It felt strange that the Duke basketball team was playing a Big Ten opponent right in the heart of ACC action on a Saturday night in Madison Square Garden.
Jon Scheyer was hoping that it would prepare his team for an NCAA Tournament environment and while it didn’t necessarily do that with a 43-point drubbing of Illinois, Scheyer is hopeful that it will continue next season.
“I told myself, I wanted to wait until after we played the game to make that decision. But I'm not making that decision based off of winning or losing a game,” he explained to the media on Thursday.
“We're going to do everything we can to do this again next year,” he added. “I think it makes a ton of sense. To be honest, we're already working on opponent and location, it's going to be a high-level game.”
Scheyer did not reveal what teams he is talking to or a location for the game.
Duke has rolled through ACC play this season, losing only one game on the road against Clemson in which it had a lead with a minute to play.
“Playing Madison Square Garden is truly an honor, it’s a privilege, and just to come out and play in that environment meant a lot to our team,” Scheyer said after the 110-67 victory.
“I thought it was great for the preparation to get away from [ACC play] for a second and get outside the bubble that we are in the ACC and play a different opponent.”
The Blue Devils finish its non-conference slate of games with a 9-2 record with wins over then No. 2 Auburn and the Illini while dropping games to then No. 19 Kentucky and No. 1 Kansas.
Duke is slated to return to Madison Square Garden at the start of next season in November when facing Kansas in the Champions Classic with very little else known about its non-conference slate of games.