Following the announcement that the Duke Blue Devils had scheduled a non-conference matchup with the Texas Tech Red Raiders, excitement and anticipation continued to build around the blue-blood program's upcoming season.
Both teams were not only in the Sweet Sixteen last March, but the two programs also advanced to the Elite Eight, with Duke moving on to the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament.
Now, Scheyer is ready to face the Red Raiders in non-conference play. However, Texas Tech won't be the only powerhouse team that the Blue Devils have to face before they start their ACC schedule. Duke will also play Texas, Kansas, Arkansas, Michigan State, and Michigan in non-conference play this winter.
To put it simply, Scheyer isn't afraid of anybody when it comes to trusting his squad to win. Whether it's playing against legendary coaches like Tom Izzo at Michigan State and John Calipari at Arkansas, Scheyer believes his team is among the best.
Not to mention, Scheyer and the Blue Devils will face a slate of talented programs during the SEC-ACC challenge that is scheduled at the start of the 2025-26 season.
While a team can completely blow its non-conference schedule, making up for it in conference play and the subsequent conference tournament, winning against top dogs like Kansas and the others only boosts a program's resume for March Madness.
Luckily for Duke, its ACC regular-season schedule is relatively easy for a conference that historically has some of the best college basketball teams in the nation. So, just a few wins with a highly talented roster could lead to yet another Final Four appearance for the Blue Devils.
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Way-too-early No. 8 Duke and No. 22 Texas Tech are scheduled to play in Madison Square Garden on Saturday, Dec. 20. The start time for the game has yet to be announced.