Breaking down UConn’s competition at the Phil Knight Invitational

Breaking down the seven other teams that the UConn men’s basketball team could face this week at the Phil Knight Invitational:

OREGON (2-2)

The Ducks, whom UConn opens up against on Thursday at 8 p.m., were ranked No. 21 in the AP Top 25 preseason poll but quickly fell out after a stunning home loss to UC-Irvine on Nov. 11. On Sunday night, Oregon was topped by No. 3 Houston 66-56 at home, even though the Cougars didn’t play their best game.

Dana Altman’s crew is huge up front, perhaps the biggest team UConn will face this season. Six-foot-11 senior center N’Faly Dante, like Adama Sanogo a native of Mali, leads the Ducks in scoring (14.8 points per game) and rebounding (9.0). Dante was questionable for the Houston game due to a hip injury but wound up leading Oregon with 16 points and 11 boards.

He’s joined up front by 7-foot freshman Kel’el Ware, a potential NBA lottery pick, and fellow 7-footer Nate Bittle, a sophomore.

This will be a great challenge for Sanogo, who is off to a roaring start averaging 21.4 points per game and one Big East Player of the Week award per week (he’s won the first two such honors of the season). It will be an even bigger challenge for 7-2 freshman Donovan Clingan, who is coming off a 16point effort against Delaware State and has certainly looked strong so far, averaging 9.6 points and nearly three blocks per game.

Oregon is a bit thin in the backcourt, with South Carolina transfer Jermaine Cousinard out until late December with a lower body injury. Will Richardson (10 ppg) and Quincy Guerrier (7.5) are talented, experienced players.

All-time series with UConn: 1-1. The Huskies lost to the Ducks in Maui in 2016, but avenged that with a 71-63 win at the inaugural PK80 Invitational. Afterwards, Christian Vital, asked about ruining Phil Knight’s 80th birthday, said: “Sorry, Phil. Thanks for the gear, though.”

MICHIGAN STATE (3-1)

Why does it feel inevitable that UConn and Michigan State will meet on Friday? They always seem to meet in these earlyseason tournaments/events.

Tom Izzo is getting everything he can out of a Spartan team that wasn’t expected to be great this season. Michigan State was unranked in the AP preseason poll but is now No. 12 in the nation after wins over Kentucky and Villanova and a narrow, onepoint loss in a classic against Gonzaga.

Sparty is led this year by Joey Hauser, a Marquette transfer who’s shooting 50 percent (11-for-22) from 3-point range.

All-time series: UConn, 4-3. The Spartans beat UConn in the 2009 Final Four in Detroit, then lost to the Huskies in Maui (2010), at the Armed Forces Classic in Germany (2012) and in the 2014 Elite Eight at Madison Square Garden. Michigan State won the last meeting convincingly, 77-57 at the inaugural PK80.

ALABAMA (4-0)

This would be a juicy one for UConn, as well, given the friendship between ’Bama coach Nate Oats and Dan Hurley and his family. Oats was Bobby Hurley’s assistant at

Buffalo before taking over that program when Hurley went to Arizona State.

The Crimson Tide are ranked 18th in the nation but haven’t really beaten anybody. They are led by Brandon Miller, a 6-9 freshman averaging 20.3 points and 9.3 boards per game, and junior guard Mark Sears (15.3 ppg). Former Villanova guard Jahvon Quinerly, who tore his ACL last March, has returned surprisingly early, though only in limited action so far.

All-time series: UConn, 1-0 — an 87-71 whitewash in the 2004 Elite Eight in Phoenix.

NORTH CAROLINA (4-0)

The defending national runners-up are No. 1 in all the land, though it hasn’t been an overly impressive start. The Tar Heels narrowly beat Gardner-Webb by six points, and beat UNC-Wilmington by 13. UConn beat that same team by 36.

Still, with All-American candidate Armando Bacot, who just tore down 23 rebounds in a win over James Madison, along with ultra-talented guards Caleb Love and RJ Davis and transfer Pete Nance, the Heels are the favorite in Portland.

All-time series: North Carolina, 5-1. UConn’s lone win came on Jan. 19, 2002 in Gampel.

VILLANOVA (2-2)

It’s been a rough start in Year One A.J. (After Jay) for the Wildcats, who lost to Temple and trailed Delaware State at halftime (missing their first 16 3-point attempts) before rallying for a 10-point win. UConn beat Delaware State by 35 on Sunday.

Villanova looked better on Saturday in a 73-71 loss at Michigan State, but with its two best players, senior Justin Moore and potential lottery pick freshman Cam Whitmore, yet to play this season due to injury, times are tough right now for new coach Kyle Neptune, who’s only replacing a Hall of Famer, Jay Wright.

And why are these two Big East teams in the same MTE? Well, when the field was first announced a few years ago, UConn was still in the American Athletic Conference.

All-time series: Villanova, 39-32. Dan Hurley finally got his first win in five attempts against the Wildcats last February, though he watched the second half on TV in the locker room after being ejected.

IOWA STATE (3-0)

The Cyclones weren’t heralded much entering this season but have won their first three games, against relatively weak competition, behind senior guard Jaren Holmes’ 18.4 points per game. One familiar face is senior center Osun Osunniyi, who scored 10 points last season in UConn’s win over St. Bonaventure.

All-time series: 1-1. The Cyclones ended Jim Calhoun’s UConn career in an NCAA first-round game in 2012, but UConn avenged that two years later in a stirring Sweet Sixteen win at Madison Square Garden.

PORTLAND (4-2)

The Pilots open up against North Carolina. They play in the West Coast Conference alongside Gonzaga and Saint Mary’s but have only been to the NCAA tournament twice — in 1996 and 1959.

All-time series: UConn, 1-0. The Huskies won 69-64 on Dec. 7, 1974 in Portland.