Fields announced for 2022 Phil Knight Invitational and Legacy tournaments

On3 imageby:Griffin McVeigh02/15/22

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Thanksgiving has become a staple time of the schedule for college basketball, with some of the best non-conference matchups taking place. Whether it’s one-off neutral site games or midseason tournaments, every hoops fan can enjoy elite games with their turkey.

The 2022 season is going to be no different, with both the Phil Knight Invitational and Legacy tournaments getting announced on Tuesday afternoon. Both events will take place in Portland, OR, with the dates of Nov. 24-27. The University of Portland’s Chiles Center, Rose Quarter’s Moda Center, and Veterans Memorial Coliseum will be the three sites throughout the tournament.

Eight teams will participate in the Phil Knight Invitational from seven different conferences. Alabama, Iowa State, Michigan State, North Carolina, Oregon, Portland, UConn, and Villanova will spend their Thanksgiving in Portland. A bracket will be released at a later date. Each team will get to play three games, setting each other up for quality NCAA Tournament resume builders.

Looking at the Phil Knight Legacy tournament, there will be eight teams involved as well but with eight different conferences attending. Duke, Florida, Gonzaga, Oregon State, Portland State, Purdue, West Virginia, and Xavier are getting the nod, playing in three games throughout the holiday as well.

ESPN commented on the event, which first occurred in 2017 under the name “PK80” to celebrate the 80th birthday of Nike co-founder and former CEO Phil Knight. VP of ESPN Events Clint Overby said Portland is going to be the hub of college basketball come Thanksgiving.

“We are honored to bring together some of the best men’s and women’s college basketball teams in tribute to Phil Knight and his lasting impact on the sport,” said Overby. “The quality of both fields along with the multi-venue setup will make Portland the epicenter of college hoops this Thanksgiving weekend.”

For the first time ever, women’s teams will be involved as well. Eight total teams, split across the Invitational and Legacy tournament, will travel to Portland as well. Iowa State, Michigan State, North Carolina, and Oregon will be in the former, while Duke, Iowa, Oregon State, and UConn are in the Legacy tournament.