Duke basketball gets early tipoff against Tennessee in Round of 32

The Duke basketball team will have an early tipoff in the Round of 32 of the NCAA Tournament. 

A primetime tipoff on Saturday will not follow the Duke basketball team to the Round of 32 after its victory over Oral Roberts.

The Blue Devils dominated things from the opening tipoff against the upset minded Golden Eagles but a 15-0 run over the opening eight minutes of the game was just too much of an avalanche for the former Cinderella team.

Jon Scheyer saw his team cruise to victory, 74-51.

Duke will get Tennessee in the Round of 32 after the Volunteers were able to hold off a late charge from Louisiana, 58-55, late in Orlando on Thursday night.

However, the Blue Devils will not be in its typical primetime slot when it takes the floor on Saturday.

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The NCAA announced its tipoff times for Saturday’s matchups in the late hours of the night on Thursday and Duke will take the floor in the second game of the day to begin the weekend.

No. 13 seed Furman, which upset No. 4 Virginia, and No. 5 seed San Diego State, which held off No. 12 seed Charleston, will begin the day in Orlando, Florida at 12:10p.m. ET (CBS) in the South Region before Duke and Tennessee take the court at approximately 2:40p.m. ET (CBS).

Should the Furman and San Diego State go into overtime or run late, tipoff for the Blue Devils will be 30 minutes after the completion of the first game.

Duke basketball with opportunity to play in familiar territory

The biggest reason that Duke is playing in the early window on Saturday is the location of its region being on the east coast while other sites are in different time zones.

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The Blue Devils and Volunteers will be the final game of the day from the Amway Center in Orlando.

A win for either Duke or Tennessee will punch its ticket to New York City and Madison Square Garden for a Sweet 16 game on Thursday, March 23.