo takes the next step, UConn should be a potential second-weekend NCAA Tournament team once again.

While Oregon was disappointing last season, they shouldn’t disappoint again. Will Richardson and Quincy Guerrier are back for more, while transfer guard Keeshawn Barthelemy and Jermaine Couisnard should help reshape the backcourt. Projected lottery pick Kel’el Ware could raise the ceiling of the Ducks significantly.

These two teams could easily find themselves among the upper echelon of college basketball. The distractions surrounding them could also send the programs straight to the NCAA Tournament bubble. This early season test will tell a lot about both.

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