Blue Devil Country

Only Five Ranked Teams Appear on Duke Basketball Schedule

With the ACC again getting minimal respect from AP voters, most of Duke basketball's top-25 matchups are set for non-conference action.

Matt Giles

Duke basketball head coach Jon Scheyer
Duke basketball head coach Jon Scheyer / Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images
In this story:

Duke basketball has a relatively daunting non-conference schedule. But outside of home-and-away battles against archrival UNC, the Blue Devils' ACC slate is full of games versus opponents who will begin the season absent from the Associated Press Top 25 Poll.

ALSO READ: Supercoach Trainer Raves About Duke Sophomore Guard Caleb Foster

That's because the AP Top 25, released on Monday afternoon, includes only two of the now-18 ACC squads. Jon Scheyer's third Duke basketball squad, featuring projected No. 1 overall draft pick Cooper Flagg, will begin its highly anticipated campaign on Nov. 4 with a No. 7 by its name. And UNC checks in at No. 9.

Wake Forest, Miami, Clemson, and Louisville were the only other ACC teams to receive any votes.

As for Duke's outings against preseason top 25 foes, the first comes as part of the State Farm Champions Classic in Atlanta when the Blue Devils face No. 23 Kentucky at 9 p.m. ET on Nov. 12 (ESPN). They encounter a road bout against No. 10 Arizona, tipping off in the McKale Memorial Center at 10:30 p.m. ET (ESPN2), before heading to the T-Mobile Arena for a Vegas Showdown contest against No. 1 Kansas at 9 p.m. ET on Nov. 26 (ESPN).

And at 9:15 p.m. ET on Dec. 4 (ESPN), Duke basketball welcomes No. 11 Auburn to Cameron Indoor Stadium for their ACC/SEC Challenge meeting.

ALSO READ: Five-Star Duke Target Dazzles Via 'Old School' Game

Stay tuned to Duke Blue Devils On SI for more Duke basketball news.

Published
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.

Home/Basketball