X Factor: Can Grayson Allen get going once again in the PK80?

After beating handily Furman in a PK80 campus game, Duke will head to Oregon to compete in the tournament that honors Nike founder Phil Knight’s 80th birthday. Slotted in the “Motion” bracket, the Blue Devils will face a wide range of teams from a weaker Portland State Thursday, solid squads in Butler or Texas Friday, and likely national title contenders No. 17 Gonzaga or No. 7 Florida Sunday. Here is a look at a key player from each potential opponent through the first two rounds who could be the difference-maker in the game:

Duke: Guard Grayson Allen

Following a 37-point explosion against Michigan State in which Allen stole the spotlight, the senior has been struggling as of late, failing to connect on most of his shots. Against Southern on Friday, Allen could only muster 10 points on 33.3 percent shooting, missing all six of his attempts from downtown. Allen failed to find his touch again Monday, contributing just five points, shooting 25 percent from deep and just 22.2 percent overall. Head coach Mike Krzyzewski isn't too concerned about his captain. 

“We've kept Grayson out a couple days in practice. He's a little bit banged up," Krzyzewski said. "So, he hasn't had the reps. I thought today, even though he wasn't shooting, he was really handling the ball well and didn't force things. He led us in assists. It's a long season, and hopefully there are more ups and the downs don't go too down.”

Given the three games over the four-day stretch, Allen’s long-term health is of utmost importance. But if Duke hopes to win the tournament, Allen will need snap out of his slump quickly.

With Marvin Bagley III and Wendell Carter Jr both dominating as advertised, opponenets will look to focus their defensive attention on the frontcourt duo. Providing extra help defense will be much easier if defenders can lay off Allen if there is little threat of him hitting a triple. Allen’s shooting ability is the key to spacing the floor and allowing the big men to impose their will on mismatched defenders in the paint.

Portland State: Guard Bryce Canda

Outside of the Michigan State game, Duke’s backcourt has been noticeably bigger than its opponents'. However, against Portland State in the opening game, Trevon Duval may have found his match in Bryce Canda. The 6-foot-4 senior is one inch taller than Duval and 15 pounds heavier, giving him a unique size advantage. 

The play of Kelan Martin on both sides of the ball will determine if the Bulldogs find any success against the Blue Devils. The 6-foot-7 scoring machine can attack in two ways—from deep or at the rim on mismatches with smaller defenders. 

Last season, Martin shot 42.8 percent from the field and averaged almost two long balls per game. The forward is already off to a strong start to his senior year campaign, averaging 15 points per game and 8.3 rebounds per game. Although he is shooting just 26.9 percent from deep thus far, he is still a 3-point threat, which will help to draw Bagley or Carter out of the paint. This could minimize their impact on affecting shots from drivers or cutters inside.

On the other end of the floor, Martin will likely find himself battling against one of Duke’s big men. Although he is considerably smaller than both Bagley and Carter, Martin is a capable defender with his length and will not back down from a physical challenge. If the forward can disrupt the post moves of the post duo, and Allen continues to struggle from deep, the Bulldogs may be able to exact revenge from their 2010 National Title game defeat.

Texas: Forward Mohamed Bamba

At times this season, Bagley and Carter have looked unstoppable, imposing their will on smaller, weaker players. But against Michigan State, some of the luster wore off as the Spartans big men did a great job of limiting points in the paint and scoring themselves—although Bagley did miss most of the game. Jaren Jackson Jr. and Nick Ward combined for 38 points on 65.2 percent shooting while also blocking five shots.

Bagley will likely face off against Bamba, a former Duke recruiting target, if the Blue Devils play Texas. The 6-foot-11 freshman has the size, physicality, and skill-set to match-up against Bagley. Bamba was the No. 4 overall player in the class and has not failed to live up to expectations. 

The Harlem, N.Y., native is averaging 14 points-per-game and 9 rebounds-per-game on 64.7 percent shooting to go along with 4.5 blocks-per-game. The battle between likely lottery picks Bamba and Bagley will be exciting to watch and could decide the contest.