NEW YORK -- We are live from Madison Square Garden for the first night of the 2K Empire Classic, where No. 13 Oregon will play Iowa (6 p.m. PT, ESPN2) in the nightcap of the evening.
It is Oregon's first trip to the Mecca of basketball since 2004 and the Ducks have not fared well over in regular-season neutral-site games over the past few years.
Iowa leads the all-time 6-1, but Oregon won the last meeting 108-97 in March 2012. The last time Iowa won in the series was Dec. 28, 1962.
No. 15 Syracuse and UConn renewed their old Big East rivalry to open the night, with the Huskies winning, 83-76.