The Duke basketball program will host a three-team event next season from November 21st-23rd featuring Niagara and Howard, per Jon Rothstein. The event will serve as a homecoming "Brotherhood" event to recognize two former players for Duke in Greg Paulus and Kenny Blakeney. Paulus is the head coach at Niagara, and Blakeney is the head coach at Howard.
Duke will host a three-team MTE featuring Niagara and Howard from November 21-23, per release.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) June 23, 2025
The event will serve as a homecoming for former Blue Devils Greg Paulus and Kenny Blakeney, who coach Niagara and Howard respectively.
Duke will go up against Niagara on November 21st and will play Howard on November 23rd. Howard and Niagara will face off on November 22nd. All of these games will be played at Cameron Indoor Stadium.
"We're excited to bring back the Brotherhood Run this season," Duke head coach Jon Scheyer said. "It's a powerful way for our team to connect with the deeper meaning of wearing a Duke uniform. Expanding the event gives us a great opportunity to grow that connection. Having Kenny Blakeney and Greg Paulus return as head coaches adds even more to the experience for our players and for everyone who's part of the Brotherhood."
Paulus played four seasons with the Blue Devils from 2005-2009, earning a full-time starting role for three of those seasons. He averaged 8.4 points and 3.6 assists through his career on 41.5% shooting from the field and 39.8% shooting from three-point range. Paulus was an ACC All-Freshman selection and earned All-ACC honors in the 2007-08 season.
Blakeney also spent his four collegiate seasons with the Blue Devils from 1991-95, winning a national championship with Duke in the 1991-92 season. The guard appeared in 93 games and started 11 throughout his career with the program, averaging 3.2 points and 1.3 rebounds on 45.9% shooting from the floor.
Scheyer's 2025-26 squad now tacks on two more games to its absolute gauntlet of a non-conference slate, one where the Blue Devils will face off against five teams currently ranked in ESPN's preseason top 25 rankings. Duke will host this event after it meets Kansas in the Champions Classic on November 18th and before it goes up against Arkansas on a neutral floor on November 27th.
The other power conference teams the Blue Devils will face through the non-con are Texas, Michigan, Texas Tech, Michigan State, and Florida.