The UW basketball team returns to action Sunday. My preview story deals with the return of former Husky forward Phil Nelson ... and takes a look at UW's 2006 freshman class that has now scattered to the wind ... all except Quincy Pondexter.

Meanwhile, a quick look at the game:

PORTLAND STATE (7-1)
AT WASHINGTON (5-3)
5 p.m. Sunday, Hec Edmundson Pavilion.

TV: FSN.
Radio: 950-AM
Series: UW leads, 7-0, all at home. The Huskies won, 84-65, last season.

Statistical leaders: For PSU, F Jamie Jones, 12.6 ppg and 8 rpg; G Andre Murray, 3 apg. For UW, F Jon Brockman, 16.8 ppg and 11.4 rpg; G Isaiah Thomas, 3.6 apg.

Scouting report: Both teams arrive with three-game winning streaks. They have one common opponent: UW lost to Portland, 80-74; while PSU won, 81-76. … The Vikings are off to their best start since 1954-55, when they were an NAIA school. Their lone loss came to Hampton in overtime at the Great Alaska Shootout. … PSU is coached by former UW assistant Ken Bone, and former UW player Curtis Allen is on his staff. The roster includes former UW player Phil Nelson, has started every game this season, averaging 10.1 points. He is one of five Vikings who averaged at least 10 points per game. … Senior guard Jeremiah Dominguez, last season’s Big Sky Conference player of the year, is questionable with a finger injury. … Portland State is 4-39 all-time against teams from the Pacific-10 Conference. UW is 72-15 against teams from the Big Sky.

Next: 7 p.m. Dec. 20, vs. Eastern Washington, Hec Edmundson Pavilion.

USC has decided to promote John Morton into the offensive coordinator position being vacated by Steve Sarkisian's move to UW.

However, there may be even more changes ahead if Sarkisian is successful in getting some USC assistants to join him in Seattle.

Here are a few interesting paragraphs from an LA Times story:

Rocky Seto, USC's secondary coach, is mulling Sarkisian's offer to become Washington's defensive coordinator.

"It's kind of exciting," said Seto, whose wife is from the Seattle area.

"We're thinking about it. We're praying about it."

Sarkisian also has approached Yogi Roth, USC's quarterbacks graduate assistant, and Jared Blank, assistant director of football operations, about joining him at Washington.

Defensive coordinator Nick Holt and offensive line coach Pat Ruel took themselves out of consideration for jobs on the Huskies staff when Sarkisian was awaiting an offer from Washington.

And here's the full story.