Duke basketball program updates status of Saturday season opener

Barring a last-minute problem, the Duke basketball opener looks to be a go.

This week has been a roller coaster for anxious Duke basketball fans. Of course, the same goes for the players and staff, as they still must await their season opener while watching other teams across the country make their long-awaited debuts.

No. 9 Duke and No. 2 Baylor are the only two squads among the top 10 in the preseason AP Poll who have yet to begin their 2020-21 campaigns.

Blue Devils everywhere awoke on Monday with goosebumps in anticipation of what was supposed to be Wednesday’s season opener at home against Gardner-Webb. But at noon that day, the goosebumps began to disappear as a result of the program announcing the game’s postponement — and potential cancelation.

Then on Wednesday, sour news came out about Duke’s next slated opponent, Coppin State, having to nix its plans to play that day and the next due to “COVID-19 issues with Tier 1 personnel.” At the time, the general feeling was uncertainty, at best, concerning the contest at 2 p.m. Saturday (ACCNX).

By late Thursday evening, though, the outlook on whether the 41st group of Blue Devils under Mike Krzyzewski would suit up this week at all turned a tad more hopeful. That’s because Duke tweeted the following two crossed-fingers emojis above a collage of past players wearing No. 2 jerseys, indicating some optimism about the game taking place in two days:

https://twitter.com/DukeMBB/status/1332121016500412419?s=20

The Duke basketball confidence level now appears to be soaring

Now, as of Friday afternoon, the program’s Twitter account is coming across as all but certain the Blue Devils will take the floor in Cameron Indoor Stadium on Saturday, tweeting “Ready for takeoff” above an image of star freshman forward Jalen Johnson flying above the Durham clouds with the “1 DAY” countdown in the background:

Yes, it seems as if Dukies will indeed finally have something other to watch than non-Duke games, Blue Devil scrimmages, and Countdown: The Movie.

Goosebumps are back.

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