Blue Devil Country

Duke basketball reportedly loses to Houston in secret scrimmage

A score has leaked from Duke basketball's secret scrimmage against Houston.

Matt Giles

Duke basketball (Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports)
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The Duke basketball team, which begins the season at No. 7 in the AP Top 25, traveled to Texas to play No. 3 Houston in Saturday's closed-door scrimmage on the Cougars' home floor in the Fertitta Center.

According to a tweet from James Mueller of The Daily Cougar, Houston's student newspaper, the Cougars prevailed over the Blue Devils in the 32-minute scrimmage, 61-50.

Hours earlier, Mueller tweeted that Houston led Duke after the first half, which was reportedly 20 minutes before a 12-minute second half, by a score of 36-27.

Considering the Blue Devils, under first-year head coach Jon Scheyer, were likely without two projected starters in their two top-ranked freshmen, Dariq Whitehead and Dereck Lively II, it seems fans should not overreact to the reported loss to the Cougars. After all, many experts see Houston as a Final Four squad this year.

RELATED: Duke freshman Dariq Whitehead teases return from injury

Neither the Duke basketball program nor its Houston counterpart has released any highlights from the action, but it wouldn't be a surprise to see them do so in the coming days. An official box score, however, is not likely to appear anywhere.

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Duke will return home to play Fayetteville State at 7 p.m. ET Wednesday in the Blue Devils' lone exhibition game. Then the team begins its regular season in Durham with a matchup against Jacksonville on Nov. 7.

Stay tuned to Blue Devil Country for daily Duke basketball content.

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Matt Giles
MATT GILES

Matt Giles is the editor and publisher of Duke Blue Devils on SI, North Carolina Tar Heels on SI, and NC State Wolfpack on SI, making him a key source for comprehensive coverage of these storied college basketball programs. Since joining SI in 2022, Matt has been dedicated to providing in-depth analysis, breaking news, and exclusive content on all three teams. He covers everything from game previews and recaps to player profiles and recruiting updates. Matt's expert knowledge of these teams has made his work a go-to resource for fans and followers of Duke, NC State, and UNC. As publisher, he shapes the editorial direction, ensuring that the most relevant and timely information reaches his audience.

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