Why you shouldn’t get too excited for Duke basketball games this season

It now seems like a delusion to hope for a complete Duke basketball season.

The 2020-21 season is picking up right where the 2019-20 season left off. Cancelations are something that we have become very familiar with. Unfortunately, it seems as if they are just getting started. It was announced on Monday afternoon that the Duke basketball season opener against Gardner-Webb will not take place on Wednesday as originally planned.

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Duke fans have been patiently waiting for the return of their beloved Blue Devils. This has been by far the longest offseason in the modern college basketball era. The last time we saw Duke play a basketball game was March 7. By the time the Blue Devils play their next game, it will be their first time taking the court in almost 9 months.

Fans will have to wait at least a few more days before they can watch this year’s team. Duke’s season opener is now slated for Saturday, Nov. 28, against Coppin State. It seems unlikely that the Blue Devils will be rescheduling their game against Gardner-Webb.

So Duke now may have just six non-conference games. This probable cancelation is a real disappointment to Duke fans. But the feeling of disappointment might be something we just have to get used to this season.

This likely won’t be the only game that gets canceled or postponed. With COVID-19 continuing to rage across the United States, more cancelations are inevitable. Countless D1 programs have had to pause activities due to positive virus tests. Also, teams have been pulling out of tournaments and other multi-team events left and right.

What is really most disappointing is how poorly the NCAA, and college basketball as a whole, has planned this college hoops season. With little regulations and no bubble in place, cancelations and postponements are bound to happen with regularity.

Some also see it as ridiculous that the entire programs have to get shut down because one person tested positive. Should one assistant team manager contracting COVID-19 result in an entire program shutting down and games getting canceled?

This Duke basketball season may offer more frustration than entertainment

What’s crazy is that teams are not even going to know whether or not a game can be played a day before the game is supposed to happen. It is possible that games could even get canceled the day of the actual game.

This is why it is going to be hard to ever get too excited for any Duke basketball games this year. Games this season can get canceled at any time. It is best to only get excited when we see Matthew Hurt and other Blue Devils standing around a referee throwing up the ball for the opening tip.

It used to be that no matter how rough of a day you were having, knowing there was a Duke basketball game taking place that night always brought some optimism. Now, rough days can get even rougher, knowing that the game we would be so excited for could get called off.

I am hopeful that the Blue Devils will have no more cancelations, but my hope may just be a delusion.

Stay tuned to Ball Durham for more Duke basketball news and views.